How to choose a low-top leather sneaker
A low-top sneaker is the sporting shoe whose collar stays below the ankle bone and leaves the ankle free. The Reebok sneakers on this page belong to that family: smooth leather upper, low profile and a thin sole, in both men's and women's sizes.
A smooth leather upper behaves differently from a canvas one. It does not absorb the water that sits on the surface, it cleans up with a barely damp cloth, and with wear it takes the shape of the foot instead of slackening. In exchange it creases where it flexes, over the toes, and that crease never comes out: it is the way a leather sneaker ages.
A thin sole keeps the foot close to the ground and gives back the feel of the surface; a thick sole insulates more but raises the centre of gravity and cuts lateral stability. In town the thin sole is the more versatile choice, because it changes neither the length of the trouser nor the wearer's apparent height. Weight follows thickness too: less rubber under the foot means less inertia at every step, and that is the difference you feel over a day of walking rather than over a hundred metres.
Pale uppers should be cleaned often and never deeply. A regular pass with a barely damp cloth lifts the film of dust before it sets, whereas a late intervention with an aggressive cleaner opens the finish of the leather and yellows it. The sole is cleaned separately, with a cleaning eraser or a soft brush, without wetting the join with the upper.
A leather sneaker fits tighter than a canvas one on the first try and settles after a few hours of wear. The size is chosen on length, trying the shoe at the end of the day when the foot is at its fullest: half a size up taken out of caution leaves the heel free to lift, and that is the flaw that ruins the fit of a low shoe.
The same profile also exists in suede and in canvas, and it changes register with the material: smooth leather is the version that cleans up fastest and stands up best to daily wear, while suede looks warmer and is more delicate around water. The other shoes in the same register are gathered in the men's range.
