Boots160: January 2014

Monday 13 January 2014

Feiyues compared

Fellow fans of Feiyue sneakers will know that it's hard to know what is a genuine Feiyue sneaker and what is not. This article, which I've been planning for a long time, doesn't give the answers to that (sorry!) but it provides a comparison of the 2 main variations to enable you to tell the difference.

As I see it, those 2 main Feiyue variants are as follows, and shown in the first image (below):

Above: what I will call the "Classic" variant - largely made in China/Asia to my knowledge, generally much cheaper.

Below: what I will call the "Reboot" variant - produced since European (French) involvement in the brand, with higher production values and a much higher price tag (ridiculously so, in my view, for a white canvas sneakers, even a cool one like this).

The image above shows that the Reboot is far neater and more precise in construction, has a slightly more pointed toe than the rounded, wider toebox of the Classic and shows more overt Feiyue branding than on the Classic shoe. The Classic version seems to be made of softer (and likely less durable) canvas than the Reboot.

A key difference between the 2 variants can be found at the top of the tongue. Note the "Top One" label at the top of the tongue on the Classic shoe, compared to the "Feiyue" label on the Reboot, which is better shown in the photos below:

The Reboot:

The Classic:

Another critical difference is shown here (below): the Classic shoe (above) has a less precise moulding on the sole, and the rubber is softer, and therefore grippier (but, again, it is probably less durable). The Reboot (below) has much more precisely moulded sole unit. And, as you can see, the Classic has a green rubber triangle label in the centre of the shoe, while the Reboot has a red rubber circle, again clearly showing the word "feiyue".

There are some clear differences in the horizontal profiles of the two variants also:

Both versions have the Feiyue brand name on either side of the shoe. However the Classic version seems not entirely clear on the brand name (see below). Feiyue? Feivue?