These are the Them 908 boots. They retail for around $165 US.

The 908 is the first boot from Them Goods, the company started by skating legend Jon Julio. They’re sold boot only so you can pick which frames, wheels and bearings you want.

The liners are thick and stylish, providing a good amount of padding around the ankle. However the insole is very thin and doesn’t include a shock absorber, standard in most skates now.

There’s a few things that make the Them 908s unique. First is the lacing system. Rather than the traditional styles, the lace holes of the 908s extend over your foot. This helps create a more snug fit without the need for a 45 degree strap.

The soul plate is also a new design. There’s a recessed area in the front and back to allow for wheels larger than the frames. The royale groove is also very shallow making the angle needed to get boot down less severe, while still providing a solid lock.

I set them up with some 50/50 balance frames with Juice Blocks and Undercover 60mm wheels, then took them to my local skate park to see how they performed.

After the next few weeks I skated the 908s as much as possible. I switched between flat and antirocker setups, as well as trying some big wheels and other frames. The skates held up great to any situation I put them in.

The Them 908s are an amazing boot for most people. The price is competitive and the comfort and performance are excellent. I’ve never skated better than in my 908s. The royale groove fits my style perfectly and the material is a great balance of speed and durability.

I did run into a problem with the boots. The boots have a little divot where the frame bolts go. This divot started causing some pain in my heels after the first few sessions. I ended up cutting small discs out of the insole, glueing them into the boots, and putting new insoles in the liners. This was an easy fix, but I hope they can improve this in the future.

The sizing is a bit tricky. I’m skating the size Medium boot and they fit me great, but I’ve heard from people that the Small boot is much bigger than it measures. Some people have swapped larger, skinnier liners into smaller shells for a better fit. This is where the lack of skate shops makes purchasing the right size difficult.

Overall I think the Them 908 is a great boot, and currently my favorite aggressive setup. The feeling I get on grinds is more solid than any skate I’ve tried. If they fit your foot, and if you fix the insoles, you’re going to love them.