When you pay $300 for a pay of hiking boots, you expect some perks. Sure the Rocky S2V men’s Hiker has Nubuck leather, tear-resistant Ripstop nylon, and moisture-wicking lining but it also has — what the?! — fire-making technology built-in. Yes, these boots are equipped with (under the footbed) a firesparker and wet cubes–all you need to start a fire. Just think of the applications for this: impromptu weenie roast; smoke signals; re-enactment of Cast Away; and hey, fun prank of the TSA Folks!
As they used to say on every pre-1995 cartoon when a plan was being hatched, “It sounds crazy, but it just might work!” I suppose that’s what Mariquel said to her husband Gaston when he came up with the idea for Hickies ($16). These rubber and plastic… um, doohickeys, are meant to replace shoelaces, turning any pair of shoes into stylish, hassle-free slip-ons. One size fits all, and with a multitude of colors, you can mix & match like a mix & match fiend. For the sake of laziness and the future of this husband-and-wife business team, lets hope these take off.
Remember that song “Sailing”? Yeah, good tune. But was it even about sailing? Eh, whatever. Anyways, speaking of sailing, the new Louis Vuitton Cup collection is aimed squarely at people who wanna rock some style while they rock the boat. Featuring a wide new selection of ready-to-wear clothing, leather goods, shoes and accessories, all of the items are built with the active seafarer in mind. From repelling water to offering great flexibility, you’ll be ready to look damn good as you, uh, pull down the starboard and um, fire up the bow thingy! Confession: I learned everything I know about sailing from Christopher Cross.
The word Phat is still around, despite the fact that the Kid n Play, Positive K, and Warren G have all past their prime. But Air Jordan is bringin’ it back with their 1 Phat model, scheduled to release in January of next year. The new 1 Phat will feature a mesh/leather combo on the upper with cool grey shading on the laces, lining, and outsole for contrast. Overall, the shoe coloring is monochromatic with the side branding blending into the rest of the shoe. This shoe is indeed reminiscent of the classic Jordan, but it’s super Phat, extra Phat – or whatever the appropriate Phat phrase is.
OK, being that the season begins in two weeks and all, let’s brush up on your NBA knowledge. Quick, name last year’s MVP! If you said Bob McAdoo, well, congrats on that impressive old school hoops knowledge, but um, yeah, he won the hardware in 1975, gramps. In 2011 the award went to Chicago’s Derrick Rose, and by golly, MVPs deserve their own badass shoes don’t they? The adidas adiZero Rose 2 “Luxury Hardwood” features a mid-cut, lightweight synthetic upper, perfect for slashing to the iron with, just like Mr. Rose does so viciously. Look for these babies December 22 with a $110 price tag.
What goes better with a pair of shoes than a bag (besides a great pair of legs to fit into those shoes)? Well-known Vault by Vans designer, Taka Hayashi, in collaboration with Billykirk, has designed a new leather shoe and bag duo, now available at Vault by Vans dealers. Included in this collection is a dress shoe-like Derby TH LX, Taka’s version of the esteemed Sk8-Hi skate shoe, and the Sk8-Hi TH LX/Billykirk No. 207 handmade Padded Laptop Flight Bag, which makes that three new items altogether in this elegant, collaborative collection.
You’ve got the holiday duds, now you just need the shoes to top it all off. You want shoes that are durable, contemporary, and timeless. Well look no further, because Dr. Marten and Hypebeast have teamed up to bring male shoe shoppers a more modern version of the 3989 Eye Brogue. The new shoe is solid black all around with embossed wingtip accents on the upper, giving it a sleek and classic look that can go either up town or dressed down. Only 150 pairs will be released on December 12th, and if you happen to be in London, you can buy them at the Dover Street Market. Otherwise, you can purchase them at select Dr. Marten’s stores and on Hypebeast.com as well.
People who shop on Black Friday are either crazy, masochistic, or they really don’t get out much. But the good news for them is that this Black Friday, November 25th, will feature a special release that just might get even the biggest shopping hater out of bed for this collection L.A.’s UNDFTD has just released their latest installment in the Ballistic series with Converse. Unlike the previous capsule collections characterized by navy and white colorways, UNDFTD changes it up with a black ballistic nylon collection. Fans know the drill. The collection features two sneaker models in the form of the Star Player High and Academy Low, along with the corresponding A.L.I.C.E. backpack. One thing’s for certain…while I’m dreaming of turkey leftovers and pumpkin pie, Converse and UNDFTD fans everywhere will be fighting angry mothers and obsessed teenagers come Black Friday morning. Hype video under the cut.