Yes, the same SUAVS that we wrote about the other week.  For those who may not be fans of the high top styling, they also have a low top style.  This is, of course, the SUAVS Zilker (there’s also an Air Mesh variant).  These shoes feature a lot of the same details (the knit fabric, a light, flexible rubber sole, and washable insoles) that we saw, though they are quite different shoes.

For starters, the SUAVS Zilker are offered in a wider variety of colors.  While we looked at the heather grey version, there’s also a charcoal, olive green, and a quite sharp grey on red.  Additionally, when it comes to the sizing, these don’t carry the suggestion to order up a size.  And, when we got these in at my regular size, I could confirm they were fairly comfortable right off the bat.

I say fairly, as this style of shoe (or, specifically, the fabric) takes some getting used to, given the snugger fit.  With the SUAVS Zilker, I could definitely get the sense of it fitting like a pair of socks would.  They fit closer to the toes than you might otherwise expect from a pair of shoes.  Once I got used to this, though, it was fine.  The fabric has a lot of stretch and give to it, so I never felt like the shoes were overly tight.

Additionally, given the lower cut and the stretchy fabric, I found that these were shoes that were easy to slip on and off, whether or not I had socks on (yeah, I tested these a bit without socks as well, and found them equally comfortable).  Which, for a laced-up shoe, is no small feat.  This immediately brought to mind the thought of travel – going through security lines, that easy on-off is certainly a benefit.  And, given how light and compact these can be (the fabric collapses down without your foot in there), these are easy shoes to have packed along in your bag.

For me, though, it was of course mostly just to the office, around the house, and out and about on the weekends.  The easy-on nature was great for grabbing to head on out the door, and again, the fabric kept my feet cool and comfortable in the summertime heat and humidity here in Chicago.    I also appreciated the flexibility that the heathered grey gave the shoes – they were unobtrusive, and worked across a variety of situations.  And with the bright-white soles, it gave the shoes an up-to-date look and feel.

If you couldn’t tell, between the two pairs of SUAVS shoes we had in for review, the SUAVS Zilker were definitely my favorite.  I think they’re ideal summertime shoes for the heat, and of course would make for some great travel companions as well.  You’ll find the SUAVS Zilker available in sizes 8-13, for $95, direct from the brand.  suavsshoes.com

Review Summary

Brand & Model: SUAVS The Zilker

Price:  $95

Who’s it for? You’re looking for warm weather loafer convenience with laced-up style

Would I wear it? Indeed – I think these are great casual options for warmer weather (though perhaps not for rainy days)

The best thing about it:  I like just how easy the fabric makes these shoes – easy to put on, easy to wear, easy to kick off at the end of the day

Watch it pairs best with:  Your favorite GMT for traveling, of course!  Say, the Michelsen AE or Sjoo Sandstrom World Timer.

Details from SUAVS

Breathable & Ultra Soft Digital Knit.

Cotton Laces.

Removable & washable polyfoam insole is covered with microfiber terry for moisture absorption.

Flexible Non-Slip Rubber sole bends right along with your feet’s movements.

Vegan Friendly

They can be packed flat or rolled up and are perfect for when you’re on the go or out on a travel adventure.

Now, if you were to go to SUAVS site, and look up these shoes, you’d see that they’re called The Legacy.  That felt cumbersome for the review, so for the remainder, I’ll just refer to them as the SUAVS Legacy.  So, who are SUAVS?  It’s a brand out of Austin, TX that started up with the goal of having a comfortable, lightweight shoe that could go with you all day, from the gym, to work, to whatever else the day may hold.

Or, frankly, these are shoes that make it easy to bring along a second pair.  The feature a lightweight (and flexible) rubber sole along with a digital knit fabric that means these are shoes you can “collapse” down and easily shove into a bag, if you were in need of a backup pair.

  With the digital knit that the SUAVS Legacy uses, you’re looking at a snugger fit, almost sock-like in nature.  Specifically with this style, they tell you to size up one size. I did that at first, and I was having some issues with the heel (there was a lip digging in) when testing them at home, so we exchanged those for another size bigger.  This did address the issues I was having around the heel, and interestingly, gave the shoes an overall fit that felt like a non-knit pair a bit.  They still felt snug (they weren’t flopping around) but they were not nearly as tight as a second pair of socks.  So, another thing to bear in mind if you’re considering these.

For our review, we were sent a pair of the SUAVS Legacy high-tops in black (there are red and white options as well).  In many ways, these have the feel of a modernized version of All Stars to me.  There’s a simple profile, not extra padding, and so on.  Of course here, the padding is not necessary.  The knit material is super comfortable, soft, and breathable.  Add in the soft touch on the removable insoles, and you’ve definitely got shoes you could go sockless with.  That’s not my thing necessarily, but it’s an additional bit of flexibility you have with them.

And, should things come a bit, fragrant, shall we say, the SUAVS Legacy are washable as well.  Specifically, the foam insoles (which are covered with microfiber) are called out as being washable.  Which is good, since that would be where most of the sweat would end up (particularly if going without socks), given that the upper of the shoes is all the mesh, so really shouldn’t collect much. Though, you could probably hand-wash the shoes as well if you were so inclined.

Flexible!

For my time with the SUAVS Legacy, these were worn as just everyday sorts of shoes – to the office (thanks, casual dress code!) and around the house.  Once I got the sizing correct, things were a lot more comfortable for sure.  The stretchy material makes for a comfortable shoe, even if it does make things a little tricky to get the high-tops pulled up and in place (and getting the tongue positioned correctly).

At the end of the day, I think that the SUAVS Legacy are a great summertime alternative to the canvas shoes many might opt for.  Sure, the styling is a touch different with the fabric, but I think the modernization is a good thing, and I do appreciate how light and breathable the shoes are, particularly with the heat and humidity we’ve been having here in Chicago.  If you want to jump on that bandwagon, you can pick up your SUAVS Legacy (in sizes 8-14) for $110 direct from the brand.  suavshoes.com

Review Summary

Brand & Model: SUAVS The Legacy

Price:  $110

Who’s it for? You like sleek high-top style, but want something a bit more breathable than your standard canvas

Would I wear it? Given my predilection for boots, I was surprised to find myself not overly drawn to these shoes.  I think with this fabric, low-tops work better (and we’ve got another review in the works on that).  I could see these in the mix, sure, but it wouldn’t be my first choice

The best thing about it:  Here, it’s that digitally-knit fabric

Watch it pairs best with:  The MKII Paradive – flexible and ready for anything

Details from SUAVS

Breathable, digitally-knit upper

Soft rubber toe cap

Cotton Laces.

Removable & washable polyfoam insole is covered with microfiber terry for moisture absorption.

Flexible Non-Slip Rubber sole bends right along with your feet’s movements.

Flexible!