Pro skateboarder Braden Hoban is no longer riding for Emerica, one of the brands under Sole Tech.
With Sole Tech now part of the Nidecker Group, the landscape for the company’s skate brands has been shifting, and several top riders have left over the past few years.
Big names like Ryan Sheckler and Chris Joslin, who recently earned Skater of the Year, are no longer on Etnies, and now Hoban has stepped away from Emerica as well.
Hoban’s name has been quietly removed from Emerica’s website team page, showing that he is no longer representing the brand.
He also no longer lists Emerica as a sponsor on his personal bio, confirming that he’s no longer part of the team.
As of now, it looks like he is exploring his options and is technically a free agent in the skate shoe world.
The skate shoe scene has become increasingly competitive.
Major players like Nike, Adidas, and New Balance have been expanding their presence, which makes it harder for smaller brands to keep their top riders.
For someone like Hoban, who has been carving out his own style and path in skateboarding, this is a challenging environment.
Braden hasn’t made a formal announcement about leaving Emerica.
His most recent post simply said, “Love you all! Skateboarding
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This suggests he’s staying focused on skating and appreciating the support he’s received along the way.
It seems he is taking a low-key approach, enjoying the ride, and not getting caught up in the business side of things for now.
Emerica has not made any comment either, continuing to operate as usual.
While Hoban is currently skating without a shoe sponsor, fans and friends are hoping he will find a new fit soon. For now, it’s just him, his board, and the streets, doing what he loves most.
Skateboarding is always changing, and riders move around for all kinds of reasons, but Hoban’s love for skating shows through.
He may be without a skate shoe sponsor, but he’s still out there skating, building his reputation one trick at a time, and keeping things real with the community that has followed him for years.