FOOTWEAR FOCUS ROAD TEST


For the smart man with more than enough to do


By Harry Rance A


s a kid, half an hour spent on the bus seemed like an eternity to me. Nowadays, that’s considered a very reasonable commute.


These days I hurl myself out of bed into the shower, grab my kids, do the


school run, race around at work (always getting a little less done than I’d hoped), grab my kids again, get home for ‘life admin’, and if I’m really lucky I get something close to six hours sleep in. Maybe. Whizzing about like the proverbial bluebottle, we don’t really have time for limping, let alone faffing about with a blister plaster. Unhappily, both sexes face breaking in difficult footgear. And although I will gladly decline the wife’s offer of walking a mile in her shoes, male fashions have punishments of their own to inflict. For example, whoever invented the


point-toed shoe for men has hopefully earned himself a very uncomfortable spot in hell… Not that I’m bitter. And there is a particular agony in that rubbing on the Achilles that make you want to amputate at the knee, while the jarring blocks of wood they deign to describe as ‘heel support’ make you suspect that you one day may have to. As such, the chunky orthopaedic footwear my grandad shuffled around in has begun to look tempting, but I know they would have the boss raising an eyebrow if I asked for a promotion and gently suggesting early retirement instead. Gents, a sigh of relief, TredFlex has provided an answer. In a world where


we are all both breadwinners and babysitters, we need shoes that do both. These classic style brogues, in a rich, deep Cognac colour with sophisticated detailing, look the business but there’s a secret. From the get-go, they are comfortable! As the name would suggest, the sole is flexible but durable, as is the


leather which feels soft but looks sturdy enough to be taken seriously in a man’s shoe. With these shoes, you don’t have to put time or organisational forethought into breaking them in. I found the TredFlex shoes were so malleable, they’d moulded to my foot shape in about 20 minutes. A remarkable difference to the Italian instruments of torture I’ve broken in (or, more accurately, been broken by) in the past.


Those guys with stubborn memories of red-raw ankles will find these a real


treat. Cunningly built into the ankle is a bit of soft cushioning that only you will know about. What’s more, these brogues have all the heel strike of a trainer, with memory foam and air-pocket technology cleverly camouflaged. It’s like something from MI6! For those of us who are not so fresh of foot by the end of the day (guilty as charged, guv’nor), your teammates and/or family will also be grateful. These brogues are well ventilated and TredFlex’s odour-reducing design absorbs any residual pong. I won’t bore you with the details, but an impressive amount of thought and skill has gone into these shoes to make them as up-to-date, yet classic, as they are. To sum up, for the days when you need


to look smart but you would give your right arm to be in trainers, these shoes really have your back. And, your feet.


Product details:


Style: 'Bryce' Brogue Shoe Cognac From The 'Classic' Range and Fitted with the 3D Comfort System. Available in Black, Cognac and Tan. Currently in sizes 07 - 11 - RRP: £65.00


Leather upper, leather lining and leather sock - Air Pocket Technology within the 100% rubber sole and fitted with a 3D Comfort System Memory Sock which consists of: Complete memory foam inlay, extra thick memory foam heel and padded arch support, additional foam layer for ultimate comfort, perforations for ventilation, foam later with anti-bacterial treatment, active charcoal foam with odour control and flexible control insole board.


Nominated for Comfort/Wellness Brand of the Year 2018 within the Footwear Industry Awards, competing against more established competition.


Contact: Lindsey Robertson (Product Manager) T: 01536 210767 | E: info@tredflex.co.uk | W: www.tredflex.co.uk


12 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • MAY 2018


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