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There’s only one thing better than a good pair of sneakers. That’s a good pair of sneakers that you can go hard in on their first wear.
Clarks are known for their comfortable trainers, but I wouldn’t say I’ve been particularly drawn to their style. Functional, sure, and the Wallabees were solidified as the shoe of cool by the Wu-Tang Clan, but not something I felt I’d ever personally pull off.
Oh, how I’m eating my words upon spotting the Tor 80 trainers.
For decades, Clarks Originals have been the unofficial uniform of artists, musicians, and tastemakers who, as the brand brags, ‘don’t follow trends – they create them’ (something no one has ever said about me, but I’ll try and fake it with the shoes at least).
People much cooler than I have riffed about the shoes in pop culture over the years, from the aforementioned Wu-Tang Clan rapping about the Wallabee moccasin in their 2000 song Gravel Pit, to Oasis’ Noel Gallagher creating his own version of the brand’s famous Desert Boot.
The shoes have appeared on album covers, in films, and on the feet of cultural pioneers, as well as, now, this here writer.
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Ts and Cs: Applicable to full-priced items only, cannot be combined with another offer, promotion or discount.
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So, to my trainers, sporting a fetching leopard print pattern (something I consider a neutral), I knew I had to get these bad boys on my trotters. But having spent far too many of my days over the years nursing open blisters and wounds, I was weary of yet another period of breaking in a new pair of kicks.
Still, style is pain (or something like that), so I hit select, waited for delivery and slipped those babies on to see how close I could get to 10k steps in the first go.
Foolish, or hopeful?
First of all, let’s see what I liked about the Clarks Tor 80.
Visually, they’re sleeker than I expected. With a leather suede exterior, they’re a pair I’d wear to the office, to the bar, to the markets or weekend brunch. When you’re dropping premium dosh on a pair of trainers, you want them to be versatile in several environments. These tick that box.
Secondly, it’s a solid shoe. So solid I needed to steal my husband’s shoehorn to get my feet in. But once in, they felt snug and secure – but still with a little give that suggests they’ll mould more to my feet over time.
When it comes to the platform, a classic Clarks natural crepe rubber sole gives this 5-foot-2 writer a little height, which is never a bad thing, but it’s not too high I feel precarious when dashing down Tube station steps.
Ok, were there any cons?
Let’s get the elephant out of the room: I didn’t manage the sought-after (and incredibly arbitrary) 10k steps I set out to achieve on the first outing.
I started strong, breezing into my local common on the way to brunch, a 40-minute walk away, but after 20 minutes I felt the pesky whisper of rub on my right heel and after 7k steps I had to tap out, duck into Boots for a plaster and get the bus home.
Miraculously, and curiously, my left foot remained unblemished. Podiatrists and gait researchers, make of that what you will.
What I will say is that on the second wear, armed with a pre-applied plaster, I’ve had no grief from the shoe. So, so far, it’s only been a first-time wear issue and a win in my eyes.
Elsewhere, as the shoes are in their snug era and I wait for a little give in the leather, I can’t fit my orthopaedic inserts in. Riveting, right? Luckily, in the meantime, the arch support is solid, the shoe’s sole is rock hard and my ankle and heel are nicely enveloped so I don’t feel the need to force the inserts in.
Everything has a silver lining eh?
I’d say they’re proving a worthwhile investment, which is pretty great timing for you, seeing as the brand is celebrating its enduring legacy as a cultural icon with prices slashes on a load of Originals.
From my beloved Tor 80 – down from £135 to £65 – to the famed Wallabee – down from £145 to £115 – there is a saving to be had.
For more information and to shop the collection, visit Clarks Originals.
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