THE ULTIMATE CHUCK TAYLOR REVIEW: How to Clean, Style, and Work Out In These Sneakers

SHOP THIS SHOE IN DIFFERENT COLORS HERE: https://fave.co/2GPieDS
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Is there any sneaker more iconic than the Chuck Taylor All Star from Converse? I’ve owned dozens of these shoes throughout my life (I’m currently nursing four) and thought I’d try to put together a guide to:

What They’re Made Of
How They Fit
How They Perform
How Much They Cost, and
The Pros and Cons

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CONSTRUCTION
• Cotton canvas upper
• Double stitched
• Iconic ruber toecap
• Vulcanized rubber outsole

The cotton canvas here is a durable, plain-woven fabric, similar to the sort of canvas you’ll find making up backpacks and sneakers.

It’s a very floppy, unstructured shape — this is a low volume shoe — but it’s breathable and makes for great summer wear.

The canvas is also easy to draw or paint on, which is one the reason the shoes are very customizable. Another, of course, is that the shoes come in a huge variety of colors.

The sole is vulcanized rubber that’s heat affixed to the upper. Vulcanized means that it’s harder and more durable than a lot of competing rubber soles, especially those with air blown rubber.

FIT & SIZING
• Fits true to size
• Some like to size down half a size if exercising in them
• Flat sole, little arch support

These are really basic, uncomplicated shoes, so they're comfy but they're not really supportive. There's a non-removable insole that helps with shock absorption, but this a flat sole.

WORKING OUT
The Chuck started out as a basketball shoe but today, we have more technologically advanced footwear and no serious athlete wears these flat, non-supportive shoes for athletic endeavors.
Except powerlifters. These shoes are actually fantastic for lifting barbells. Why? The flat sole makes it easy to splay the toes and grip the floor, and the hard rubber is very resistant to compression. Soft, squishy soles can absorb too much force and shift your weight — Chucks make it easier to maintain correct lifting form.

HOW TO CLEAN
You can use nail polish remover or WD-40, but I just mix up a 2:3 combination of baking soda and vinegar. Mix it with a toothbrush (don’t let metal come into contact with the mixture, as it can react with the vinegar), and scrub your white rubber! The rest of the shoe can just be thrown in the washing machine.

PRICE
As low as $40, but usually about $65. Get ‘em here: https://fave.co/2GPieDS

PROS
• Timeless look
• Age pretty well
• Inexpensive
• Lightweight and comfy
• Available in dozens of colors
• Versatile
• Great for lifting weights

CONS
• Not crazy durable
• Poor arch support
• Not warm
• Not great for most workouts