Grenade Pulls The Pin On Footwear
mike lewis
- October 01 2008
- 1,807 views
- 55 comments
According to Grenade’s Web site, the glove company is moving in to foot gloves, or shoes as they’re more commonly known. The kicks will be debuting this spring.
Here’s the skinny from the Grenerds:
Grenade is proud to present some of the best footwear that you’ll ever fit on your stinking toes; these kicks will cover any hangnail, fungus, or tattoo you’ll ever need to hide from those that care. Just like with any product from Grenade we’ll walk you to the ends of insanity, continents, or just the convenience store down a couple blocks.
Grenade Footwear was designed to cover our feet when the days grew colder and so we could stop rummaging through the bins at Goodwill for the next good pair to skate. Grenade focused the footwear on the need to thrash on occasion, as well so that Grenade’s got an extra pair to wear skating whenever the need arises. Our biggest pinnacle to cross was the amount of research and time that went into developing a shoe that not only fit well, but at same time, look like it came from the minds of Hitchcock, Genghis Khan, and Sammy Hagar. Get ready to shralp these shoes this Spring 2009, you’ll be seeing them in your local shops and such. Grenade Footwear’s looking great but only better once we’ve got a little blood on them.
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October 1st, 2008 at 12:43 pm
sweet!!!
Now they can prebook a ton of glove,shoes, outerwear and now shoes and never ship to their dealers or pay their reps!!
Awesome!
October 1st, 2008 at 1:43 pm
What about Kass on Nike? I am sure that Nike will be amped…
October 1st, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Not sure about the look of the shoe (a little boater-esk if you ask me) but then I’m a trainer so what do I know about cool shoes. Nice to see you’re still writing Mike.
October 1st, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Maybe they should actually become good at making gloves and outerwear first? Make an actual program that makes sense from a category and price standpoint. As well as shipping on time for a few years in a row. C’mon Danny I am tired of having to cancel my Grenade order year after year, this just shows lack of focus………not stoked at all, especially after talking to the new CEO guy, not the type of guy that should speak to us retailers…..Lame
October 1st, 2008 at 9:22 pm
fucking brutal.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:03 pm
HATERZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:47 am
The con-bass-boater-loafer, LOL
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:42 am
Grenade is making some bad choices, they are in over their heads, and will not make it is my prediction.
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:25 am
i like their ambition and they have a good following, but they are in over their heads. this brand is perfect for Target. look out shawn white.
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:52 am
This is a countdown to destruction, Danny how could you let such a good thing go down hill so fast?
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:18 am
Haha?
Let’s look up
‘BRAND EXTENSIONS THAT HAVE FAILED’
Anyone remember Harley Davidson Perfume
or
Smith & Wesson Mountain Bikes
???
Exactly?
Case Closed?
October 2nd, 2008 at 9:21 am
I agree, that they have a lot of hype for sure, but as a retailer as well I am pretty much over them shipping late. I have given them 3 chances and each year they blew it. Then top that with the MMA crap on their website and I just said “What the hell”…………What that company needs is to get back to the core of what they are good at, Gloves and snowboarding - stick to it, perfect. The other thing they need to do, and I have heard this over and over, is take care of their reps, so the reps can take care of us dealers. Our rep was in the other day and didn’t even have any promo, and he had to apologize in advance….I was like, but they have money to create footwear, waste time and money on MMA, do a massive movie tour and spring samples, but do nothing to support the brand at the retail level. I have never seen POP or anything from Grenade. This company could kill it, but they choose to make poor decisions and add categories that they really have no experience in, so that takes the focus off of what Grenade actually is. I am sure they will sell some shoes, but that will come at the cost of what? More poor deliveries? They just need people with more experience in managing brands overall. Good luck Grenade but I will be investing my retail dollars with companies like Dakine, Defcon and Rome - these companies are historically consistent
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:42 am
Well said…
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:43 am
WOW - so ugly, dang. do either Kass bros. even have their hands in the pot anymore? are they just on the side letting kooks run the show? danny on nike? how does that work??
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:49 am
i think you should sick to wat you do best and thats not shoes or even gloves it the tranny look that gets all these posers tryin to look steezy, but its cool make that money, get a pro line and dont sell it. making your product more disireable… think about it
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:58 am
Nike is stoked
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:58 am
POS, these look like crap
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:59 am
Why make these?
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:59 am
I’d wear them, why all the hatin?
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:00 am
This is going to blow… up in their face.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:27 am
That’s the conclusion when “Teenies” running a brand.
The Kaas bros. are super nice, but they have no clue
how to run a bussines. I just canceled my order with them.
This is the 3rd. year in a row….it’s a complete waist of time. Anyway, Grenade will fade away in the long term, that’s shure..it’s a pitty for such a great brand.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I am so glad they never called me back last year when we opened up shop. All of last season, I had kids coming in almost daily trying to send gloves and apparel back for warranty. It’s kinda sad for them.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Sure are a lot of armchair quarterbacks up in here.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I think Grenade is becoming its own joke, just like the Dingo has become a joke of himself. This just makes me laugh. Just look at what the brand is all about right now, you can find out all about Danny, Kevin, and the Dingo on their website, but what you can’t find is info on the new gloves and outerwear. I sent grenade an email about how the site has no product on it and here is the reply I got from Sarah at Grenade(see my origin email below, and Sarah I am one of your customers):
“WOW that is some sass.
We just got in our outerwear and gloves for 08/09 and are currently distributing
them to our big chain stores, etc. I don’t know when they will be on
Grenadegloves.com, but they will be on the shelves of stores really soon.
If you don’t like the blog then don’t READ the effin thing.”
—–Original Message—–
Subject: WEB MSG: Where are the products
From: Hector Mayfield
Email: primedsales@
Message:
Now, call me dumb, but do you guys actually make product, because I cannot find
any of the new products on your website, and it is practically October. I want
to know about Grenade products, not who Danny and the Dingo hung out with last
night. Unless you have another website out there that I am missing that
actually shows some product for 08/09. I mean if you guys actually make gloves
you may want to show them, because as the site currently sits, it is worthless
for us looking to buy Grenade. Instead we get photos of Miss February?
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Sell out to an industry giant if they’d buy it. You had your fun?now sell it and run!
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I think its chill people making some sort of shoe, things have to go in that direction sooner or later. But taking your logo and throwing it on a vans shoe, or a boat shoe that has no connection with winter/snowboarding at all, is kinda weak. I used to be a huge grenade supporter, but once I realized who they really were and what they were about,I stopped supporting. MMA, Are you kidding me?? Are they gonna put Chuck Lydell in the next Grenade movie?!?! Must be some Kooks running the Grenade show nowadays, Maybe they go to the Gym and get Jacked every morning before work instead of lighting up a joint like they used to. Maybe they should get back into lightin it up.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Here you go, the proof is in the taste of the pudding and this is what Grenade’s pudding is starting to taste like:
Original Link: http://www.outsidemedia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=10
GRENADE INVADES MMA WITH MATT ?THE LAW? LINDLAND
PORTLAND, OR ? AUGUST 8, 2008 ? Grenade is taking its unmistakable brand of action sportswear and technical apparel to a new battlefield ? mixed martial arts. The company is teaming up with MMA fighter Matt ?The Law? Lindland to bring a new look and level of performance to this fiercely competitive sport with a line of MMA-inspired hoodies, shorts, t-shirts, hats and gloves.
Lindland is a native of Oregon City, and currently fights and trains for Team Quest out of Portland, Oregon. Recently, Matt scored a gritty 3-round victory at the Affliction: Banned event on July 19, 2008 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Grenade was Lindland?s exclusive apparel sponsor for the event. It had been a year since Matt competed in an MMA event, but his return to the ring was explosive. He defeated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Fabio Negro by unanimous decision while wearing Grenade Ringside Shorts in the middleweight main card bout.
?Grenade has the kind of attitude that appeals to the fans and fighters of MMA,? says Grenade CEO Joseph Condorelli. ?We put a lot of hard work and thought into making clothes that perform as good as they look, and the fans really respond to our level of quality and unique style. We saw a spike in web traffic and online sales after Matt?s win at the Affliction: Banned event. The fans love the new line of MMA apparel.?
MMA is the fastest-growing sport in the US, and its strongest fan base is the coveted 18-34 year-old male demographic. These young men are the ?early adopters? who can take a product from relative obscurity to commercial success, and they are watching MMA events. According to Sports Illustrated, the UFC scored pay-per-view revenues of $223 million in 2006, compared to $177 million for boxing and $200 million for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). Grenade is committed to serving this community. In addition to its relationship with Lindland, Grenade is currently in talks with some of the top MMA fighters about sponsorship, including Anderson Silva, Josh Barnett, Renato Sobral, Clay Guida, Keith Jardine, Chris Leben and Chris Cyborg.
Grenade MMA t-shirts, hoodies and hats are available right now online at http://www.grenadegloves.com . Grenade MMA gloves and shorts will be ready for delivery in Spring ?09.
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:03 am
this dumb move + MMA venture + claiming freestyle skiing is stealing snowboarding’s history = bankruptcy after another season or 2 (that or they start selling exclusively to walmart)
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:22 am
I agree they could be gone in 2 years, key word could, you never know they may get their shit together. But your statment about Danny claiming about freestyle skiing has zero to do with the success of Grenade, zero.
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I think bad PR will have a lot to do with the success (or rather demise) of Grenade. Danny’s image is so closely associated with grenade that i can’t imagine his comments will have zero repercussions on his business. your right in that the statement alone won’t have much bearing on the business as a whole, but I think it’s been another broken rung in the ladder that he is falling down.
This shoe idea, MMA, and his remarks make it clear that Grenade is loosing sight of whatever business plan they had in mind originally. From reading other posts it seems like they, as a company, don’t value their image to consumers or retailers alike. From customer service, taking care of reps, or progressing your brand in an authentic and credible direction, they seemed to have been failing across the board.
October 3rd, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I agree that grenade needs to stay focussed, lose their infatuation with fame and get their shit together. If the kids want to read abut last nights party they’ll check out the cobrasnake.com or worse still buy teen vogue.
Interestingly, I doubt the the shreds that are stoked on Grenade’s product and hype who buy the products would have any clue as to the retail attitude towards the brand.
Pardon my ingnorance (Im not a retailer), but in theory does delivering late seriously affect a brands value when there is strong demand for the brand from the kids? Or is this more a case of retailers getting upset at the breaking of a percieved law set in stone that you “just dont deliver late or else?”
Maybe they treat their reps like shit as they believe that being associated with DK, the Dingo and grenade is payment in itself? Core is poor right?
Do they give a shit that retailers cancel their orders? They are selling direct online so if there is demand for the product the kids will seek it out without having to leave the pad.
Interesting times.
PS As an Aussie I find the Dingo a hilarious parody of all that is wrong with the industry. Dude whats up with that ridiculous accent? Losing an Aussie accent is like losing your wang. Its with you forever.
October 3rd, 2008 at 5:18 pm
based on the popular perception … man there are some people out there sippin on hater-ade… I wouldn’t try and bail this brand out of a crisis situation(which they may or may not be faced with) if I were the PR director. why don’t the Grenerds just cash their chips in on gloves. Keep it real and don’t ride terrain you’re not ready for.
October 5th, 2008 at 10:56 am
sinking ship.
October 5th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
or Osiris Snowboard boots? LOL
October 6th, 2008 at 9:34 am
The CEO doesn’t know his ass from his elbow.
October 6th, 2008 at 9:40 am
It’ll be interesting to see how this all unfolds. I feel Grenade is very much a rider-built brand (meaning people back Grenade because of an affinity for Danny, the Dingo, Vernon Valley New Jersey, etc.).
Rider’s can’t stay relevant forever though, which is when you either need new talent or product that kills it.
From what I’m reading here, the product tends not to ship on time and not a lot of people are stoked on the MMA leanings. Brands shipping late is nothing new and we’ve seen similar stories of rider driven companies eventually being grabbed by larger guys down the line to bail them out.
The MMA thing is fairly new in our industry… other brands are doing it, I’m intrigued to see how it pans out. Will guys abandon RVCA or Grenade because they hate MMA? Will the people who back these brands increase because they love MMA?
October 6th, 2008 at 11:15 am
It’s one thing to add categories to your brand, but it is another to add these when your brand and it’s current categories need help first. In the case of Grenade I think they are getting ahead of themselves too fast. If I were a CEO or President I would take what my company does best in terms of category mix, look at it strategically, assess what the problems are, plan out the needed corrections, and improve upon what we do best. In this case, Grenade has not done a great job in improving upon the little things - delivery, reliable products, conclusive price points that actually make sense. All of these are important piece of the puzzle for success.
Yes, there is a lot of consumer demand, but once that demand becomes permeated with poor product function and performance then what is left to do?
I think the leadership at Grenade need to measure the brand, properly tackle the battles and get back to being a company that is their to support all their retailers with proper programs, in store presence and marketing and get that brand to grow in the direction that it was meant to grow.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:20 am
wow………way to stoke out someone who wants to but your effin product! soooooo smart
October 6th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Is that a blatant plug for Levitation?
October 7th, 2008 at 11:48 am
The brand Grenade Gloves has so much Potential thanks to efforts of Danny and Matt. The guerilla marketing that grew this biz is always going to out shadow their short-comings. With their shit together, Grenade is bound to blow up…I mean they can’t have Dave Schiff as the VP of sales and The Dingo running shipping.
Dave Schiff in Herion Shits
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytWgHlj3qA0
The Adventures of Danny and The Dingo episode 1
http://www.hulu.com/watch/37151/the-adventures-of-danny-and-the-dingo-launching-in-aspen
November 18th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
We pay all our reps and our gear is on time
we also got rid of all the reps that sucked
including that jack off from SoCal asshole of the month
Shawn the jerkoff Capko
November 18th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
You cancelled your order beacuse you are to stupid to sign an agreement to pay ontime
November 18th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
You can sell all the Dakine you want they suck and rome Just rips off Grenades Ideas
Oh and lets ask RVCA if they are assholes for supporting MMA
the reason you are a hater is because youdo not know whatis going on inthe world
November 20th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
wow. A company that sells thousands upon thousands of gloves, jackets, and pants wont go under just because a few shop owners decide to whine about how they think that company SHOULD be run. Its your choice if you decide not to make money off of an oppurtunity they are providing for you, they are doing YOU a favor by providing you top quality products to sell, not the other way around.
January 14th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Danny, is that you?
January 14th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
WE STOPPED CARRYING RUCA 2 YEARS AGO. MMA AND SURFING–PERFECT–WHAT?
January 14th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Talking like that is only gonna get your feelings hurt. Capko worked his ass off for that brand. From when nobody would even look at the garbage Grenade started out as to everyone in their mom wanting a piece of it. Even the biggest companies in this industry dont talk the way you fucktards talk about retailers and reps. Your kidding yourself to talk shit about that guy. I hope you are not eating garbage out of a trash can in portland soon when you dont have a job and nobody gives a fuck that you worked at grenade.
RESPECT….look it up in the dictionary.
January 14th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
You also alienated every single person who helped start this company and built it to what it was. If any of you out there think Matt and Danny Kass built Grenade by themselves think again. It took every team rider that rode for NOTHING and the hard work of a core crew who made NOTHING and shops who had faith in the honest simple idea of snowboarding to start the whole thing just using stickers and hype.
But congrats Matt and Danny. Now you really will be able to say you singlehandedly did something for Grenade - took it right down the toilet. Your GREED and disloyalty to the people that helped you will catch you right in the ass. and probably get you a few black eyes along the way. and not just from Bill Weiss.
Danny, I’m sure Nike will wake up one day and see you for the pile you are. Might sooner than you think…..
January 19th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Thats funny. When has grenade ever put out “quality” product. The stuff is pretty much one and done use. Its obvious this brand put everything into marketing and very little into quality control. We stopped making money on your crap a long time ago. We emphasize loyalty and relationships above most things. The way you look at retailers and past employees is bullshit and not what this industry is about. Stopping doing us “favors” and drop dead into Target.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:15 am
Negro, FUCK YOU. What about this:
National Board of Review Decision Regarding Joseph Condorelli, CEO of Grenade Gloves.
November 7, 2007
The National Board of Review for USA Swimming meet on October 25, 2007 to review the appeal by Joseph Condorelli (the Respondent) in the matter of the Oregon Swimming Board of Review decision. The following is a summary of the BOR ruling:
“…the Decision of the OSI BOR should be and is hereby affirmed, except the penalties assessed against Respondent in paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of the Decision are hereby modified as follows:
(i) for a period of twelve (12) months, commencing November 1, 2007 and ending October 31, 2008, Respondent is hereby prohibited from attending (i.e., being present in the swimming venue or associated areas used in connection with the meet and under the control of the host club/organization, including without limitation pool deck, spectator seating, warm-up /warm-down facilities, athlete rest areas, concessions areas, rest rooms and parking lots) in any capacity whatsoever, including without limitation as a coach, parent or spectator, any USA Swimming sanctioned meet, regardless of its location inside or outside the Oregon Swimming boundaries, and this order shall, accordingly, constitute a trespass order against Respondent on such terms;
(ii) Respondent is hereby expelled indefinitely from membership (in any category) in USA Swimming, subject to the right of reapplication on and after November 1, 2011…”
January 27th, 2009 at 1:19 am
Fuck you: trick ass bitches. R. Kelly RIP
stab you in your gravesite. paranoid nigga’zxaz
February 5th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Obv there are problems when you have dave heroin schiff doing things for the company!! i remember in like 8th grade blowing diesel with that kid in his basement and his mom would make us food knowing we did it hahahahah.
May 23rd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
really cause i have never had a problem ever…..maybe you should try it using it
May 23rd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Well I support thier move, almost all companies have to expand. Thier is massive competetion out there and if you dont expand lines you contract, it is simple business. They still rep an off beat product like they always have. They havent sold out or given in to the mainstream or shit like that. I dont see non boarders wearing thier shit like Burton kids. I ask people what Burton is and some people tell me a t shirt company….see what i mean. Trust me coming from a business background, it is good move. You wont see these on Abercrombie AE people. The guys still rep them at events, they still ride hard, do camps, and most of all they still make crazy looking designs that only the true Grenade fans enjoy. You gotta respect them for that, and hell remember it is still a company for boarders by boarders….as far the logistical and supply problems go, all new companies have that and well they werent prepared for the demand and that just goes to show again these guys are boarders. They are learning what it takes to run a business and board at the same time….Love you Danny