Shoes Of The Day

Aetrex Gramercy Shoes Review

A true sign of old age is when you like “slipping on” your shoes rather than tying them.  We received these shoes from our friends at Aetrex a few months ago, and have nearly worn them out.  Of my 15 pairs of dress shoes, only 3 have laces.  Yes, when it comes to dress shoes, I am partial to slip-ons.  Most slip-ons look like- well, they look like slip-ons.  We have enjoyed these shoes so much we have outlined 5 reasons that your next pair of dress shoes should be Aetrex Gramercy G220 Slip-ons.

1. Comfort.  Most dress shoes on the market take a few months to break-in because the leather is stiff. Also, the soles on traditional dress shoes aren’t forgiving.  These are some of the most comfortable dress shoes because of the incredible cushion from the sole.
2. Customization.  No two feet are the same.  Aetrex has created a way to customize your shoes to your feet in a way that no one else on the market does.  It’s called “Mozaic” The innovative insoles have a numbered grid, you can remove the little squares to create a custom fit for your feet.
3. No Laces.  Easy to slide on and simple to take off.
4. Soft genuine leather upper.  The luxurious “Hand Burnished” leather takes the word supple to a whole new level.
5. Dress them up or dress them down. Not a problem if you wear jeans, these shoes look great with denim.  Are you are a slacker; I mean you wear slacks, these shoes work with those too.

Pros: Soft supple leather uppers that have instant comfort built-in.
Cons:  The mid-sole has a tough time keeping its fresh polished look.  But the comfort is worth the minor cosmetic scuffing.
Buy them if: care about your feet feeling and looking good.   Also, if you’re seeking a comfortable shoe that is easy to break-in with some customization for your feet.
Forget about them if: you like your hard crispy leather dress shoes that you know you will wear someday, when the blister goes away.
Disclosure: I received these shoes complementary from Aetrex.  If I didn’t like them, I wouldn’t have written about them.

Keen Shoes Review
Before I share my candid shoe review, first let me say that I am pretty keen on Keen shoes.  In fact I currently own 3 pair.  Late last year, I purchased the Keen Shellrock WP for winter trail running.  The WP – it stands for waterproof, “KEEN.DRY” style.   The Keen “right-out-of-the-box” comfort was there, but the promised Keen performance was missing.

Pros:  The water-proof works and I put the KEEN.DRY to the test.  I ran until the snow got too deep, then strapped on snow shoes and kept running.  My feet remained dry.  I would be remiss if I didn’t give a little credit to my wool socks.  These are great everyday shoes during the rainy season or when you want to keep your feet dry.  The ubiquitous keen toe protection really does what it says.

Cons: They are extremely heavy.  They have zero traction for trail running and  I like meaty traction.  The S3 heel support structure is alright, but the low cut heel leaves your heel slipping and sliding on every ascent.  Also, if you suffer from the “my-second-toe-is-longer-than-my-big-toe-coolness” like I do, then you will want to find another shoe too.

Buy them if: they are on sale, they are not worth $120.
Forget about them if: you want real trail running shoes.