This time last year, I had just gotten back from my two-week trip to Sicily and Italy. Having reflected on the trip, I really enjoyed getting to know a sliver of Italy and its people. While I came back more exhausted than before, thanks to my aggressive adoption of Italian espresso culture, I was happy with the parts of the country I’d seen, all bar the flat experience near Napoli’s main train station.
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The one place that stood out to me was Catania, a truly beautiful place with the looming presence of Mount Etna in the background. It was there that I stumbled across my first Mom & Pop’s sports shop. I’d heard of such independent sports shops through many a YouTube video, and while I didn’t find a basement full of retired Air Jordan models, the experience has stayed with me.
just look at the old walling, it screams 90s sports shop
I noted the following as soon as I had left the shop:
“Thanks to a bit of serendipity, I ended up finding an old sports shop with retro Nike and adidas products. The gentleman said he and his wife had over 40 years’ experience in the sportswear industry, and that their shop was 20 years old. Not to mention their previous shop around the corner, a place which they had spent the best part 20 odd years running.
selection of kid’s football boots and retro Nike
Save for a few of the older Nike products and accessories, such as the Brazil World Cup wristband, they had nothing in my size. However, I did end up coming away with an old adidas quarter zip, one with the Made in Italy label tucked inside. From what he mentioned, there were no old Nike or adidas catalogues behind the till, although I did spot an old Lacoste sportswear catalogue, which indicated otherwise. I’m assuming he didn’t keep the other older catalogues.
these were probably my favourite find
He said that many Nike products come from Napoli. As far as I know, that could also be the case for adidas product, especially considering the quarter-zip that I picked up had a ‘Made in Italy’ label.
old FILA tennis racquet on display
His wife was less pleasant. I believe she called me an idiot because I was being a bit pedantic and asking if they had any bigger sizes in their stock room. But at least the gentleman was actually friendly and talkative, knowing that I was buying.
Here are the old Nike Brasil World Cup wristbands
The couple were at least in their late 60s, both having spent their entire adult life in their sports shop on Via Etnea called Area Sport 405. They not only represent a bygone era of independent shops, but also a previous generation’s dedication to work. Perhaps a more traditional Sicilian approach to work, there is a beauty in sticking to what you know.
a slightly blurry shelf photo of the Reebok and Nike section
It was almost Japanese-like, although you might be hard-pressed to film a Jiro Dreams of Sushi-style documentary about the two. Or not, who knows how bustling the shop was in the 2000s. I’d have loved to have seen photos of Italian footballers who’d visited nailed to the notice board behind the counter, but alas, you can’t have everything.
outside shelfing unit – just check out those Nike Ballet flats, tell me they wouldn’t sell out
A lot of the low-profile Nike silhouettes I’d spotted were exactly the type of shoe that would strike a chord with fashion-savvy girls today. The silver and gold models are akin to something you’d have seen in old iD and The Face magazines from 20 years ago.
Tell me these low-profile Nike shoes wouldn’t look great on the SNKRS app today?!
The metallic upper and thin sole unit a perfect match for any girl who finds themselves using an Elaine the pain-adjacent lipstick. I’m sure there are better examples, but I was a big Tracy Beaker fan back in day.
I was tempted to grab a few of the older Cortez tracksuits, but I was concerned about taking on extra weight in my backpack. Rather than suddenly embracing the matching tracksuit aesthetic and risk looking like a total sausage, I settled for the adidas zip-up.
old 2000’s era Nike Cortez polo top
I even debated the Brazil 2006 World Cup wristband as a funky accessory, but after my Livestrong band has started giving me a rash on my wrist (likely due to the degrading plastic), I thought best not.
leaving one happy customer
Big thanks to the married couple of Area Sport 405; here’s hoping their shop stays open for many more years to come! (although if they fancy entering retirement, then I am wishing you all the best in that chapter of life too!).
I finally got my hands on a pair of Stussy x New Balance 990v4s again. Owning a pair reminded me of all the personal memories I had of the shoe and what great individual journeys a shoe can have.
order email for the Stussy x NB 990v4 from Footpatrol from 2017
I first bought them for £150 at FP during Christmas 2016. Back then, the 990v4 retailed for £190 as opposed to £210 now, with the only size left on sale being that UK12. My payment got declined several times before it actually went through. I had to use my Christmas money to afford them because I was a student at the time. Student life, classic.
After I received them, I’d whip them out of the Made In USA New Balance box and admire how great the beige suede was. But in doing so, I became afraid of dirtying them too soon, a problem a lot of sneakerheads have. Luckily those days are over for me, as there isn’t enough time on earth to be precious about footwear.
I kept them on ice all throughout the second year of Uni, eventually wearing them during my final year as I only lived around the corner from campus. I would literally crawl out of bed at 08:50 and make it to the Monday morning seminar at 09:05 – the cheek of it. At least my Stussy 990v4s still looked crispy.
Most notably, I ended up wearing my 990v4 Stussys while getting my tonsils out in 2018. Which seems like an odd thing to remember, but that is indeed the nature of the beast. In hindsight, they were a very strong choice of footwear. For anyone getting their tonsils out, may I suggest a pair of New Balance 990v4s. I digress.
Then, while I was resting in the hotel post-operation, I coughed too hard, sending a little blood spurting out. The doctors had warned us about this possibility in all fairness.
I was patiently waiting for my Uber with a mouthful of blood when a drop fell onto the toe box of my cream 990v4s. I was too busy keeping my head up at the time, so I didn’t notice until later. My poor mum, who was witnessing all this commotion, was such a nervous wreck that she forgot my birthday at the hospital reception. The blood stain never fully came out.
A few years later during the first set of lockdowns in 2020 I sold them to a fanatical Stussy 990v4 collector in Denmark. I would see my pair hidden among his collection of four or five on his Instagram, thinking at the time they had gone to a better home. Alas, it wasn’t long until I regretted selling, especially after seeing how much they went for on the secondary market. With New Balance being the new cool shoe alongside all the JJJJound collaborations at the time (2022/23), the Stussy v4 built somewhat of a cult following online. It’s interesting how these cult followings build up after the fact.
However, with luck on my side, a colleague at work asked me if I wanted his old pair of UK12s as they were too big for him. I said something along the lines of “absolutely, how much do you want for them?”, to which he replied, “Nothing, you can have them for free”. He giveth and he taketh away. When I got them in hand, the pair was a little more cooked than expected and was in fact a UK11.5. Regardless, I was happy that I had the Stussy x New Balance 990v4s back in my possession.
Now, I can make memories in this grand old shoe once more.
I just finished watching Park Chan-Wook’s No Other Choice, and I couldn’t help but notice all the shoe-related themes.
In the first few minutes, the main character buys his wife a pair of new shoes, to which the wife then says, “They say not to gift shoes to your lover…Cause they might run away in them.” What a line. Also, who is ‘they’? the haters? A conclave of women who have long since fled their clearly failing marriages?
In all honesty, this does ring true in my experience. I once bought someone a pair of Mid-West Kids x adidas Forums, a pair I also had in my collection. However, the plan didn’t completely revolve around the concept of ‘matchy matchy’, the act of matching one’s footwear to that of one’s partners. Not to be confused with the act of buying two matcha-flavoured drinks, to which the saying may have been reappropriated. If that’s the case, I am willing to get behind a boycott.
Anyway, in the film, the wife gets a hot pair of new heels, so perhaps my mistake was not purchasing a pair sexy enough? Did my shoe choice reveal the possibility of a stale and unexciting end to what was a very fleeting situationship? She did post them on the gram at the time, so my choice couldn’t have been all that bad…right?
In hindsight, I do somewhat agree with the statement. That new shoe feeling can get the better of some, a feeling I would liken to getting a fresh haircut. For a more lady-specific equivalent, I have heard something along the lines of, “tanned, moisturised, a Diet Coke and a plate of chips”, although the plate of chips may be getting confused for a bag of Walkers crisps.
Either way, I am trying to conflate the new-shoe feeling to that of being tanned and sipping a Diet Coke, both of which can sadly cause someone to engage in adultery. If true, I’m impressed Gary Lineker hasn’t got a worse reputation than that of his brother.
That said, when I tend to get new shoes, I either wear them at my desk and write about other shoes or throw them up in the air and take photos of them. I do realise both of those actions put me in a rather unique Ven diagram, and I wholeheartedly accept this.
I think I will be increasingly cautious about buying people shoes from now on. Before NOC I had never reflected on that one time I did, perhaps I was too young and naïve, then again, I was living in Manchester at the time. Don’t ask me to explain what that means.
Additionally, between Twin Peaks, Black Mirror – Demon 79, Marty Supreme and now No Other Choice, there seems to be a lot of movies that feature a shoe shop or a shoe shop employee. Either the producers, a high percentage of whom are white men in their mid-40s, have a fondness for feet (shoutout Tarantino), or the humble shoe shop serves as a great metaphor. Think this is a topic worth looking into.
I suppose the point of all this is that be careful about buying shoes for your lovers, partners, or spouse…you don’t know what chain reaction you could set off.
As we know, the world functions thanks to the many people who call planet Earth their home. The footwear industry is much of the same. It’s natural for our minds to give credit to the big-name designers and marketing powerhouses, but we must not forget the smaller cogs who keep the machine going!
Why do we often neglect the smaller cogs in this bigger shoe machine? I can think of several reasons, but regardless of those, it is clear that brands do not allocate budget for such tales.
That’s where wearshoeswritepoems comes in, to highlight the niche shoe stories you wish you could read about!
Zapatero in Las Terrenas in RD
Much like the Solar system, we know the bigger planets have a larger gravitational pull, but how come people still prefer my boy Pluto? Sure, it’s partly due to the Disney character (he was a rascal), but it’s mainly down to our love for the underdog.
The Shoe People series will champion lesser-known footwear people, those who exist around the world, toiling away under the shadow of the bigger brands.
After all, it wasn’t until the last 100 years that your local shoe makers had a much bigger role to play. Think of the number of bustling factories in Northampton and the cobblers who were busy making shoes before the 1950s. They were the rockstars of their time.
Italian cobbler in Catania, Sicily
I realise that the number of people who care about these types of stories are few and far between, but if you do care, be sure to stick around!
Since making a conscious effort to travel more, I have encountered more fellow footwear fiends, all adopting their own patch of earth in their own unique way.
Shoe salesman in Rio
These are the people that I’m interested in. These are the shoe stories that I love. Ones that you won’t find plastered on brand apps or newsletters, yet ones that need championing more than ever.
Why should we learn about a gentleman selling second-hand shoes on the corner of the old colonial part of Rio? Why should you know about a local Zapatero from the Dominican Republic? I couldn’t tell you the exact reason why. What I do know is that this person has sold shoes for the last two decades, which tells me they have a pure love for footwear.
People with decades of experience, in a concentrated market, running a domestic industry? Brand recruiters would be foaming at the mouth!
Expect real footwear stories about real people. Keep it real? Yeah, that’s what I thought.
Went up with work to document Footlocker’s launch of the Manchester Tn. The people definitely turned up in good spirits, so it was fun trying to capture that energy within the piece.
a crowd shot I took of 0161’s MC Lady Ice
I know for next time that my built-in camera flash is not equipped to handle such event spaces. Not to mention that I’m already working with a smaller ISO with the Micro Four Thirds Lumix system. But all lessons for next time!
Now and then, I think about the original specs for the Salomon XT-4. Why? Well, the recent leaked Salomon x KITH XT-4K edition had me on a search, a search that led me to finding this cool website. Coming across Pascal Stryjak’s Design Portfolio, his time at Salomon included a great insight into what I’d been searching for this whole time.
Finally, the XT-4’s original 2012 build was brought to life. Today’s Sportstyle version is very close to the original, but Salomon’s offerings in trail running have since improved thanks to advancements in the S-LAB series; the XT-4 has been resigned to the streetwear category.
Many argue that this has removed the XT-4s soul and sports-built attributes, yet while I cannot say I’ve taken a run in my pair, I think they could be right. Whether or not details have actually changed since it first came out in 2012, or it is simply down to expectation versus reality, we ultimately do not know.
Here, Stryjak has provided photos of the original samples, 3D renderings, schematic drawings and CADs of the uppers. As well as this, you can find a behind-the-scenes making of the XT-4, providing a neat insight into athlete interactions.
Of course, just like all of your basketball professionals, Salomon’s trail athletes are provided with their own unique last. This ensures that each model has a tailored fit for all of the sponsored runners, which they need for maximum efficiency. In the BTS video, you can actually see Killian Jornet being introduced to his pair of then-called XT-Wings S-LAB (AKA the XT-4).
You can tell Jornet has accumulated some serious outdoor miles via the state of his blackened toes. During my brief spell of running my local trails in a pair of Speedcross 4 GORE-TEX, it didn’t take long before the downhill descents had all but stamped my toenails blue.
One could argue that a unique last makes a bigger difference to the trail runners than Nike’s NBA players. One slip across a rocky terrain could leave them stranded with a broken ankle during a practice run or competitive ultra, as opposed to sustaining an injury within the safety of a stadium. Would you rather break your foot in the middle of nowhere when people can’t see you fail or under the lights of Madison Square Garden?
Although the average trail athlete carries very little in relation to body fat, their physiques are fine-tuned for running Ultra-level distances events at a variety of altitudes. That said, the average basketball player exerts enormous force with each step, especially when descending from a vertical leap. Essentially, you could make a strong argument for either side.
I actually owned this colourway back in 2024 until I stupidly sold it for a couple of tuppence on Vinted. Knowing Salomon issues its first prototypes in a bright red, I wanted to feel like a sponsored athlete each time I tightened the Quicklacing system.
Here I am comparing the gradient hues of the Salomon XT-4 to the Size? Nike Omega Flame
Alas, I clearly fell out of love with the XT-4 thanks to the questionable fit. If only I’d actually been a sponsored trail runner, they’d have sure fit perfectly around my two feet in what would have effectively been my Cinderella moment. Albeit in a really manly and alpha way … hoorah?
Thankfully, my connection to the silhouette has been reinvigorated thanks to the Footpatrol x Salomon XT-4. A relationship you can delve into via the piece I wrote during my time in the Dominican Republic.
I recently headed back up to Manchester to document the Size? City Series adidas Manchester edition drop.
It was my first time trying to capture the event behind the camera, which was a fun change. I also captured via my old iPhone 4S, a phone that was hugely popular at the time of the 2011 Manchester release. You can expect a piece on that soon!
Here I put together a quick video of the abandoned shoes I saw on my trip to the Dominican Republic. Spliced in are a few cows, ducks and shots of the sky because it was truly amazing at times.
I might end up uploading this to YouTube later down the line but for now you can enjoy it on the wearshoeswritepoems domain!
Also shoutout the track Jumping Frogs by Spleen United, a track I discovered during my time out there by complete coincidence. It’s bouncey backing track summed up how I felt about the the other worldly beauty I often found myself in.
This year, I chose to write about shoes from the Dominican Republic. The Caribbean was not a part of the world I had been to before, typically flying over the tropics to reach Peru.
How I imagined myself a few days into Dominican Republic life
After planning to spend my work month in Japan, the busy streets of Tokyo and language barrier soon became less appealing. Instead, I imagined myself taking island life, eating hearty food, swimming in the sea and enjoying the slower pace.
Considering I had come home after my trip to Italy feeling more fatigued than rested, I didn’t want to repeat that feeling. Although I think the fountains of espresso and cornetos I consumed were more to blame than anything else.
Mind you, I did come away acknowledging my great choice in footwear, the New Balance 475s. So this time, I was eager to ensure my decision was just as spot on.
Having enjoyed my time at Dominican eateries in both Camberwell Green, Brixton and Stockwell, the food and friendly restaurant owners assured me that I was making the right decision.
It also helped that the national language was Spanish, so getting into a series of gesticulations with confused locals was less likely than in Japan.
Me in Japan trying to be hip via the medium of sign languge
With it being my first time in the Caribbean, I needed my footwear to keep up with the changing climate. The blazing sun and heavy spells of rain meant a large part of my collection would not pass muster.
The XT-4 with the Dominican sky as the backdrop
Whittling down my shoes to several off-road and GORE-TEX-laden uppers did make things easier, but it did render my stack of soft suede New Balances out for the count.
Luckily, I was recently sent the Footpatrol x Salomon XT-4s from a good friend (also known as ‘The Captain’), a pair that instantly floated to the top of the decision pile. Not only could the Footpatrol XT-4 keep up with the changing terrain, they also looked the part.
a movie scene my friend often refers to given his self-proclaimed title
I did have two minor gripes with these Salomon XT-4s, the first being that they were half a size small.
I always go up by half a size with Salomons, a choice I recommend for anyone considering of picking up a pair, whether it be the XT-4, XT-6 or even XT-Quests (all with the exception of the XT-ALP).
using my new Footpatrol x Salomon XT-4s at the airport, nothing screams independent like a Nalgene water bottle
While there was enough room in the toe box, which allowed for my toes to splay (“no splay, no lay” – custom T-shirts in bound btw), my big toe was a little constrained (for the foot-fetish-inclined, this is about as spicy as the article will get, so you can leave now).
The second gripe was that it was an obvious choice. As the Salomon XT-6 is usually a go-to for those UK and EU residents who venture to other parts of the world, they skirted the ‘played-out’ vendiagram (likely rendering them ‘uncool’ circa 2027, see below).
Average Salomon XT-6 wearer in 2027?
On the other hand, the XT-4 was the less handsome brother of the XT series, often skipped due to its bulky nature. The XT-4 is the slightly overweight brother at the dinner table who makes everyone laugh with his infrequent quips. For example, “expect nothing more, expect nothing less!”, in response to his mother bringing up how her work colleague who soiled herself (also not appropriate for the dinner table mum, do better).
If I’m being totally honest, I would be the youngest sibling archetype, a character who hasn’t even made it to the table yet, as he finds himself scaling the ceilings of the next-door bathroom.
I fear I may have strayed off into the demonic there, but you get the gist. And while we’re here, the slightly demonic younger sibling in this case would be akin to the Salomon Alpinway Advanced. Please do not ask me how or why.
Anyhow, walking down to the station with both Osprey bags on (roughly 20KG), I stood on the platform with my feet really feeling the squeeze. Regret over my decision started to sweep in as I considered heading back home and reaching instead for my Meindls. While the Caracas GTX allowed for more splay, it would have been harder to convince passersby that I wasn’t a geriatric German who had just aged well. A look I am not scared to adopt in the slightest but one that I will try to keep at bay for the next twenty years.
Opting for swag over the safety of technical German footwear, I loosened the Quicklacing system which fixed the issue at hand. No longer did I feel my feet swell, so from that point on, the Kevlar lacing system remained loose, which also allowed for great slip-on/slip-off access (a detail all the coolest of cats appreciate).
FP XT-4s against a beautifully ageing stone floor and wonderfully hip plaid shorts
Landing in Punta Cana, it wasn’t long before my Brazil-edition Haiviannas were out and touching Dominican soil. From that point forward, the Salomon’s were allocated to evening dinners.
My R10 Havianas posted up on Punta Poppy in Las Terrenas
In truth, I’d have spent more hours in flip-flops had it not been for the cultural stigma of eating food with your toes out. Consequently, my dream of having a #ToesOutAutumn took a real blow. Not to mention the link between tourists and their short-wearing tendencies.
Me out in Punta Cana enjoying an evening meal in my aforementioned camo shorts
While the quasi-Tn fade of the XT-4’s upper is wonderful to look at, a trait which also separates this Footpatrol version from your standard XT-4, I think it may have been too strong when paired with my array of patterned clothing.
The Footpatrol XT-4s and I taking in the Dominican lightning and thunder storm happening offshore in Las Terrenas
Evening attire would consist of my Airwalk camouflage shorts that I picked up at Aldgate market and a bright graphic T-shirt. This made me stand out in a way that I hoped to have avoided, while also reinforcing my connection to autism.
Clutching my plastic bag from the local supermarket, a tactic I often employ when trying to dodge the ‘tourist’ label, that was about as effective as an elephant wearing one of those classic glasses and moustache disguises.
Unlike previous trips, I didn’t get a chance to test out the XT-4s on sandy terrain, opting for my Inov-8 Terra Ultra G 270 as my running shoes. A poor choice in hindsight as these were another obnoxiously loud shoe that I couldn’t rely on for fading into the crowd.
Not bringing a hybrid shoe that would suit my running and everyday needs was a silly mistake. While the XT-4 was a trail running shoe back in its heyday, the chemical compound used in the midsole had likely been altered since it shifted into Salomon’s Sportstyle category (like the dual-density foam 35 Shore A and a 25 Shore A mix on the XT-6).
getting a much-needed haircut in the Footpatrol Salomon XT-4s in Santo Domingo, peep the marble floor, wowee!
You even hear some people complaining about the XT-6 and XT-4’s terrible traction, which is crazy considering the shoe used to be a trail running shoe for competitive athletes. Not to mention its use of Contragrip Mud outsole which seems a little overkill for city-based commutes.
The Footpatrol XT-4s were reliable, giving me nothing to complain about throughout the many inter-city coach journeys. From Punta Cana to Santo Domingo to Las Terrenas to Santiago de los Caballeros to Puerto Plata and then back, the Salomons kept up.
The Salomon XT-4 taking in a Dominican sunrise from the top deck of a bus headed to Santo Domingo
Although, I didn’t go on any hikes or scale up any hugely challenging terrain, its limits were rarely tested. There was one instance where clearing out the caked mud within the webbing channels proved inconvenient, but it was worth it for the small portion of Santo Domingo’s Botanical Gardens that I saw.
Enjoying Santo Domingo’s Botanical Gardens in the XT-4s
The Footpatrol XT-4s enjoying a well-deserved ride on Santiago de los Caballeros Teleferico
Sat poolside in the Bali-style Boutique hotel in Las Terrenas
I would recommend the Salomon XT-4 for anyone considering it as a travel shoe. My only recommendation is to go up half a size and to pick a colourway that would suit your wardrobe. If you’re inclined to wear a lot of stripes then perhaps go for a more subdued colourway with browns and blacks. If you’re trying to turn up like Adam Sandler, then pick something wild and hit the yolo button everytime you step out the door.
From public libraries, beachside restaurants and exploring cities, it was all within the XT-4 stride. I was never turned away for looking too informal, yet I can imagine the shoes being a slight issue were I one for the finer things in life. They canny turn you away from a beachside BBQ spot for wearing a pair of wicked Footpatrol shoes.
Strict dress codes at the club or exclusive restaurants would have proved difficult, so if you do like to dip in and out of fancy spots, consider this when copping a loud colourway of the XT-4s. If it’s super fancy, then chances are they work on a ‘got lugs, no spuds’ policy. And you know how lugged-up the XT series are.
Someone give me a job at a footwear-inspired t -shirt making company already!
The Footpatrol XT-4 is still my favourite colourway and collaboration within the silhouette’s library, but if you fancy something low-key then the Salomon website has many muted options.
Headed home, the pigeons at Clapham Junction station were less excited about the Pigeon-esque hues of my XT-4s
How many pairs do you own? If I tell you, will you leave me alone? Depends how many? Is it a lot? I don’t know the number, must have forgot. Surely someone like you should know? Alright, I’ve got about 10 on the go. I use to have an excel sheet, But tracking my consumption made me weap. Still not heard a number, just words and cries, If I gave you a number I would despise, myself for owning so many shoes, my fragile ego it would bruise, so please, don’t ask me any more. Goodness gracious what a bore. Then a bore I’ll be, I’ve only got one pair can’t you see, they’re currently tied up on my feet.
wear shoes, write poems 