All posts by admin

chuckII-volt-header-1024x430

Converse Chuck Taylor All Star II: Product Review

Converse has revamped their classic All Star silhouette. And we like it. In this post I will address the similarities and differences between the new Chuck II and the original Converse All Star.

The first big change is the new box. The construction is sturdier and the box just seems more solid. The branding on the top of the box is a nice change from the plain black top on the old boxes. Once we popped the box open, another little change took us by surprise; The All Star II’s we got included an extra pair of laces. Little touches make all the difference, don’t they?

the new Chuck II with extra pair of laces and the new Box.

the new Chuck II with extra pair of laces and the new Box.

The most noticeable change between the classic Chuck Taylor All Star’s and the All Star II’s is the extra padding all around. From the new insole that’s included, to little bits of extra padding on the tongue and around the heel; the Chuck II’s are definitely more comfortable. The basic construction of the shoe hasn’t seen much change. So, anyone who is used to the old silhouette of the Chuck Taylor’s and is worried about the new style of the All Star II being too different can rest easy. Also, the sizing has remained the same, which is good news for fans of the classic Chuck Taylor’s. For the uninitiated, click here  to see our sizing guide for converse chucks.

Let me stress that these Chuck’s are much more comfortable. They are now sporting Nike’s Lunarlon insole, which is a lightweight, removable option as opposed to the old model’s unwavering, flat footed insole. Another addition is perforated micro-suede padding on the inside of the tongue, as well as on the sides and heel of the foot bed. Not only does this provide an extra layer of comfort, this also keeps the foot in place a little better inside of the shoe. Another little change that goes a long way is the addition of an elastic band to the tongue of the shoe. Again, this keeps the tongue from shifting around as you wear them and helps keep the foot in place, as well.

The biggest aesthetic changes are incredibly subtle, if not downright unnoticeable. The tongue on the All Star II’s now has less of a raw edge, and instead has a heavier lining stitched to it. The solid piping on the sole is now striped. The eyelets seem to be a little sturdier. They look practically identical. Practically. Somehow, the All Star II’s look more solid. Perhaps it’s the higher quality canvas they used, or maybe the extra padding adds an extra layer of support for the shape of the shoe.

All of these changes do come with a price, though. The Chuck Taylor All Star II’s are about twenty dollars more than the classic Chuck Taylor’s. They are also not available in all of the cool colors and textures as the classic All Star’s. They are also only available at select retailers right now. Right now the options for the new model are fairly limited. However, fans of the classic black and white, grey and white, or white on white Converse have nothing to worry about.

Overall, these are a great addition to the Converse family of shoes, and will be a great addition to my collection .

Back to Basics for Imaginary Foundation

The past two years have been blasted with a lot of color for some of the older fans of Imaginary Foundation. Imaginary’s focus has been on their sublimation tees for the majority of 2013 and 2014. The prints were mind blowing and saturated in color. They provided Nick Philip with a bit more freedom for his art on tees.

However, in the past season or two we have seen a transition back to the basics of Imaginary foundation’s original focus, printed artwork on the traditional cotton tee. For some of the older fans of the brand this is a positive transition back to the original fit and color balance. Although the sublimation tees were fun, there was a struggle for me to pull off the crazy color schemes. Not to mention pulling focus off anything other than your t-shirt. I am glad to see this new seasons releases with some more simplistic designs. Below are a few good ones from the recent drop.

 

a4

Mens Horizon T-Shirt

 

 

a3

Mens Cosmological T-Shirt

 

a2

Mens Space X T-Shirt

I am celebrating the ‘bringing back’ of the traditional cotton tee back to the line. Even so, the sublimation tees are still in production. So if you liked the newer stuff there is still more to come. However the volume has been slightly turned down. Enjoy the old skool vibe back in the Imaginary kingdom.