The five pairs our team can’t stop talking about
Designed for city-to-cottage style, Bass Bremner low hiker ($240) from the 1876 collection balances functional utility with a clean, understated silhouette.
Published
September 24, 2026
Published
September 24, 2026
Photography
Courtesy
Note
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When’s the last time you bought yourself some shoes? Let this be your sign that it’s time. There are so many great styles dropping these days, we thought we would pull a few of our current favorites to showcase. From an iconic dad-shoe in a fresh colorway to some rugged suede Chelsea boots, these are the kicks our team can’t stop talking about.
Fall colors look especially good on a 990. New Balance’s latest Made in U.S.A. 990v4 takes the familiar mesh-and-suede runner and dresses it in rich seasonal tones that make an already easy sneaker even easier to wear. Underneath, it’s still the v4 we know: substantial without being overly chunky, supportive enough for all-day wear and unmistakably New Balance. Wear them with cords, faded denim or a pair of roomy chinos. There’s a reason the 990 has spent decades bouncing between serious running shoe and menswear staple.
Made in U.S.A. 990v4 runner sneaker,
The Chelsea boot is ready for another go-round. After a few years dominated by loafers and chunky derbies, Ralph Lauren makes a convincing argument for pulling this old standby back into rotation. The Bryson keeps things classic with rich roughout suede and a streamlined shape that slips easily beneath straight-leg denim or proper trousers. There’s just enough Western swagger in the silhouette without veering into cowboy territory. Wear them with faded jeans and a tucked Oxford or let them sharpen up a relaxed suit.
Bryson suede Chelsea boot,
G.H.Bass reaches beyond its loafer heritage with this low-cut hiker, combining premium black leather with traditional leather welting, a padded EVA mid-layer and rugged outsole. The monochromatic finish keeps all that outdoorsy hardware from looking overly technical, resulting in something that lands nicely between a derby and a trail shoe. They’re tough enough for lousy fall weather but polished enough for the city.
1876 Low hiker lace-up,
Nike’s old-school Long Distance Vector started life as a late-’70s running shoe before mountaineers discovered that its breathable mesh upper and grippy Waffle outsole worked surprisingly well off-road. Nike ACG has now brought it back with some modern durability upgrades while preserving that wonderfully skinny vintage-runner profile. The result feels refreshingly simple next to today’s overbuilt trail shoes. Wear them hiking if you’d like, but they’ll look equally good with fatigues and a fleece back in civilization.
ACG LDV sneaker,
Asics digs into its performance-running DNA, then toughens things up with a more rugged, trail-minded construction. There’s still plenty of the layered, technical detailing that makes an old-school Asics runner so appealing, but the beefier build gives it the presence of a low hiker. That makes these particularly good under wider pants and cargos once fall really settles in. They’re technical, slightly weird and more versatile than they have any right to be.
Asics Gel-Transcend FJ hiking sneaker,
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