Back in August of 2016, I slipped on my first pair of Koio sneakers, the low-top, two-tone, multi-texture Capri ($248). From there, I was off to the races. Those sneakers became – and have remained – a primary wardrobe staple. They are the shoes I want to wear every day, and most casual clothing I’ve bought in the last couple of years has been procured with them in mind. Guys, I love my sneakers a lot.
I tried to keep them clean. I really did. But they’ve seen years of New York City slogs and airline travel and driving whatever and on and on. So when Koio hit me up to share the news that a new colorway of the high-top cousin of my O.G. sneaker – the Primo Triple White ($298) had hit the Internet, I was all too curious. These new shoes are purely white, of course, and lack the off-beige suede accent of my well broken-in pair. And, honestly, I’ve never really been one for high tops. But I’m weirdly excited about moving on up. I imagine that, in some small way, this must be what it’s like to become the new owner of a second, more glamorous home. It’s bigger and shinier, and you’re adverse to even a speck of dirt appearing anywhere on its fresh paint.
Anyway, the shoes are objectively high-quality. Like my other pair, and like the rest of the brand’s lineup, the Primo Triple White are made with soft, Italian pebbled leather and lined with even softer calf leather. The lightweight but sturdy Margom soles feel familiar (for which I’m glad). And they’re comfy right out of the box, if not a bit less time-forged to the exact shape of my feet like my low-top Capris are.
Some differences stand out to me. The eyelets, bare on my old sneakers, are reinforced in the Primos. The familiar stripe is there too, only in color- and material-matching pebbled leather rather than suede. The sole isn’t crimson red, as with my Capris. The Primo model features a lightly padded ankle-height top. And to further differentiate the models, there is an extra strip running around the top circumference of the toe box.
It’s hard for me to imagine shoes replacing the sneakers I love so much, and even more so that those replacements might help me walk into 2022 and beyond. I’ll be old then, for instance. But at least I’ll look cool and feel great about my kicks.
