Walk straight to awesome savings

Sneakers, of course, are everywhere now. People wear them to work. To sophisticated dinners. On occasional walks around the neighborhood. At weddings. They’re so ubiquitous, in fact, that it’s easy to get lost (capsized?) in a sea of ​​sneaker choices — especially when you’re on the hunt for a new pair.

Recently, however, the Men’s Fashion Council (MFA) subreddit reintroduced its long-running series, “Item Suggestions at Every Price,” and focused specifically on sneakers, offering a giant helping hand to sneaker shoppers. “Remember that ‘value’ is subjective and this post is NOT a tiered durability list”, redditor kmn6784 described. “Trying to get a min-max price for sustainability is not the goal. Quality doesn’t always translate to longevity, and there are other reasons why people will pay more for a specific piece (style, fit, exclusivity, brand, drape, fabric, current mood, place of manufacture, materials , position of Saturn).

With those ground rules — and star signs — in place, here are the best sneakers the MFA guys have come up with for under $100…

Feiyu Fe Lo 1920

For the price, there really is no better sneaker manufacturer than China-based Feiyue Shoes (feiyue means “to leap” or “to fly over”). In particular, by redditor theodinspiretheir Basket Fe Lo 1920 is “cheap as chips, looks pretty cool, can be worn without socks, is lightweight, and suitable for martial arts and/or parkour”. (He recommends letting them air out once you’ve secured them, though, as they might smell strongly of rubber.)

“Basically, I only wear Feiyue shoes these days,” adds another MFA member, particularly singing the praises of their “zero drop”—that is, unlike most shoes, the heel is not raised higher than the toe, which reduces the amount of canvas. and the rubber in play and letting the muscles in your feet and legs do the work.

Beckett Simonon Morgen Trainers

This budget version of the $415 Maison Margiela German Army Trainer is currently priced at $149. But according to redditor sweden and confused“Beckett Simonon frequently runs promotions that bring them down to $99; so sign up for their newsletter rather than pay the $149 MSRP.

He admits they’re not exactly the same as the Margiela trainers – “the leather is stiffer and the shoe itself isn’t as wide as the MM” – but he’s also sure to point out, “It’s is a sturdy shoe that has stood up to many years of wear and tear as my batting shoe in bad weather or for activities where I would have a harder time keeping them clean.

Nike Killshot 2

the Mortal Blow 2, a collaboration between Nike and J.Crew, is arguably the mall brand’s only success story in the past decade. Example: In 2017, QG reported that upon re-release, “One user said the J.Crew store he worked at sold out the sneakers in four hours on the day they were released.”

Online, meanwhile, they’re called the “Memeshot.” “I happened to be at a J.Crew today when I jokingly asked if they had any Memeshot 2s in stock,” an MFA commenter wrote in 2018. “My life will never be the same again.”

Their appeal is undoubtedly linked to their simplicity. In the era of chunky sneakers, the Mortal Blow 2 is based. And at $90, they’re a tenth of the price.

Converse Jack Purcells

Many people will tell you the Converse Chuck 70 is the brand’s best shoe for the price. And at $85, it’s hard to argue with them. But personally I’m going to agree with redditor only_drinks_pabstwho recommends the $65 canvas Jack Purcell. “A truly classic silhouette for a pretty reasonable price,” he wrote. “Really an excellent summer shoe because the canvas does not heat up too much. I even use them often as water shoes as they dry quickly and look great with shorter shorts/swimsuits.

Reebok Club C

First released in 1985, the Reebok Club C – the C stands for “Champion” – was the brand’s attempt to curb the supremacy of Adidas’ Stan Smith sneaker. “Tennis dress codes demanded a level of minimalism that Reebok’s blockbuster production responded to,” Gary Warnett wrote in SSENSE recount. “After the debut of the Newport Classic line, the Revenge Plus (later rebranded as Club C) built on these designs with a club favorite that once again became a best seller with casual athletes. “

But the beauty of Club C is that it is actually the (end) line between several sneaker styles. “I love the detailing and the slight bulk that takes it out of the minimalist territory of white trainers, but not so far that it’s too crazy to wear,” Half of the gold treasure explains about the MFA. “The low profile but wide shape makes for a really nice pairing with looser pants, especially when they’re cut a little cuffed instead of breaking over a chunky sneaker.”

And maybe the best part is, Club C have been around long enough that when they do eventually fall apart, you can find a replacement pair without any hassle.