Farewell To A Champion

When it comes to sneakers, I've primarily been a Vans man since my teenaged years, though I did have a Chuck Taylor's phase as well. Still, I always found Vans to be more comfortable, and have worn them exclusively since my early 20s. (Note: Should the Vans people want to reward me for this taste-making endorsement with free sneakers, I'll gladly accept.)

My last pair were perhaps the greatest shoe ever created in the history of footwear: the Vans Maestro (pictured above). But they were two years old, and it was time for some replacements. So, a couple weeks back, I found myself near a local Vans discount outlet and went in. Good news was, they had the Maestros -- and in what I call Confederate Army colors, no less -- but they didn't have 'em in my size. No worries, I thought. I'll find a pair somewhere.

I thought that would be today, when I took a trip to an even-closer, but non-discount outlet Vans store, planning to walk out with a brand-new pair of Maestros. Then came the even worse news: the Maestro line had been discontinued, and I was lucky to have seen any at the discount joint.

Long story short, I settled for a pair of Emorys, in what I call Imperial Navy colors. They're no Maestros, but they're close and pretty damn comfortable in their own right. Sa-lute!