Back 70: upper materials, soles and fit
A Back 70 sneaker is a low lace-up shoe with a rubber sole, built on fuller volumes than a classic tennis sneaker. What separates one model from another lies almost entirely in the upper. Nappa is a leather tanned to stay soft and has a yielding hand, underlined on some models by quilted padding; suede has a short nap and a matt surface; embossed printed leathers reproduce reptile patterns and take scratches better than a smooth leather, because the pattern hides them.
Underfoot the construction is the same across most of the collection: an anatomical memory foam insole, lined with soft leather on several models, reaching a centimetre and a half in thickness on some. Memory foam gives way under load and recovers its shape when you take the shoe off, so it cushions where the foot presses hardest rather than evenly; that is why this insole is felt above all on long days on your feet. Where it is removable, it can be swapped for your own orthotic without losing internal volume.
Heels run from 2 to 4.5 centimetres. Below 3 centimetres the lift is barely noticeable and the shoe stays flat through the stride; the model with the chunky sole reaches 4.5 centimetres spread over the whole length, so it does not tip the foot forward but raises the centre of gravity and visually lengthens the leg. Anyone moving from a slim sneaker to a thick-soled one should bear in mind that weight goes up and that the front of the shoe flexes less.
Care depends on the material, and on these models several often share one shoe. Suede — the same material shown as camoscio on Italian labels — is brushed dry and never washed; nappa and smooth leathers want a damp cloth and a neutral cream, never a harsh cleaner; faux fur is revived by combing it along the pile once dry. Care instructions, where provided, are shown on the individual product page. To compare other shoes of the same shape, start from the women's sneakers category.
