Gustin Footwear

Both actually...I have Vans that are all white and the the Chucks you're referring to.

Bashing posts?  I do offer counters.  Then someone counters my counter, and I counter that.  That's all I've done.  And it snowballs that way.  Is that not how a discussion works?  I have no issue continuing a discussion or argument if I feel that I'm in the right.

Just like you tell me to ignore the posts/posters that annoy me, couldn't the same be said about those who find my posts annoying or people I annoy?  There's a blocking feature.  I've used it, and I'm sure others have used it on me.

Well at least they are high tops....cause low tops are for dorks!

Yours don't.  Mine don't.  But quality sneakers do, as long as they are properly cared for like quality boots and dress shoes.  julian says he doesn't wear certain shoes if there's a chance for rain or food to fall on them.  That's caring for them.  Doing yardwork with them is not caring for them.

My dad doesn't buy expensive dress shoes because he trashes them.  My brother doesn't buy expensive boots because he trashes them.  My girlfriend's car, Honda Accord, is falling apart because she doesn't do a good job of maintaining it.  If you buy expensive quality items, they'll last as long as how much you care for them.

hey - has anyone seen the new sneakers G put up to back on their store?

Also, to the person/people saying my carbon footprint argument is invalid and illogical. I see the additional impact as gratuitous. I realize that the process of making new textiles, dying them, shipping them, etc is a significant impact. The place where I don't agree with it is shipping it from the place it will be shipped from, to the place it will be manufactured, then back to the place it originally shipped from, then shipped to the consumer. I do buy new way too often, which isn't the most responsible thing I could do, however that doesn't mean that I should just throw in the towel and support everything I don't agree with because "It's all f'd anyway". Yes, there is going to be some hypocrisy, but I strive to make the best choices I can to mitigate my impact when feasible and possible. Regardless of this, my main concern is how easily Gustin seemed to cast off "Always Made in America", when they clearly see a value in American manufacturing -- evidenced in the $100 markup for Horween. 

While we're at it, chromexcel and tanning in general is terrible for the environment, as is rubber manufacture. You hope that the longevity of the product will outweigh the impact of manufacture. These look pretty solid, I have faith they'll run a couple years with moderate care, so maybe it is all a moot point, but I'd still rather they not ship the leather halfway around the world just to ship it back, and then ship it to the customer. Taylor Stitch sews their Portuguese fabrics in Portugal. That makes sense. I will buy Kaihara denim from a US manufacturer, but it wouldn't make sense to buy Cone denim shipped to a Japanese manufacturer for assembly and then shipped back to the US for distribution -- since they make so much denim in Japan (and are arguably better at it depending on what you're looking for), it wouldn't make sense.

Call me a hypocrite, but I'm just trying to do the best I can while still pursuing my interests. That doesn't make any comment about carbon footprint invalid or illogical. Ideally I could buy things only made where I live, but that doesn't make sense in the world I live in. I guess if I move to Japan I can effectively reduce my impact and maintain my interests. Maybe Australia since I speak the language. Insomuch as Aussies speak English, anyway.

I can't wait to hear how gauzy they are.

Yeah Old26 I did call it at $247 so I was damn close.

Thought this was worth sharing: Gustin sent out thank you emails to everyone who had already backed the shoes (myself included) this afternoon. Not thinking I'd get a response, I decided to respond with a message that was supportive, but I also tried to express the concerns I had gotten from this thread as succinctly as possible. I got a response back in less than an hour and the Gustin crew had these two things to say in particular (I've paraphrased):

1. They've had someone in the Gustin crew over in the Italy factories consistently for months now. They claim the factory conditions are what we would all hope they would be, and based another detail they mentioned, the workers get at least one benefit that I know most if not all U.S. workers simply don't have.

2. The Horween leather is expensive and it's expensive to ship it back and forth....so that's why it's expensive. I think we already knew that, but they were insistent that finding comparable quality goods at the same price would be incredibly difficult if not impossible.

I'm honestly still quite excited for these, imperfect as the situation may be. (And if anyone is wondering, they seem to believe as someone who wears an 11 in most Nike's, that a 10 in their size should work.)

lolol

was he the one who accounted for the Gustin arrogance factor?

Considering all the hype that surrounded the Gustin shoe release I'm a bit surprised that at least one of the offerings hasn't fully funded yet. My guess is people jumped at them from the start then started to do some research and backed out after giving it further thought.

The problem is - always has been - we have no idea what the % represents.  10 pairs @ $250+?  100?  We don't know.  It might be a success at 50% or it might be a lead balloon... 

OTOH, I was looking them over again yesterday, and there is one thing aesthetically that I hate, and it's the view of the backs.  The rear of the shoe - esp on the hightop is plain void of any character.  I like minimalist, but this might be too much of a good thing in a world where there are already plenty of this type of shoe.