urban assault footwear?

[AngryScientist]

looking for recommendations on a solid, comfortable shoe that is suitable for long days in urban environments. think walking tours of NYC or Paris. walk all day type of shoe. would like something that looks acceptable with jeans or shorts, and can get by in a decent restaurant, but not out of place in a sleezy bar either. thoughts?

[Matthew Strongin]

looking for recommendations on a solid, comfortable shoe that is suitable for long days in urban environments. think walking tours of NYC or Paris. walk all day type of shoe. would like something that looks acceptable with jeans or shorts, and can get by in a decent restaurant, but not out of place in a sleezy bar either. thoughts?

You may get hung up on the decent restaurant with my first option, though I wear them out all the time...my first vote is a pair of Nike Free 3.0. They're super comfortable and can actually look good with slim jeans or slim chinos. Shorts is a given. My second vote is a simple oxford with a crepe sole. I have a pair of the Fry James Crepe and I can wear them all day comfortably. They'd look terrible with shorts, though.

[bcm119]

The most comfy all-day walking/standing around shoes I've worn are made by Ecco. I think it is the Biom Grip model. I have no fashion sense so I'm not sure if they are kosher with the cool kids, but they're really comfortable. Something about the footbed that spreads and relaxes the forefoot.

[spopepro]

The shorts-to-nice dinner range is what's going to make this tough, I think. Personally, if I were a shorts wearing kind of guy (I'm not), I'd probably pick:

[j44ke]

Camper 1913 Oxford or ankle boot.





The leather gets softer and softer the more you wear them, and they age really nicely. Stains and scratches look great on them. And the soles are firm but shock absorbing over a day walking around on cement. Mine are so broken in I can wear them barefoot without getting blisters. I wore them all over Italy, have worn them all over Paris and of course all over NYC.
I wear them with shorts, khakis and jeans. I've changed the laces over to some bright red ones on one pair and bright orange on another. And I try to wear them with colorful sock, though bright red socks seem to work the best.

[ericpmoss]

If I'm really on concrete all day, I need thicker soles with at least some give. Since running shoes are out, fashion-wise, you might consider Oxfords or Walkers from Limmer Boot Inc. IF you have a chance to try them on in person, or have time to do the mail-order merry-go-round.

[davids]

Mid-August, my wife & I went down to Manhattan for one of our occassional all-day walkabouts. As we left the car on 86th, she asked me what I wanted to do. I said I could use a new pair of attractive all-day walking shoes.

A couple minutes later we ended up in Harry's Shoes. A half-hour after that I left the store wearing these, Ecco New Jersey slip-ons. They actually look less shiney than this photo:

01_051504-01014_main.jpg

I wore them all day, about eight-nine miles of walking. Two months later they're just great.

I wouldn't wear them with shorts, but they meet your other criteria.

[christian]

Unless you're at the beach or swim club, there's really no reason to wear shorts, so there's that.

[popandmod]

Unless you're at the beach or swim club, there's really no reason to wear shorts, so there's that.

Well then whats the point of shaving?

[Chad]

Unless you're at the beach or swim club, there's really no reason to wear shorts, so there's that.

Serious? I was going to list all the hot, sweaty, possiblty dirty outdoor activity I have to attend, then i decided that would be foolish. I simply disagree.

WTH is a swim club? You have to join a club to swim in NY?

[airedale]

If vans won't get me into a restaurant I'd be looking for something like these.

Wallabee – Maple Suede – Mens Shoes – 26103760 | Clarks Originals

Attachment 72962

[burgess1108]

I just picked up a pair of these in the dark blue. Very comfortable, and they're vented very well and they look great with jeans. I'm sure you can argue whether they're stylish or not, but I saw Craig Hummer with the grey ones at Interbike so they must be awesome. They come in a whole bunch of colors other than what I've posted. Cole Haan Zero Grand.

[lukasz]

My favorite shoes ever:

Soft Star Shoes - Smooth Black Dash RunAmoc | Soft Star Shoes

They don't look nearly as funky as it seems on the internet. I bought them for travel (in black) because they're so light and packable but have been wearing them pretty much any time I'm not in bike shoes since June. And the people that sell them are amazing in that scary Oregon way. They're so damn simple that they work with anything.

I think this is the review where the guy mentions he works in a "business casual' environment and wears them to work.
https://importantbutnotatall.wordpre...unamoc-review/

[sevencyclist]

I like Allen Edmonds since my feet are wide and need the wider lasts from them.

Wilbert - Split-toe Lace-up Oxford Men's Casual Shoes by Allen Edmonds

The loafers are comfortable yet formal enough for nice restaurants.

Fairmont Moc-toe Slip-on Penny Loafer Men's Casual Shoes by Allen Edmonds

[billrick]

That is some bad-ass elfen footware, like something Legolas would wear with a tux. I might use these as leverage to get my wife to approve my Birkenstock clog purchase. Thanks for posting!

My favorite shoes ever:

Soft Star Shoes - Smooth Black Dash RunAmoc | Soft Star Shoes

For the OP, on my last urban assault weekend in NYC, I wore Blundstones with cork insoles. Did everything well, except the shorts bit.

[jonathanb]

Mephisto makes a wide variety of models well suited for lots of walking.

[miwuksurfer]

Pick some comfy shoes from up-thread then buy some rainbows to wear with the shorts.

[Justin@BlackOakVelo]

i think the answer here is Top Siders.

[s_curran]

At first I thought this thread meant that stair gaps were becoming cool again, and someone needer a rec. on some big ass skate shoes, meant to be left untied:


(since im sure no one has any idea what I am talking about)

But on another note, I really liked these if you dont mind disposable shoes. Super light foam sole, simple single layer leather upper, I wore them as my only shoes walking around Istanbul for 10 days. Once the soles wore down a lot they were useless, even though the uppers probably had years left in them though. Another nice thing is the pack flat. I'll buy another pair at some point.

Sperry Top-Sider Harbor Plain Toe Oxford

sperry-top-sider-brown-harbor-plain-toe-lace-up-oxfords-product-1-19674591-1-882427379-normal_l.jpeg

[usman]

vans slip ons all day. and for $45. tried and true. 20+ years on these.

ZMRF5L-ALT2.jpg