Road Tested: Vans Akat LX x Taka Hayashi

Click images to enlarge.

When I saw these first announced last January I called the shoe possibly perfect – one that seemingly combined the ingredients of two of my favorite sneaker brands: Vans and Visvim. These Vans have no distinguishable traits that were picked up from other Vans. Unlike most Vans x designer collaborations, they appear to have started completely from scratch with this one and of course, they killed it. The super thin white sole has almost no tread and is very low profile. Where it lacks in overall cushion on the outside, they make up for it with a nice soft heel pad on the inside. And needless to say, you probably need to keep these out of the rain.

Anyways… enough stating the obvious. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments.

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My Big List of Things to Do

As another birthday approaches, I got to thinking… I need more stuff to do. Here is the list I plan to slowly, or perhaps quickly mark off. If you see something you can help with, let me know. Especially the part about the Hollywood starlet

• Ride a vintage motorcycle on a winding road through a forest
• Land 360 kickflips (respect your elders) on a semi-regular basis
• Hang on a sailboat in the Mediterranean
• Start a marketing agency using solely the creativity and brain power of aspiring rappers
• Build a bicycle
• Style a photoshoot
• Mentor a young kid
• Mentor an older kid
• Take a day trip with a vintage Porsche
• Live in 400 square feet
• Spend 6 months out of a year in Europe
• Work at a Starbucks
• Open a retail store
• Work as a bartender for a night (or longer)
• Wear a suit and tie everyday for a month to see if I am treated differently
• Take a vacation by myself
• Very seriously launch my own line of footwear
• Read the autobiography of Malcolm X
• Visit Paris
• Own a simple McIntosh home audio set-up
• Dig into my Dad’s extensive vinyl collection
• Take painting and drawing more seriously
• Lose weight and keep it off
• Meet Richard Branson
• Meet Desmond Tutu
• See Duran Duran in concert
• Work at my Mom’s shoe store on a busy Saturday
• Be a motivational speaker
• Appear in the credits of a movie
• Appear in the Thank You section of a CD jacket
• Own an art gallery in Dallas
• Visit Marfa, Texas
• Storm out of a meeting
• Meet Mike Tyson
• Meet Johnny Depp
• Take a long road trip with Jon Ball
• Invest in a tattoo parlor and hair salon (but not have a tattoo or hair)
• Design a home
• Serve as an apprentice to a cobbler
• Own or spend time in a vintage wooden motorboat
• Take a trip with my Mom
• Tell a deserving Hollywood Agent to F*ck Off
• Be quoted for something non-marketing related
• Guest- or regularly contribute to a magazine
• Get a real estate license
• Determine the monetary value of my upbringing and do whatever possible to repay that to my Mom
• Manage a musician
• Own a really nice camera
• Direct a music video
• Travel, travel, travel
• Do my best to ensure that the Wells family does not benefit from generational wealth of the pocket, but only of the mind
• Makeout with a Hollywood starlet (or just flirt)
• Raise wonderful children
• Adjust my work to where it can all be done on a hand-held device
• Inspire/Motivate young people
• Employ an assistant, then give them the keys to the castle
• Get an attitude
• Find more time to relax
• Sit in on the recording of a rock album
• Buy and sell vintage cars
• Chase down a tornado, then get out of the way
• Inspire as much happiness in others as humanly possible
• Complete this list

Road Tested: Visvim Logan Lattice

Click any image to enlarge.

Ya know, when these first came out, I was a bit disappointed with the resemblance to Vans SK8 Hi – which happen to be my least favorite Vans shoes. I thought, why would anyone drop that kind of dime on a pair of overpriced Vans? Then I saw these in person at Union NYC and then came to fully understand the difference. First, the resemblance to a pair of Vans in purely aesthetic. The quality of materials from top to bottom is pure Visvim and the details are NUTS. I never fully grasped the ‘lattice’ concept, but I suspect that it is inspired by traditional Japanese architecture or something. They literally sliced/scored every inch of the leather in this lattice pattern, which makes their already soft leather feel even softer in your hands. Unlike anything I have seen and of course, they are highly recommended. How could I not like something from this brand. Now if I could shed about 100 lbs, maybe I could squeeze into some of their apparel.

Road Tested: Visvim Mowat Moc Veggie

I am loving my latest Visvim pick-ups. These are the Mowat Moc Veggie with the super nice leather and typical killer construction from Visvim. I hope to be rocking these on boat someday. Even if it is on Lake Lewisville. How would these go over in Party Cove? I feel a little like Tom Cruise when I wear them, but not because I feel like the world’s biggest movie star. It’s beecause they seem to have a 2″ thick sole like the shoes he wears, right?

Visvans – But This is Not A Sneaker Blog

Another pair that I have wanted for a long, long time.  Finally found these in Australia.   Check the little skull.  I will never figure out how I end up with Native American-inspired shoes from Japan?

Road Tested: Visvim Folk

These were the perfect addition to my deep collection of 19th century clothing I have been collecting for a while. Aren’t you collecting it too? I don’t mess with the 80s and 90s influence. I take it back to the Davy Crockett, Remember-the-Alamo days (shout out to Texas history). 1880’s maybe. They don’t carry this shit at Fruition. Here, maybe, but not Fruition. My coonskin cap, all chamois leather pants and jackets are the flyest on the Q train.

I have put 1,000 miles on these shoes, and I am almost embarrassed at how much I wear them. They are like those Nike Free shoes that are supposed to feel like you are running barefoot. Except I don’t run in these. If you are considering Visvim, I promise you will fall in love with these. Good luck finding a pair over size 10. It took me almost a year to find these in 11.

Road Tested: Visvim FBT

Click the image to enlarge.

I have wanted these things forever, and finally I found a pair. This pair now represents one of three reasons I love this brand. And why I love Hiroki Nakamura. Like all brilliant guys, he was an ex-skater who now makes the perfect shoe for aging guys that still care about them. Not to mention, one of the few brands that I will even let adorn the pages of my carefully curated blog . I have a similar pair in suede which were my first pair of Visvim, but these are waaay nicer. Like all Visvim, the leather is super smooth, and I cannot find one place where quality was compromised. Despite the heavy volume of media coverage they get in certain circles, you will almost never see anyone with a pair. I guess most youngster would rather get a couple of pair of Yeezy’s instead.

Road Tested: Common Projects BBall Low

Click to enlarge, huge.

Some people have nicknames for their car. Some have nicknames for their manhood. And the really pathetic even name their balls. I don’t really give anything nicknames, but I am turning over a new leaf and decided to call these all white Common Projects ‘Sarah’. It just seemed appropriate. I guess it is more of a dedication than a nickname.  If I am going to jump back into the all white shoe game – it has been since the 5th grade (double-lace Kaepa’s) - these BBall Lows are absolutely perfect. Yes, they are slim. And the toebox area is really low profile, but the extra long tongue make them a favorite with ladies.

The quality is absolutely top-notch as expected. Every bit of this shoe is buttery leather, with the exception of the sole and laces. The soles clean up nice and buttery ass leather has broken in very nicely. And just like the cougars you hunt on weekends, the wrinkles and creases actually make these look better. Wrinkles = Experience.

Clae Russell – All White & Smokin!

As part of my personal strategy for the new year – REFINE in ‘09 – I will certainly be adding these new all-white Russells into the mix. Every time I open up the closet, I find myself reaching for my black Russells that I have had for over a year now, and they could not be more perfect. They are broke in… perfect. They have never been officially tied, yet they hang on the foot… perfect. The white sole cleans up… perfect. For those reasons, the Russell remains pegged at the top of my list of best sneakers out there, especially if you wanna talk value. They cannot be topped in my opinion.

I am looking to downsize, but upgrade the shoe closet. I am hoping to settle on 4 or 5 pairs of perfection. These all-white Russells were not part of the original plan, but I will do it simply out of respect. I have paid way more for way less, so they deserve to keep getting my dough.

You can pre-order these at Hanon Shop, and strangely, they are cheaper than than the originals by $15 bucks. See what I mean!? They can do no wrong!