Dime, Polar, Butter Goods and FA: What Each Skate Brand Is Actually Good At (2026)

Seven skate brands, and they are not interchangeable. Dime is the funny Canadian one, Polar cuts the best wide leg, Butter Goods is the most wearable, FA x Independent is the most straightforwardly skate, Cash Only is the blunt one, Hoddle runs the smallest batches, and Last Resort AB makes the shoes. This is an honest comparison of what each is actually good at — not a catalogue. If you already know what you want, go straight to the skateboard collection.

Dime MTL — Montreal

The Canadian one. Dime is a Montreal skate brand with a sense of humour and a genuinely good cut on its heavier pieces — hoodies, the classic denim, socks, caps. The graphics are the draw, but the fleece weight is why people re-buy. Because it's Canadian there are no cross-border duties on it, which matters more than most people expect. Browse Dime MTL.

Polar Skate Co. — Malmö

Reach for Polar if you want the wide-leg silhouette done properly rather than approximated. The Band Tee and the double-jersey Contrast Tees are the entry point; the trousers are the real reason the brand has the reputation it does. Cut is Polar's whole argument. See Polar Skate Co.

Butter Goods — Perth

The most consistently wearable of the seven. Corduroy, work pants, graphic tees that don't shout. If you want skate clothing that reads as just good clothing, this is the one. Browse Butter Goods.

FA x Independent — Los Angeles

Fucking Awesome working with Independent Trucks: heavyweight cotton long sleeves, the Get High tee, the Spiral Logo trucker, sticker packs. The least fashion-adjacent corner of the list and the most obviously rooted in skating.

Cash Only — New York

Baggy denim, heavyweight hoodies, jacquard beanies. If Dime is the funny one, Cash Only is the blunt one — less graphic-led, more built around the denim.

Hoddle — Melbourne

The smallest run of anything here. Hoddle works in tiny art-directed batches rather than seasons, and its collaborations with Melbourne illustrator Beci Orpin — the Mouse cap, the Teenage Smoker ringer tee — are the pieces that go first and don't come back.

Last Resort AB — Malmö

Shoes, not clothes. Vulcanised skate shoes with a cushioned insole, from the crew around Pontus Alv. The VM001 is the one people come in asking for by name. See Last Resort AB.

Which should you buy?

• Best all-round first purchase: Butter Goods — it works outside skating without trying to.
• Best fit if you want wide-leg: Polar.
• Best value in Canada: Dime, on duties alone.
• Most likely to sell out and not return: Hoddle.
• If you actually skate: FA x Independent for clothes, Last Resort AB for shoes.

A note on weight, if you skate somewhere with a real winter

Most skate brand round-ups are written as if it's always summer. In the Okanagan the season runs from roughly March into late October and the shoulder months are long — which is why mid-weight fleece and corduroy do more work in a Canadian skate wardrobe than tees do. Worth weighting your first purchase accordingly: a good hoodie gets worn eight months a year, a good tee gets worn four.

Related: Dime vs Butter Goods denim fit and sizing · what sneaker brands actually publish about sizing · shop the full skateboard collection.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Dime MTL, Polar and Butter Goods?

Dime is a Montreal brand known for graphics and heavyweight fleece. Polar, from Malmö, is known for its wide-leg trouser cut. Butter Goods, from Perth, is the most wearable of the three, built around corduroy, work pants and understated graphics.

Which skate brand has the best fit for wide-leg trousers?

Polar Skate Co. The brand's reputation rests on its trouser cut rather than its graphics, and the wide leg is drafted rather than simply sized up. Butter Goods work pants are the next closest, with a slightly more tapered leg.

Is Dime MTL cheaper in Canada than other skate brands?

Effectively yes. Dime is a Canadian brand based in Montreal, so buying it domestically avoids the import duties and brokerage fees that apply to US and Australian skate labels. The listed price is closer to the price you actually pay.

Do skate brands restock sold-out sizes?

Usually not. Skate labels produce in small seasonal allocations and a sold-out size often does not return, particularly for small-batch brands like Hoddle. Back-in-stock alerts on the product page are more reliable than waiting for a restock.