Sure, the staple Canvas Low from Obra, a new sneaker line from two industry vets, is a handsome shoe. Custom cream-colored foxing—the rubber strip joining the upper and midsole—makes it stand out. So does the big blue pull-on strap on the back. But the real juice is inside, founders Arnaud Delecolle and Dave Cory explain.

With Obra’s signature shoe, they had one goal: “Improve on the fit and wearability of a vulcanized product, which are historically appealing but not the most comfortable when you wear them all the time,” Delecolle explains over the phone. “Your knees get tired after a while, it's not the best.”

The fix? A drop-in, tech-y liner—“essentially the equivalent to a running shoe's midsole,” he says, “but in the form of a footbed. It’s a dual-density, thermo-formed EVA insole lined with high-tech microfiber.” And it works. “I've been wearing my test shoes like eight months straight, day in and day out,” Delecolle says. “I've actually used the insoles in my running shoes to test them out. So we've accomplished a product that looks traditional, in a sense, and utilitarian, but that's sort of tech on the inside.” As Cory puts it, “It's thick and cushy under your foot.”

— Adam Shube

Read it here: https://www.gq.com/story/sneaker-of-the-week-obra