I'm a creature of habit. For as long as I can remember, my everyday go-to sneakers have been Nike Air Force 1s and Converse Chuck 70s. Sure, I wear other pairs, but I grab these when I don't really want to think about which sneakers I should wear — they're comfortable, easy to wear with a bunch of different sock heights and just as good looking broken in as they are new.
Other people have their versions of this, too. Some folks swear by the Adidas Gazelle. Others adore the Reebok Club-C. Or, they rarely change out of their Vans. A true menswear fan might live in a pair of GAT (Germany Army Trainer) sneakers — although probably not a new pair, like Maison Margiela's Replicas.
Elsewhere, allegiances to obscure brands probably exist, but you don't hear about them. I, for one, never thought a Gola sneaker could replace, let alone compete, with my now iconic all-white Nike Air Force 1s, but here I am, two weeks into wearing a pair wondering where they've been this whole time.
The pair I've been testing — a green, white and tan-colored version of the Dropshot — look like GATs from above (look at the suede toebox) but has a heftier profile. It's more like an Air Force 1 than an Adidas Gazelle, for those who've worn or at least held both styles. They're just as comfortable, too. As those with flat feet know, both of these — and the Chuck 70s, too — are perfect for flat feet. There's very little arch support, they don't run too narrow and they have room at the front for your toes to spread out.
But can they stand up to constant wear like the greats before? So far so good, I'd say. You might, however, be able to make out nearly identical stains on both of my toes. I'm not sure when I picked them up, but they don't bother me — and they don't detract from the shoe's overall appearance.
They're a little European (they are a British brand, after all), but they fit into the new prep wave pretty well. I'd say we're two years away from a Gola x JJJJound collab. For fans of JJJJound, you know what I mean; for those that have never heard of him, it means some Gola sneakers are good (like these), but there are better colorways left in the tank (like an all-white pair, maybe).
