www.rockport.com
A provocative recent trend in men’s footwear is to combine a sole with the appearance and/or technology of an athletic shoe—often in an eye-popping color—with the upper of a traditional brogue, wingtip, or chukka. It represents a novel cross-breeding of old school tradition and high-tech materials that speaks to our culture’s fixations with cutting edge technology and artisanal craftsmanship, not to mention comfort and style. Rockport has followed suit with its truWALKzero line, which combines a super-flexible Adidas adiPRENE-cushioned EVA outsole with a thin, supple leather upper. To be fair, as a subsidiary of Adidas, Rockport has long used adiPRENE performance tech in their work and dress shoes, but the truWALKzero lets it out to play. And play it does. Surprisingly light, the truWALKzero is cool, fun, funky, well-constructed, and exceedingly comfortable. The adiPRENE sole is shock-absorbent and its flexibility—enhanced by a deeply furrowed tread—offers full range of movement. The upper features a padded and elasticated built-in sock liner that protects the instep from blisters and pressure from the laces. The overall impression is of wearing an ultra-lightweight, springy slipper, an ideal shoe for some fashion-forward urban stomping and traveling. And they look pretty good, too, especially in the chocolate brown and vibrant orange wingtip colorway. Be warned, the orange sole is so bright that it verges on quasi-fluorescent. The truWALKzero is also available in black and grey, but this palette smacks of playing it safe. And what’s the point in that?
-Adam Greenhalgh