#167 PRADA UOMO BROWN LACE-UP

COMING FROM MY FAVORITE COLLECTION THAT PRADA HAS EVER DONE (I WANT TO SAY ONE OF THE SEASONS IN 2002, ALTHOUGH I CAN'T TELL FOR SURE NOW THAT FIRSTVIEW DECIDED TO CHARGE TO LOOK THROUGH PAST SEASONS), THIS CAME FROM THE SAME COLLECTION AS #92. SAME SHAPE, BODY & COMFORT WITH DIFFERENT STYLINGS & DESIGNS. ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A TRADITIONAL DESIGN, SUCH AS A LACE-UP DRESS SHOE, & THEN CHANGED IT UP FOR A DIFFERENT LOOK.

#166 Y-3 HONJA HI BARK

ANOTHER STAPLE FROM Y-3, THE HONJA HI MODELS ARE SUBTLE BUT FEATURE SOME STRONG DESIGN LINES & DETAILS. LIKE A LOT OF PREVIOUS INNOVATIVE Y-3 DESIGNS, THIS ONE FEATURES A VERY DIFFERENT TEXTURE ON THE LEATHER, PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN ON ANYTHING ELSE. LOVE THE MINIMAL PADDING BETWEEN THE FOOT & THE GROUND. VERY COMFORTABLE FOR LONG WEAR. SOLE DESIGN IS VERY SIMILIAR TO THE BOXING MODELS EXCEPT THAT IT'S NOT AS NARROW.

#165 DIOR HOMME B01 VMMC3900

AN AMAZING UPDATE TO THEIR "GERMAN ARMY TRAINERS" LINE. WHILE NOT AN OFFICIAL LINE, IT IS ONE OF DIOR HOMME'S STAPLE RELEASES. SEVERAL BRANDS RELEASE THEIR OWN VERSIONS OF "GERMAN ARMY TRAINERS" (MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA HAS SOME GOOD ONES), DIOR'S ARE PROBABLY THE MOST POPULAR. YOU CAN ALMOST ARGUE THE FACT THAT IT'S WHAT MADE THEIR FOOTWEAR KNOWN. YOU CAN PROBABLY THANK HEDI FOR THAT. WHAT MAKES THIS PARTICULAR MODEL NICE IS IT'S MATERIAL. REFERRED TO AS MATTE LEATHER, IT SEEMS TO BE A FUSION OF LEATHER & RUBBER. IT REALLY HAS AN AMAZING FEEL TO IT.

#164 TERRA PLANA VIVOBAREFOOT EVO II

ANOTHER ENTRY IN MINIMALIST-DESIGNED FOOTWEAR AIMED AT THE BAREFOOT RUNNING NICHE. TERRA PLANA HAS ACTUALLY BEEN AROUND FOR AWHILE. THEIR FOOTWEAR IS ECO-CONSCIOUS & IN SOME CASES, EVEN VEGAN. GOT THESE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, HAVEN'T TAKEN THEM FOR A RUN YET, BUT DID DO JUMP ROPES IN THEM THIS AFTERNOON & I LIKE THE FEELING. WHERE THEY FAIL IS MAKING THE SOLES CURVE UPWARD IN THE TOE BOX. AN UNNATURAL POSITION FOR THE FOOT. LAST I CHECKED, THE SOLES OF MY FEET ARE FLAT ON THE GROUND & MY TOES DO NOT EXTEND UP OFF THE GROUND. THIS IS WHERE VIBRAM FIVE FINGERS STILL HAS AN ADVANTAGE. HUGE DESIGN MISTAKE ON THE CURVING UP PART. WHILE ALL RUNNING SHOES HAVE THAT CURVE UP SOLE DESIGN, THEY ARE ALSO MUCH MORE PADDED ON THE INSIDE SO THE PADDING COMPENSATES SOME TOE PRESSURE & THE TOES DO NOT EXTEND UP AS MUCH. BUT BECAUSE THESE SHOES HAVE ZERO PADDING, IT ACTUALLY EXTENDS THE TOES UP MORE THAN REGULAR SHOES. MY ONLY OTHER COMPLAINT ABOUT THEM IS THE WIDTH. THEY'RE VERY WIDE. BEST SUITED FOR FRODO & HIS FRIENDS.