The $98, Seriously Stylish Sneakers That Were Worth the Wait
SHOP $98, everlane.com
Welcome to The Esquire Endorsement. Heavily researched. Thoroughly vetted. These picks are the best way to spend your hard-earned cash.
This is not the first time I've felt compelled to talk about Everlane's new Tread sneakers. I actually covered them when they first launched, which wasn't all that long ago. You might reasonably ask, So why are you talking about them again? Fair question! And I've got a simple answer: Because they're good.
When I say "good," I'm not just saying that the shoes are stylish. And I'm not just saying that they're affordable, or good for the planet. I'm saying that they're all three of those things. And when it comes to sneakers right now, that's a triple threat worthy of anyone's attention. Here's why.
It looks good, but not boring.
The sneaker world has no shortage of hyped releases. And while I love a bold colorway or a newly revamped silhouette as much as the next guy, there's always something enticing about a shoe that doesn't require completely rethinking your wardrobe in order to wear it. That said, minimalism to the point of monotony can get a little tiresome. The Tread Trainer manages to split the difference. The tonal colorways keep things approachable, sure. But it's also paneled with varying textures of leathers, giving it some genuine dimension. It's a minimal-ish shoe, not a minimalist one. That's a welcome thing right now.
SHOP $98, everlane.com
It costs a lot less than you might think.
Sneaker prices can be tricky. Some guys don't bat an eye at dropping a mint on a limited-edition release. Others don't mind cracking open their wallet for something that feels like a sound investment. Either way, the key question is what constitutes an investment-level purchase. Is it $200? $400? Everlane takes that calculus out of the equation. The Tread Trainer costs $98. At a time when even super-affordable kicks like Vans and Converse can get pretty close to the $100 mark, a two-digit price tag is more than welcome.
It's seriously sustainable.
However you feel about sustainability as a marketing tactic, I hope we can all agree that making things that are better for the planet is a good idea. After all, you can't flex your personal style if you're too busy trying to avoid a horde of Mad Max-esque marauders. The Tread Trainer is specifically designed to be as easy on the Earth as possible, using far less virgin plastic than other sneakers, and leather from a supplier that's among the cleanest in the business. Plus, any carbon footprint that doesn't get shut down by the manufacturing process is offset by partnership programs. All the better to keep building your wardrobe for years to come-sans rising sea levels.
Prop styling by Miako Katoh
Photography by Allie Holloway
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