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Monday, June 14, 2010

Chrome Kursk Comprehensive Review

Here's a little known fact, Chrome bags are made in the united states. more specifically butte county. more specifically, CHICO, CALIFORNIA. that's right- if you have a Chrome messenger bag, chances are, it came from the town i go to school in and now call my home away from home... now if you missed your chance at a pair of chrome sneakers during their turds for gold project, and now are considering putting down the $70 bucks for them, you should read this review first.

it's been 2 months since i received these shoes and i havent taken them off. the upper is constructed of 1000d cordura and because of the odd california weather we've had it's safe to day that these are quite weatherproof (unless you step in a puddle- those 3 holes on the side dont help you). however, since it is cordura, dont expect these things to act like standard canvas- it wont stretch or fray easily, which shouldnt come as a surprise. make sure you get the right size before you jump into buying. normally, i wear a size 9, but they sent me an 8.5. i thought it was a snub at first, but i found them to be the correct size without feeling constricted.

as you can see in the picture above, the lace tips are metal. technically, they're called aglets- and if you learn something today, then remember that lace tips are called "aglets". i found them to be annoying because every time i found my shoes untied i heard the metal aglets dragging against the ground. you may be thinking, "oh, that's not that bad", but i got easily irked by them.

taking slim profile similiar to some sneakers that wont be mentioned at this time, the chrome kursk's shape makes it very easy to slip into wither clips or single fat strap FRS'. i've ridden both and found that the sole complements the pedal; it's so solid that the sole acts much like the pedal itself (like normal clipless shoes without the CLICK CLICK CLICKITY CLICK). therefore, the highlight of these sneakers is the sole. i once mentioned that these were shoes only for cycling purposes only. walking in them was uncomfortable initially, but that uncomfortability quickly vanished after a week of wear- the sole is actually quite versatile.




regular wear and tear has enued with my constant use. the heels is starting to slowly shred away, as well as the reflective heel. it bums me out that the reflective portion is unusable now- but hey it was useful when it was running. like any sneaker, there's wear where the pedal ends on the arch. i'm actually very surpised that it's holding on still. usually, with vans sneakers the sidewall would be splitting with the vulcanized sole. it's till riding very solid with the re-inforced shank from the arch to the heel. another great part of the insole is the squishy "crash pad" which makes it that much more comfy.

here's something that someone had to point out to me. this is what that little elastic strap is for- it's genius. it's a "lace garage" and it prevents your laces from getting sucked into your drivetrain. i've had this happen to me plenty of times before, and this is a nifty galifty idea. do i use it though? not really, unless i feel the need to tuck them in.

overall, these shoes are solid for what they do and my initial reactions to the super stiff sole have waned. for 2 months of constant wear, these shoes arent letting up- and i know how to beat shoes to death. oh, and surprisingly i hopped on a skateboard and landed a heelflip first try. i havent been on a skateboard in years. because of the cordura and the rubber toe, you can actually skate in these quite well. i really believed that a shoe with this much niche factor would last me less that a month-especially since i got these sneakers for another pair of sneakers; at little cost to me. i was skeptic, so i beat the shit out of them. neeldess to say nothing has ripped, torn, frayed, or ended up in a dumpster. i would definitely put up that $70 dollars for another pair when i beat these down. i found myself liking these shoes, and hell, they're worth the $70.

thanks to chrome for the turds for gold project and just being awesome, and thanks to my girlfriend melissa lucero for letting me use her macro lens and putting up with my shit.

you can buy these sneakers at the chrome website.

jmik

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Nice write up. Mine are holding up real well. Couldn't agree with you more on these shoes. Well worth it. And thank you Chrome for the Turds For Gold swap!