Men’s clothing options are a lot more limited compared to women’s. There are always seem to be fewer styles to choose from and fewer brands to get them from so when you hear of a new brand that everyone is raving about, it’s always worth checking whether they have quality shoes on offer.
Woobies Shoes is that brand. Admittedly, Woobies isn’t all that new since the company began making shoes in 2015. According to their About Us page, they were founded by Anthony Aguiniga a self-confessed sneakerhead who served in the Army Special Forces and came out of the experience with the idea of “sneakerizing” the combat boot.
One of its results is the Woobies Men’s Mod-1 Canvas Shoes.
What Are We Looking For In A Shoe?
We choose our shoes based on whether they fit our personality style, but in an era where every clothing item seems to be made to break early, picking your shoes based on their overall practicality and durability is your number one priority.
Here are some things to keep in mind when picking out shoes, especially if you’re new to this whole fashion thing.
Build Quality
Your shoes are going to be the most abused clothing item that you own. Think about it. You’re walking around in shoes every day, making them carry your full body weight, over all kinds of surfaces. That’s why your shoes should always prioritize build quality.
Get a feel of the material when you’re buying shoes. You don’t have to know a lot about fashion or shoemaking beforehand. Just paying attention to how a shoe’s materials feel in your hands can give you a sense of its quality and this level of attention will make you notice other details about the shoe such as its stitches.
While a lot of shoe manufacturers these days glue their soles on and call it a day, nothing beats the durability of thick soles sewn into the underside of your shoes.
Wearability
What colors do the shoes come in? Is it a style you know you’ll actually wear? Sneakerheads and shoe collectors aside, most people don’t plan on having a bunch of shoes at home that they don’t wear all the time. If the shoes you buy don’t match your personal tastes, you won’t be wearing them as much as you hope you will.
Plus, you’ll be spending a considerable sum on good shoes. Shoes that are made well cost a pretty penny and ensuring that they’re wearable helps you get the most out of your shoes.
Fit and Comfort
Always, always wear the shoes first if you’re buying them in-store. The insole should feel comfortable and not stiff while you walk. It should also be firm enough to support the arch of your foot.
Even if the shoe is in “your size”, if you feel any discomfort or your toes are curled in the toe box, you need to go a size up.
So, Is the WOOBIES Men’s Mod-1 Canvas Shoe Any Good?
The Woobies Men’s Mod-1 Canvas Shoes look a lot like Converse’s Chuck Taylor All-Stars which might make you think it’s just a pricier version, but they are much more durable and comfortable than Chucks.
Woobies Shoes promised sneakerized combat boots and these are exactly as promised.
Material
Woobies Shoes’ Mod-1 is made of thick yet breathable canvas. This choice of material makes the shoe more flexible compared to your typical tactical shoes and allows your feet to breathe so they don’t feel like they’re suffocating when you’re outdoors during the summer.
While the shoes need to be broken in, it doesn’t take as long as leather shoes nor is it as painful.
The toe box is made of thick synthetic leather that gives you the look and feel of genuine leather without the risk of cracking.
Comfort and Style
These Woobies Shoes are comfortable but don’t expect them to give you a lot of support if you have a condition like plantar fasciitis. The insole is too flat to fully support the arch of your feet. However, they are shock absorbent so for anyone else, they can be a daily staple.
In terms of style, this is as simple and stylish as it gets. Since the shoes look a lot like the classic Chucks, they’re extremely easy to dress up and dress down. They also come in gray, tan, olive green, and black, all of which go well with just about anything.
Additional Features
There aren’t a lot of extras in these Woobies Shoes aside from the fact that you can remove the insoles, which makes cleaning and replacing them easier, and that they have vertical pull tabs as well as slip-resistant soles.
If you don’t know what a pull tab is, those are the little loops of fabric attached to the back of your shoe that make it easier to put your shoes on. They’re also called bootstraps.
In these Woobies Shoes, the pull tabs are placed in a way that makes it easy for you to hook your finger into the loop and pull it.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Woobies Men’s Mod-1 Canvas Shoes are a great pair of shoes. While they are pricier than the Chucks they resemble, you get a more durable pair of kicks with Woobie Shoes. It’s also a lot more comfortable since the insole has shock-absorbent padding and with its slip-resistant soles, you can probably get away with using these as hiking shoes.
You can get the Mod-1 from Woobies Shoes here.
