28/2 Days Later
Aging progress of the Horween Chromexcel leather high-top sneakers from Gustin after two weeks of everyday wear.
Two months ago, I reviewed a pair of Gustin high-top sneakers in Horween Chromexcel Color 8 leather. TL;DR: It's an iconic shape in premium leather at a fraction of the price. There are no compromises. Quite the opposite: you get exactly what you think it is (Common Projects) — but in better materials.
Yet, I reviewed a new pair. At the time of writing, I'd only worn the sneakers twice. On the first walk, I got the impression they might rub my feet if I wore them for more than an hour. But the second time, I walked over 10,000 steps without any issues. That gave me enough confidence to take the Gustins as my only pair of shoes for a two-week trip.
In this article, I share how the sneakers have aged after wearing them 14 days in a row.
Although unbiased, the initial article was written after Gustin offered me to choose one of their products for free. There were no commitments or edits. This article is written completely on my initiative, and Gustin is not aware of it.
Well, "aging" is a bold statement for just 14 days of wear. Yet, it turned out to be long enough for the Horween Chromexcel leather to show its potential. From the very beginning, I decided not to go easy on them — the leather should allow for that. Basically, that means wearing the sneakers in bad weather, stepping into dirt without sentiment, and not cleaning them too often (only to witness how this leather is able to rejuvenate itself once you do). The same way I treat my Visvim 7-Hole '73 Folk boots, because there aren't many extreme conditions happening in my life beyond that.
During the 14 days of nonstop wear, my Gustin sneakers went through a couple of days of light rain and one sandy beach. Otherwise, it was all pleasant and dry for them. The main conclusion is that I could easily have continued wearing them longer. The construction — a thin layer of cork between the insole and the outsole plus leather-lined, lightly cushioned insoles — is comfortable enough for 10,000 steps a day, and the unlined leather uppers keep feet dry and breathing.
I deliberately didn't clean the sneakers before taking the pictures, so you can see what 14 days of casual wear can do to a new pair.
In my initial review of the brand-new pair, I wrote that fresh out of the box, the sneakers appeared a bit pretentious due to their burgundy color. The color would suit a wooden cabinet well, or maybe a wallet. But sneakers? A bit like some little-known overpriced Italian brand for gray-haired elderly men in slim pants.
Well, just two weeks later, the Horween Chromexcel leather has already started to reveal its potential. You can see the bigger waves throughout the silhouette where the leather has adapted to my feet.
Then, a lot more smaller wrinkles have emerged due to the natural looseness of cowhide. The brand-new pair already featured some, but now, the toes are covered in them. To be honest, I'm not exactly a fan of the break-in effect. But at least, you wouldn't call the sneakers pretentious anymore.
Another feature that I attribute to the thickness of this leather is that it rubs its top layer off in some areas when creasing with every step. You can see two brownish scars on the inside of both toes and some bits on bound edges around the lacing.
Lastly, due to the pull-up effect of the leather, it's really prone to scratches. Some look just like those on human skin. Others are more like spots that appear lighter in color.
Not all bright and shiny, huh? Well, that's what quality leather typically used in work boots looks like. In all fairness, you could easily get rid of most of these signs of wear by properly conditioning the leather. And I probably will do it at some point just to witness the magic. But for now, I actually want more of these scars, wrinkles, and light spots. Because that's what pretentious overpriced sneakers can't give you. That's the true luxury only achieved with quality multiplied by time.
How do you like the looks of the worn-in Horween Chromexcel leather, especially, in sneakers? What’s your favorite pair of sneakers in terms of how they age?
Have questions about Gustin or want to share something? Please, feel free to continue the conversation in the comments section on Substack.
Lastly, I do my best to document how quality things age. But I really need your help to help others discover it too. I would greatly appreciate it if you could share the article with your friends and those who might dig it — on Reddits, socials, group chats, and forums. Hitting a ❤️ and restacking it on Substack is huge help and motivation, too!
