Get to know WALSH sneakers, made by a brand that has crafted serious lightweight sneakers supporting the feet of track and field athletes

Shoes that become an icon all your own

Tornado17/WHT

Not so long ago, there was a sneaker boom. Famous-brand high-tech sneakers with outstanding cushioning, and canvas low-tech sneakers, both became popular enough to sweep the whole world. Many people probably still love the feel of those shoes and continue to wear them. Meanwhile, a new sneaker trend has emerged in the world. Have you ever felt that a pair of sneakers you finally managed to buy, at no small expense, ended up looking somehow faded, left behind by the rapid pace of changing trends?

The sneaker market has matured, and choices have multiplied. Trends keep shifting, but at the same time, there's a growing tendency to embrace diversity. Amid all this, there's something appealing about a brand of shoe that comes to symbolize you—one that makes people ask, "I haven't seen those before, but they're nice. Where are they from?" or say, "Those sneakers are so you." Shoes with a physically limited distribution, or a design that's a little different from other sneakers—as an option for "sneakers you'll want to wear for a long time, ones that become an icon of who you are," WALSH fits the bill perfectly.

What makes a shoe good for your feet?

Ensign/BLK

Thinking about shoes that are good for your feet

A shoe that's good for your feet can be described as a shoe that doesn't tire you out (or tires you out less), even after walking a lot. That said, this is an issue inseparable from "where you'll actually be wearing them." Take mountaineering boots, for example—they're hard, heavy, and substantial. That's precisely because they're perfect for walking through mountains where the terrain is unstable. If they were soft and light, your footing would slip on the ground, sharp objects could pierce through the shoe and into your foot, or you'd feel the direct, painful impact of rocks through the sole.

For everyday wear around town, we recommend shoes "with cushioning or a supportive core built into the sole or heel." Overly soft shoes can strain not just your feet but your knees and hips too, sometimes leaving you suddenly exhausted afterward. "Slip resistance" is another key point, helping to prevent unexpected strain on the soles of your feet or your calves on sloped surfaces.

For everyday town wear, which is better for your feet: a lighter shoe or a heavier one?

I believe the correct answer is "a shoe that feels light when you wear it." This is especially true for people without much leg strength, for whom lighter shoes are better; for the average person, though, a shoe with a bit of thickness and weight lets your feet swing like a pendulum, propelling you forward with momentum.

The WALSH sneakers we're introducing this time are shoes that are truly "good for your feet"—so much so that they've even been chosen as footwear for Olympic teams. While rooted in the movements of sport, they come in a wide range of styles, so you can choose according to your own taste, making them perfect for everyday town wear.

Sneakers made by WALSH, supporting the feet of Olympic athletes

WALSH is a brand created by its founder, Norman Walsh. In 1945, at the young age of just 14, he left school to follow in his father's footsteps and pursue a career in the shoe business. He trained at Foster Brothers Footwear in Bolton, England, eventually becoming a master craftsman. His skills were recognized by Mr. Foster himself, and he went on to work as a dedicated craftsman for professional athlete clients. In 1948, he made shoes for the British Olympic team, and his name became known around the world.

He later established Norman Walsh Footwear in 1961. Walsh went on to produce a wide range of sports shoes—for track and field, road running, rugby, football, and cricket—each one crafted entirely by hand to meet the specific requests of individual customers. Among these, his fell running shoes, made by combining a soft, flexible upper material with a hard, durable sole, were worn by British mountaineer Chris Bonington in 1981 during his first ascent of Kongur Tagh in China.

Norman Walsh Footwear has risen to become a sports shoe brand representing the nation. All of its products are made at a small factory in Bolton, England. While a few leather shoe factories still remain in the UK, factories specializing in sneakers are almost nonexistent. At the WALSH factory, only ten highly skilled craftsmen are permitted to make the shoes, carefully carrying out each step of the production process to create high-quality goods—which means the quantity that can be produced is never very large. As a result, the amount that reaches Japan is naturally quite limited too.

What kinds are there? Four models

◇Tornado17

The Tornado series is the one we most often recommend as a "first pair" to those trying WALSH for the very first time. It's an especially lightweight model even among WALSH's lineup. With its classic shape, it goes with any outfit, making it an easy shoe to wear casually.

Tornado17/WHT

Its lightness comes in at about 200g per shoe. The first time you put them on, the lightness may come as a bit of a surprise. Another notable feature is that many of the color options are easy-to-wear monotones.

Tornado17/BLK

Tornado17/GRY

◇Ensign

This Ensign series was developed and supplied to the Bolton runners' team that took part in the 1981 New York Marathon. With a heel cup for stability and a shock-absorbing EVA midsole, this is a full-fledged athlete-ready model. It also features a speed lacing system (D-rings), which makes tightening the shoelaces easy.

Ensign/GRY

With these resin D-rings, the laces are easy to adjust, giving you the sensation that your foot and the sneaker have become one. Since gaps rarely form inside the sneaker, the fit feels snug, almost as if it's clinging to your foot.

The shoe is also reinforced with suede from toe to heel, which is not just a design feature but also a pleasing bit of functional beauty that helps stabilize the foot. The D-rings give it a more classic look overall, but since the upper is a single color, the result is a pair that isn't too casual and carries plenty of fashion appeal.

Ensign/BUR-TA-SV

Ensign/BLK

◇LA84

This LA84 is characterized by its rounded silhouette, and since the material used is relatively thick, it gives the foot a sense of volume. Cushioning is built into the area around the opening and the shoe tongue, so when you put it on, it feels a touch smaller compared to the Tornado or Ensign.

The velour material has a luxurious feel and is easy to wear year-round. It comes in khaki and black, both of which give off a nice military vibe.

A minimal-looking black

◇Horwich

A new addition, the Horwich series. This is a road racing shoe developed in the 1980s, combining retro coloring with a simple design. Just like the LA84, cushioning is built into the area around the opening and the shoe tongue, giving it a soft, gentle feel underfoot. It uses a spike-type outsole, so it grips well on surfaces other than asphalt too, making it a useful item for outdoor activities as well.

Even though the design is sporty, the color combination is stylish in a way that's hard to put into words.

Why our buyer recommends WALSH

Horwich BLK／SIL

We asked the buyer who actually selected WALSH for our store why they recommend WALSH.

"WALSH is both comfortable to wear and easy to incorporate into an outfit. The shoes are handmade by around ten craftspeople at the company's own factory in England, so overwhelmingly few pairs make it out into the world—which also means you're unlikely to run into someone wearing the same pair. Every WALSH shoe is truly a high-quality product that takes a lot of effort to make. As a buyer, I go to trade shows and meet customers every day, and I walk a lot, so I've worn through plenty of shoes over the years. What I've come to realize through that experience is that shoes like WALSH's, with solid cushioning, a thick sole, and good grip underfoot, really don't tire you out even after walking for long stretches. I've heard from customers that they're so lightweight they forget they're even wearing them. The fact that they reduce strain on your feet while still letting you walk confidently in front of fashion-conscious people, say at a trade show, is another point I really appreciate."

Ensign/BLU

Take, for example, this sneaker in a dazzling blue. Looking at the shoe alone, you might think it's a bit too sporty, but when you actually try pairing it with clothes, you'll fall in love with how clean and fresh it looks. It pairs well with denim, turquoise, or gingham check, and the same tone of blue also looks refreshing and suits calm navy-toned outfits just as well. It also goes nicely with white skirts or wide pants.

Horwich BLK／PLUM／GRY

This is a newly added color in the Horwich series this time. This BLK／PLUM／GRY, which caught our eye at the trade show, is one we especially want to recommend. Adding a touch of plum to your outfit gives it a much more stylish impression without being too flashy. You might think a shoe with so many colors would be hard to style, but that's not the case at all. This shoe comes up so often when coordinating with other clothes that its versatility is excellent. The orange on the heel is a nice touch, isn't it?

Ensign/OLV-YLW

This green sneaker with a touch of yellow is also wonderful. With this kind of color combination, if there were a sports brand logo on it, it would instantly look too casual—but it's great that WALSH avoids that. There's no unnecessary color, which makes it very easy to wear.

Shoes in colors you don't often see are something only WALSH can offer. Since so many steps in the process are done by hand and mass production isn't possible, it may be easier for them to create these unusual color combinations.

How should you choose your size?

We also asked someone working in sales at WALSH's Japanese import distributor about how to choose the right size.

Tornado17/GRY

"Since these are English shoes, the average Japanese foot may find them a little narrow. Just as with imported sneakers, where some people go up a size,it's a good idea to choose one size up from what you usually wearsaid the staff member. When the staff member tried them on, for someone who usually wears a 24 in pumps, 24.5 in Converse, and 25 in Nike hi-tech shoes, the 25cm size was a perfect fit.

Tips for trying on shoes

To choose the size that fits your feet, keep the following points in mind.
 

・Always try on shoes with both feet.

・When trying them on, wear the sneakers with your heel pressed firmly against the heel of the shoe, then tie the laces.

・Once you have the shoes on, stand up. If there's about one finger's width of space at the heel, that's the right size. Also check that your toes can move freely, as that's a good indication of a comfortable fit.

If the size doesn't fit when you try them on, please feel free to contact Customer Support—we can arrange a size exchange as long as stock is available.

◆ZUTTO Customer Support: support_store@zutto.co.jp

Tying your sneaker laces properly makes them easier to walk in. As a basic rule, threading the laces through the bottom-most eyelets from the outside makes them less likely to come loose. Also, if the top eyelet is positioned slightly off to the side from the others (or if there are two eyelets at the top), try lacing them using the method below—this makes them even harder to come untied.

1. Thread the lace through the top-most eyelet from the outside.

2. Pass the lace from the other side through the loop created in step 1.

3. Tie the lace that's been passed through the loop, and you're done with this hard-to-untie method.

Sneaker Care Notebook

Sneakers are relatively durable, but wearing the same pair every day will cause them to wear out faster. We recommend rotating between a few pairs. Also, applying waterproof spray before wearing them helps keep dirt from sticking.

【How to Care for Nylon Sneakers】

1. Remove the laces and insoles and set them aside separately.

2. Dampen a soft cloth and wipe down any areas that look dirty.

For stubborn stains, apply a small amount of shoe detergent and wipe.

※Please be careful not to get any velour or leather parts wet.

3. Afterward, let them dry in a well-ventilated, shaded spot.

We also think this SHOE SHAME sneaker cleaning kit, which uses a wipe-on gel, could work well. For more details, please check out the article linked below.

A pair of sneakers so comfortable and such a perfect fit that you find yourself thinking you'll want to keep wearing them forever—finding a pair like that, one that truly suits you, is a wonderful thing. With every step, there's something new to discover. We hope you'll go out and find the sneakers that are just right for you, ready to carry you into that new world.

▽You can find the WALSH shoes introduced here