The NB Numeric Tiago Lemos 808 Lite is not merely a shoe. It is an ethos of motion, identity, and durability engineered into form. Released as a refinement of the celebrated 808 silhouette, this Lite version strips down the excess while maintaining the resilient backbone that made the original a standout. Designed in collaboration with Brazilian skateboarding prodigy Tiago Lemos, this model bridges the divide between performance innovation and aesthetic integrity. It is a modern solution to the ever-demanding needs of elite street skating, seamlessly marrying function with flair.
Origins: From São Paulo Streets to Global Relevance
To understand the 808 Lite is to first understand Tiago Lemos himself—a skater whose raw athleticism, technical precision, and understated flair have made him an icon in the global skate community. Known for his ability to make complex tricks appear effortlessly graceful, Tiago carries himself with the confidence of a veteran and the hunger of a newcomer. His long-standing relationship with New Balance Numeric (NB#) has become one of the most fruitful partnerships in skateboarding footwear, yielding products that blend boardfeel, comfort, and streetwear sensibility.
The original NB Numeric 808 was developed in 2022 as a direct reflection of Tiago’s style—dense padding, a reinforced upper, a chunky silhouette. It called back to the late-‘90s era of skate shoes while incorporating modern-day technology. The 808 Lite, however, takes that core and injects it with contemporary minimalism. What results is a shoe that’s lighter, leaner, and engineered for a higher tempo of skating.
Upper Composition
The upper of the 808 Lite retains Tiago’s penchant for layered structure but swaps out heavier materials for lightweight synthetic mesh, suede overlays, and breathable textiles. There is an intentional slimming of the puffed-out tongue and heel collar seen on the original 808—replaced here with a lower profile that hugs the foot without suffocating it. New Balance has cleverly preserved the layered panel aesthetic that Tiago loves, but removed the visual bulk.
The toe cap is reinforced subtly with abrasion-resistant rubber underlays—a detail nearly invisible to the eye but critical for flick longevity. Breathability is improved thanks to perforated mesh sections woven into the midfoot and heel areas. This ensures that even under hours of sessioning, the shoe remains dry, responsive, and unobtrusive.
Midsole & Cushioning
Where the 808 Lite truly earns its name is in the reformulated FuelCell foam midsole. Borrowed from New Balance’s running tech, FuelCell here is tailored for skateboarding: ultra-responsive yet stable enough for heavy landings. The Lite version also reduces the weight of the foam insert while retaining the dual-density geometry—denser in the heel for impact, lighter in the forefoot for boardfeel.
This refinement allows Tiago—and skaters like him—to bridge the divide between power and sensitivity. You feel the snap of an ollie, the groove of a ledge, but the jarring consequence of a stair set is muted to the point of trust.
Outsole & Grip Pattern
The gum rubber outsole remains, though retooled for lighter weight and better flexibility. Flex grooves are etched more deeply along the forefoot and arch, giving the shoe a better break-in curve and enhanced flick control. The herringbone tread—an NB staple—has been modified into multi-directional pods. These maximize grip on the board’s griptape without over-cupping the edges during quick pivots or reverts.
Colorways: A Brazilian Minimalism
At launch, the NB Numeric 808 Lite debuted in a suite of understated colorways that reflect Tiago’s taste for clean palettes: dusty grey with white accents, off-white with cream overlays, and a deep navy that mirrors the São Paulo skyline at dusk. Each colorway is intended to blend with everyday wardrobe staples, from cuffed denim to cargos to athletic track pants.
There’s no loud branding or neon experimentation. Instead, a refined NB# logo stitched on the heel and a muted Tiago insignia along the tongue loop serve as humble acknowledgments of the shoe’s DNA. In doing so, the 808 Lite positions itself not just as gear—but as a part of the skater’s identity.
Performance Field Test: Lightness Without Compromise
Skaters who have tested the 808 Lite universally point to one defining characteristic: weightlessness. Where the original 808 was praised for protection and robustness, this Lite version gives skaters the sensation of skating on air. Kickflips become snappier. Tre flips feel more intuitive. There is a noticeable reduction in leg fatigue during long skate days, particularly in urban environments where walking between spots is part of the ritual.
Importantly, this performance upgrade does not sacrifice durability. The rubberized underlays, suede reinforcements, and tight-knit mesh hold up under repeated grip abrasion. Heel drag and toe flicks do minimal damage, even after weeks of aggressive use.
Culture: A Lite Shoe with Heavyweight Influence
Beyond technicality, the 808 Lite is a statement about how skateboarding—and skate footwear—continues to evolve. In a time when skaters are being styled by fashion houses and streetwear brands are partnering with heritage footwear labels, the 808 Lite strikes a rare balance. It is a shoe built for skating, without apology, but designed with the awareness that skaters are among the most stylistically fluent athletes alive.
Tiago’s global fanbase, stretching from Brazil to Barcelona to NYC, wears this shoe not only to skate but to live in. Its form transitions from stair set to subway station, from manual pad to rooftop party. In a post-pandemic culture where multifunctional footwear is key, the 808 Lite is one of the few skate shoes that doesn’t need to switch hats—it already wears them all.
Impression
The NB Numeric Tiago Lemos 808 Lite is a skateboarding shoe distilled. It filters out the ornamental excess of mainstream sneaker culture and the overly engineered complications of performance shoes, distilling them into a silhouette that moves with quiet purpose. For Tiago Lemos, this model is another step in his ongoing narrative—proof that evolution need not always be louder. Sometimes, it just needs to be lighter.
