Whatever you call it, The Concrete Jungle, The Empire State, The Burroughs, there’s no other place on Earth like New York City.  This year my grandmother and patriarch of my family turned 90 years old, and we decided to celebrate this milestone in her home city of Queens, New York.  Amid spending time with my favorite cousins, new cousins and old friends, my wife and I took some time to enjoy some of the touristy things about New York.  Even with all the sights and food I could not get over one clothing item that made my entire trip memorable, My Sneakers!

New York is a walking, biking public transport type city but I stuck to the pedestrian form during my explorations and for that I needed comfortable yet stylish.  I purchased a pair of Nike Huarache Ultra Run’s a couple of months ago and decided to pack them because of the excellent reviews I read about their comfort.   And let’s be clear these are an all-around dope looking sneaker.  I had never worn these shoes and was a bit worried about all the walking I’d be doing that day because of the typical 3-4 wears it takes to break-in sneakers until they are comfortable.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that these shoes did not require any breaking in and they felt like I’d been wearing them for the past year.  Overall I give these sneakers a 5 out of 5 for style and comfort, I love them and will definitely buy more.

The Upper

The upper is made of a Nike’s Flyknit material which is composed of yarn and other cellulose fabric to create a flexible form-fitting material, which feels more like a sock around your foot than the typical leather shoe upper I am used to.   The construction of the upper is similar to a tightly woven mesh that moves with your foot each time you take a step.  The toe box is spacious inside and a formed film feature has been added to the toe area outside the shoe for extra structural protection yet adds a very nice aesthetic.  The weaved construction in the upper allows for increased airflow, so on even as a New York City commuter on the hottest days these shoes would never create a “swampy foot”.

 

 

Laces are attached to the shoe through eyelets on a composite cage consisting of elastic, polyurethane and foam.  The cage and laces add structure and upper foot support during lockdown.  When laced the shoe felt very secure and not once did my socks sliced down into my shoes. The elastic strap aids in lockdown support and adds historic Huarache aesthetics to pay homage to the original designs.

The Mid-sole and Sole

The Huarache Ultra mid-sole is both the mid and outsole which results in a lighter more cushioned step.  The mid-sole is a is made of Phylon, an elastic material that can be melted and molded into a specific shape then cooled to keep its form.  Phylon is not a structurally strong as the polyurethane soles found on your AF-1’s or favorite par of basketball sneakers.  Phylon is still very durable and it’s low weight gives the Huarache Ultras their weightless feel. This mid-sole provides a soft impact on each step due to its ability to compress and spring back to its original form quickly.

 

New York is the largest consumer market in the United States and the most fashion influential city without a doubt and the sneaker presence is not excluded.  Some of the world’s biggest sneaker brands have offices in New York and the shopping culture reflects this.  Footlocker on Times Square has 3 floors and holds some of the most exclusive items available, Adidas has a design lab and flagship store on the famous 5^th avenue and a huge New Balance store calls 5^th avenue home also.  The next time you are in New York City check out the shoes stores and look down periodically and see what the Hypebeasts are rocking.  I would definitely recommend the Huarache Ultra Run’s to anyone looking for an extremely comfortable and not to mention great looking sneaker.