The canvas Bensimon Lace-Up Tennis Shoes (men’s, women’s) have a rounded rubber toe that gives them an oddly duck-like silhouette. We found them uncomfortable, and their flexible soles made us worry that they’d wear out quickly.
At first glance, the Converse Chuck 70 (unisex) sneakers could pass for our pick, the low-top Chuck Taylors. There are differences, though: The Chuck 70 shoes have yellowed midsoles and toe caps, a chunkier profile, and substantially cushier insoles. We prefer the look of regular Chucks, which are also $25 cheaper. But if you want more padding, these shoes are worth a look.
We tried the lace-up version of the Keds Champion Originals (women’s) and the Vans Old Skool Canvas Shoe (unisex). Both pairs are long-standing styles with loyal, ever-renewing fanbases, and they’re size-inclusive: The Keds shoes come in wide and extra-wide sizes, and the Vans sneakers have a wide option. Unfortunately, some of our testers had fit issues, as their feet hung over the sides, stretching out the canvas.
The Superga 2750 Cotu Classic Sneakers (men’s, women’s) are a former pick in this guide, and we still think they’re simple, versatile, and stylish. But they’re heavy — they outweigh canvas Chuck Taylors by about 3.5 ounces per shoe. And their insoles are especially thin, hard, and unforgiving.
Testers deemed the Vans Classic Slip-On Shoe (unisex) uncomfortably tight and scratchy.
Even when we sized up, the shell-toed Adidas Superstar Shoes (unisex) were too tight and constricting.
The refined, minimalist Koio Capri sneakers (men’s, women’s) have a dressed-up look, and they feel like dress shoes, too (read: stiff and unforgiving). Costing around $250, they’re also pretty pricey.
Chunky, ’90s-throwback sneakers like the New Balance 550 (unisex) have enjoyed a fashion renaissance in the past several years, and if you like that blocky look, these shoes certainly fit the bill. Unfortunately, the 550 pair was stiff around the forefoot and bulky at the collar, and our feet ached after a day of walking in these shoes.
The Nike Blazer Mid ’77 sneakers (men’s, women’s) are basketball classics, as well as a Wirecutter staff favorite. Although they’re undoubtedly cool, the stiff leather collars made them feel like orthopedic ankle boots: awkward and nearly immobilizing.
Testers complained that the leather uppers of the tennis-inspired Nike Killshot 2 Leather sneakers (unisex, women’s) were uncomfortably thick.
The Puma Palermo Leather Sneakers (men’s, women’s) have a vibe similar to that of the Adidas Samba shoes, with a T-toe design, but we found them stiff and less graceful than the lean, sinuous Sambas. And the all-suede Vans Super Low Pro sneakers resemble the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 shoes — down to the sawtooth detailing and T-toes — but they have a shorter toe box that we found less flattering. They also rubbed uncomfortably against my ankles.
The Veja Campo ChromeFree Leather (unisex) sneakers look nice — as well they should, since they run close to $200. But they creased easily and didn’t feel particularly supple. They also have little padding and support; our feet ached after a few hours of wearing them. And one tester, who ordered them in her usual size (women’s 12), said they ran short.
Sneakerheads love the Adidas Stan Smith Shoes (men’s and women’s). We’ve taken some heat over the years for not making them a pick here. (Sorry!) We love them too — aesthetically — but sadly none of our testers found them especially comfortable. They were tight around the bridges and arches, and even with socks, the rigidly curved tongues rubbed some panelists’ feet raw.
The pricey Veja V-10 (unisex) lace-up sneakers, made from vegan leather with rubber soles, have tongues that aren’t burnished at the edges, which caused them to chafe uncomfortably against testers’ feet.
The mesh and synthetic New Balance 530 sneakers epitomize the “dad shoe” trend that just won’t die. I actually enjoyed them: They’re light and breathable, and their chunky soles flare outward, making feet look bigger — something that most people don’t like, but I do. The rest of our testing panel deemed them hideously ugly, while acknowledging, somewhat defensively, that aesthetic appeal is entirely subjective.
Even I, an occasional lover of ugly things, had to concede that the suede and mesh Saucony Shadow 5000 sneakers were sinfully unattractive (though admittedly comfortable).
This article was edited by Ingela Ratledge Amundson and Jennifer Hunter. Kaitlyn Wells contributed reporting and wrote an earlier version.
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