By sneakerologist
Published: February 29, 2008
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Before I started writing my reviews of Converse kicks, I took my time in deciding which ones I should write about. My criteria was that all the shoes I review should be different from each other in some way or the other. After all, there's absolutely no fun in writing about five shoes which are different just because of their color or material. So when I saw the double upper Chuck Taylors, I had to buy and review them because they were indeed different from the regular blokes.
Converse seems to have started experimenting quite a bit after Nike took ownership of the brand, and I think that the money and resources of the bigger brother has indeed helped in letting Converse experiment with new colors and silhouettes. The double upper Chuck Taylor certainly seems to be one of them.
The basic construction of the double upper Chuck Taylor is no different than the classic Chucks, except that everything is in double measure - double upper, double laces, double printing, double tongues and yes, double the price. The upper has a faded look, thanks to the in vogue washed treatment on fabrics these days, be it in jeans or canvas sneakers. The old is the new cool these days, and people are not complaining.
Double dose of everything: It was quite a while before I got used to lacing them - but I prefer the simple lacing, see the first left shoe in the first picture of this review. The outsole is the same as the classic Chucks, no double trouble there, thank goodness.
Double Converse: Notice how the Converse print appears twice on the footbed. This reminds me of the time when 3D movies were hot and you saw double images if you went in and watched the movie without the special dark glasses.
Double tongue: Double decker tongues, with a tongue loop, which is an uncommon feature in Canvas Chucks. You can also see the factory manufactured "bruises" on the toe cap.
The shoe might get a bit toasty inside, with a double layer of canvas covering your foot. The aluminum vent holes which you see on the outer layer of the shoes are obstructed by the inner layer, depriving the Chucks of any direct ventilation. But having said that, it will still be breezy compared to a synthetic leather sports shoe or a regular dress shoe, so that should not really be a great concern. The double business everywhere also adds a bit of extra since it weighs 438 grams for a size 9 shoe, which is over 50 grams heavier than the classic Chuck Taylors high.
You might love them or hate them, but they ARE different enough to be a style statement.
The Lowdown:
Shoe name: Converse Chuck Taylor Double Upper Ox
Color reviewed: Taupe
Retail price (India): INR 2100
Estimated US retail: $55
Available at: All Planet Sports stores and select footwear retailers.
Weight: 438 grams for size UK 9/US 10 half pair.
Verdict: A spin off from the classic Chuck Taylors, this shoe might be your kind of thing if you have enough patience to lace them and like your Chucks to be different. Expensive at almost double the price of classic Chucks.
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