Largest Collection of Chucks?

Largest_collection_of_Converse_All-Stars
Originally uploaded by ant53209.

How's this for a sneaker collection? Guess I've still got a way to go!

I hope you all had a great Christmas.

Dear Santa

Dear Santa Claus,

Something tells me you're not a wrestler. (Although perhaps you're into sumo? ;-)

Anyway, if you were a wrestler you'd understand why I want a pair of these hot wrestling shoes for Christmas: the ASICS Split Second VI in yellow. They look great in yellow and I think they'd look even better laced on my feet as I scissor some poor dude, heheh.

As you probably know from my previous letters, I've always been an Adidas kind of guy when it comes to wrestling shoes, but I gotta say I think they've lost their touch - temporarily, I hope. Their latest wrestling shoes seem way over-designed. In the meantime, I'm going for these new versions of the Split Second. I never liked version V much, but these are right back up there!

I've been a good boy all year and not done any illegal holds. Well, hardly any...

Yours sincerely

Boots160

Cool wrestling poster

I'm really taken by this wrestling poster, spotted today for sale at www.wrestlingdirect.com. It the simple intesity of the message that does it: the combination of determination and controlled aggression that sums up wrestling very powerfully for me. I also like that final line: "We wrestle". It really is just as simple, and instinctive, as that. Modest wrestler though I may be, I guess it sums up really well what what I feel as I'm stepping onto that wrestling mat. What do you think?

I'm so taken with this poster that I might try and create some of my own. Why not try it too? Watch this space!

Colourful Combat Speeds

This blog has been a bit black and white since I started it. So, tonight, I'm lacing up in the most colourful wrestling shoe I have, the awesome teal, yellow and pink Adidas Combat Speed.

These colours are crazy, yet genius. Surely there is no better wrestling shoe? My ambition (one of many!) is to wrestle someone with us both laced in a pair of these great shoes.

Great grapplin blogs

If you're a wrestlin' (and wrestling gear) fan, like me, you'll probably know about these guys already, but if not you're missing out. A round of applause and a big thank you to:

1. Mitch in Berlin, whose excellent website is now joined by an equally excellent wrestling blog. Thanks for the plug, Mitch!

2. WrestlerM who has a fine eye for the wonders of wrestling boots and other gear, and who also has an excellent blog. Respect!

Happy grappling to both!

Black and white wrestler

I'm finding black and white photos of me and my wrestling gear increasingly more appealing. I hope this example leads you to agree.

Here I am getting into a nice bridge in my new Adidas Tygun IIs. Boxing boots, strictly, of course but who cares. They go great with matching Adidas squarecuts for a great look for, say, a submission wrestling match. Just gotta find an opponent to try them out on now :-)

Have you noticed how more and more boxers are wearing wrestling shoes in the ring? Well, now us wrestlers are getting their boots on! ;-)

Need to wrestle bad

lutte_wrestling165a3
Originally uploaded by wrestlingfr2000.

I love this photo. What wouldn't I give to be rolling around in the midst of this bunch of grapplers, similarly clad in those classic "Chucks-type" wrestling shoes.

Not much room for each pair of wrestlers though, is there?

A word on toecaps

PF Flyers
Originally uploaded by boots160.

I'm a big fan of the rubber toecap. A big big fan...

They form a common theme through my sneaker interest: starting with old-fashioned British plimsolls when I was a wee boy (good for climbing trees and fighting!) then on to Converse All Stars (awesome!) and, once my sneaker and wrestling thing was finding full expression by my twenties, the classic Bata Bullet wrestling shoe (canvas and rubber again, with a delicious white rubber toecap!).

Tonight I'm wearing PF Flyers, a model called Grounder Hi, a sort of Chunky Chuck with nice white canvas and (you guessed it!) solid rubber toecaps.

Welcome to new chucks!

Welcome to my blog, just for stuff that I like. That's mostly sneakers and wrestling, sometimes both at the same time.

Newest pair of sneakers for me are this crisp oh-so-white pair of monochrome white Converse All Stars, the sneaker that started it all for me, oooh way back when. I've been getting to know these rockin' whites over the last few days, and it's been fun! This image captures the magic moment of first lacing, when that shoe first comes to life and becomes your own.