BADTOFU » footwear

Black Cement Jordan 3s

eric — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:13:57 +0000

Most sneakerheads can recall back to their childhood when their parents copped them their first pair of Jordans, and how fuckin magical it was. I can’t say was part of that club because of a few factors;
1. I was pretty much a nerd until high school so I didn’t really care,
2. there wasn’t exactly Jordans money floating around the Johnson household,
3. I lived in D.C., my parents weren’t really high on the idea of me getting robbed…
Wasn’t till I was out in the world on my own that I bothered to revisit that missing piece of childhood. By that time, Nike had well established the Air Jordan line into high the teens, so I had a lot of researching to do. By the end of my learning experience, the only pair I knew I HAD to own where the black cement 3s. I know that others have more significance in the history that is Michael Jordan, but personally I couldn’t give two shits. Having missed the previous retros, determination wouldn’t let me wait another 5 years for them to release another pair. Now some will go through the trouble of pointing out why the latest retro isn’t as good as previous and the flaws etc, and I call those people petty. At this point we are all trying to enjoy a little piece of our childhood, so don’t be a jackass about it, because I’m surely enjoying my pair.

Red Wing Oxblood 6″ Moc Toe Boot

eric — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 05:53:45 +0000

Once I got my grubby little mitts on a pair, I couldn’t help but shoot these boots. I’ve been a fan of Red Wings for years, and even more so because I can actually afford them. These Oxblood Redwings are almost guaranteed to be in my daily rotation once Bay Area summer(ha!) ends, as the color just screams Fall. I can’t wait to start breaking them in and getting some miles pummeled into that Featherstone leather. Check out my article rundown at Freeman Brand.

Visvim Gabo Hi

eric — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:34:04 +0000

“Rarely” is a term I use when discussing my ability to obtain anything Visvim related. I’m a huge fan of the brand, although I’m sure after this post, Hiroki will RAISE PRICES! A few months previous, images of this season’s Gabo Hi, began to circulate. As the chatter on various forums came to a head, the overall opinion was that Hiroki had another hit.

Canvas and velvet uppers, with a liner of soft leather, and a natural cork foot bed, as is the norm in Visvim kicks. Comfort level is not a question with these, they hug you foot and while most would cry foul, these are even more comfortable sans socks. I can truthfully say I played the “over priced converse” card when I first saw pics, but having them in hand totally destroys that impression. The materials, construction, and overall attention to detail, is worth a shit ton more then your average pair of All Stars, though 400$ is still a bit of a hard pill to swallow.

The good guys over at Union LA carry these in a couple colors as well as a your other Visvim channels, so give them a holla if you’re itching to get a pair or two.

My Studio Session

eric — Thu, 05 May 2011 05:00:10 +0000

For those of you that aren’t following me on Twitter, last week marked the launch of my portion of the DC Life x Marcus Troy ‘My Studio Session’. Myself and 6 others were tasked with shooting one of the newest DC Shoe silhouette dubbed, the ‘Studio’. It was a pleasure to be included in this project, and be presented alongside of guys who I follow online and read up on almost daily. The results, and feedback have been well beyond my expectations, and I pray that I get another opportunity this massive to show what I can do.

While the official microsite shows a couple of shots, below is ALL of shot I took for the project. Enjoy!

A.P.C. New Standard – Month 3

Timberland x Stussy Deluxe Loafer

eric — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 04:02:18 +0000

The complete photo shoot I did of the Timberland x Stussy Deluxe Loafers in brown. Check out the rundown post over at FREE/MAN.

Timberland Abington Moccasins

eric — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 18:08:15 +0000

While spring is blessing some of us with great weather, the rest of use are waiting for a chance of relieving ourselves of the 10+ layers of clothing required to even go outside. One of the things I try to do during this limbo period is drool over/hustle to obtain staples for the upcoming season. First for me is nice pair of moccasins, which I honestly have not a single pair of. Usually, once the weather is a steady 65º-ish, I pretty much forget I even own socks. In a perfect world, I’d be able to afford (fit) a pair of Visvim Yucca Moc-Folk, but I’m not balling like that and my feet are too big. Reviewing my other options, I came across the Timberland Abington Moccasins, and after only a few minutes I was set. Having done a previous review on boots from the Abington line, as I expected, the construction is top-notch. The initial release comes in a brown suede or black leather with white non-marking sole. The initial fit is very comfortable, like a pair of worn in slippers, they don’t feel bulky or like they will create a sweat box for my feet. Now, if the temperature would just cooperate I’d be in business, oh well, patience I guess.

Mmm black :)

If you are interested in a pair, check for your local retailer of Abington goods, or hit up Bows & Arrows in Berkeley, and tell them you saw these on my site. I can’t say that you will get any kind of discount doing so, but its always nice to let people know.

Air Jordan Retro 3 White/Cement Grey

eric — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 09:55:23 +0000

For a large segment sneaker heads, the Air Jordan III was a pivotal point in their lives, as it was the shoe that set off their love for Jordans. In December, when the previews of the retro IIIs started to circulate around the interwebs, people began to feel the love/nostalgia all over again. Now while I covet the Black/Cement Greys over these, you just can’t ignore the shoe. Something about it just takes you back to the days after school, running around the court, swearing you were as good as Jordan. The silhouette hasn’t changed at all, with its iconic elephant print on the toe and heel, and sporting the Jumpman instead of the original Nike Air on the back tab. While some will say the quality of construction and materials isn’t as good as previous retros, I wonder if they are just looking for something to bitch about, I can’t really comment. Getting these isn’t too hard at the moment, with a large amount of them also appearing on ebay for about 20$ over retail. If you love Jordans you probably already have 2 pair, but I’m sure for those who weren’t around for the originals, this may spark their love affair.

A couple side notes: There is word that the Black/Cement IIIs will be coming out in late 2011, hopefully in large quantities, as I will need several pairs. Also if anyone is interested in any of the shots in wallpaper size for your computer, just shoot me an email, or leave a comment, and I’ll hook ya up.

(capsule) – grenson

eric — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:21:04 +0000

One could make the assessment that (capsule) is the fashion equivalent of san diego comic-con. There’s almost too much to take in, but you always go with one thing you just gotta see. My heart was set on checking the Grenson booth, and my school-girl fawning wasn’t in vein. After a chat with the guys about how I’ve been crushing on their Fred V Boot, as well as the sad lack of US shops carrying their stuff, they allowed me take some snaps of their present models, and a bevy of things to come. Enough of me, shoes!

Wolverine 1000 Mile Boot

eric — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 07:22:19 +0000

Almost 125 years ago, Wolverine introduced a line of boots setting the standard for comfort and durability in American work wear. Thankfully, someone saw fit draw on all this history and construct a silhouette true to the original model from the early 20th century. Dubbed the “1000 mile” boot, the moniker comes from Wolverine’s statement that these boots will last over a thousand miles, and with an inspection of the build quality and materials, it seems like a claim easily backed up. Crafted in America, featuring top quality Horween Chromexcel Leather, with a stacked leather outsoles, Vibram soles, and Goodyear welt construction. With its simplistic, gentlemen’s appearance, these will definitely be a staple in my shoe rotation, as they seem appropriate for almost any occasions. Also, with a treatment of Obenauf’s leather protector, or sno seal, these will be able to handle the elements all year round. If you’re interested in a pair or two for yourself, the boot comes in black, brown(pictured), and rust(hard to track down). They run around 325$ and can be had from Leffot, Need Supply Co., or any number of online retailers.

Timberland Abington GORE-TEX Hiker Boots

eric — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 22:16:52 +0000

Being the shoe addict tha I am, I try to cover all my bases with purchases throughout the year. Living in San Francisco though, you tend to forget that there are actual seasons. That confusion sometimes means that a category of footwear may manage to be overlooked, in my case it was that of a rugged outdoor/hiking boots. With my yearly return to the east for winter quickly approaching, I quickly turned to my twitter fam for suggestions. While there were a ton of beautiful suggestions, some of which may require a second look when I have a little disposal income, I came across the new Timberland Abington release.

Brown drab brushed suede, GORE-Tex lining, Vibram sole, red laces, forget what others may tell you, these are probably one of the best hiking boots Timberland has released this year. The suede is extremely soft and displayed its water resistance rather well while I was photographing. The GORE-TEX lining combined with the Vibram sole makes the boots feel more like a pair of slippers then something you would seriously hit the trails with. With its 200$ price tag, I’m hard pressed to think of a pair of boots I’d consider over them right now.

If you are interested in picking up a pair, Bows and Arrows in Berkley CA has you covered.