An Actually Comfortable Classic Sneaker

Cole Haan Air Mercury Oxford – $59.90 (reg. $98.00)

Chuck Taylor’s are iconic.  The Jack Purcell is a step up thanks to extra padding and the toe bumper.  PF Flyers also have the extra padding and a slightly different silhouette and accents.

But they all have one thing in common.  Wear them for more than 5 or 6 hours, do some walking around, and your dogs will be barking… hard… by the end of the day.

Cole Haan’s Air Mercury Oxford solves this problem by putting Nike Air cushioning in the foot-bed.  Instead of some crappy insole and rubber underfoot, you actually get something designed to soften the blows.  The uppers are mainly leather (not canvas) but the grey on grey pair is subtle enough to blend in with all sorts of casual wear.

Am I ready to trade in my PF Flyers Center Lo?  Not quite.  But still, a nice upgrade by the folks at Cole Haan.

Also available in White for the regular price of $98.00: