Long Lost 90s Sneaker Is The Perfect Driving Shoe

Some children of the 1990s might have a vague recollection of the Lanzera’s kinetic double-loop logo. At least in the upper midwest where your author grew up, the mark could be found on the feet of half of the varsity soccer team on the field. And in the classroom – or at the mall, the park, the beach, whatever – pairs of the brand’s chill indoor model, the Jackal, were everywhere. 

I wore Jackals everywhere from 1995 to maybe ’99. Never a soccer player, I appreciated the understated styling that meshed with the grungy aesthetic of the era and yet wasn’t quite as ubiquitous as the Adidas Samba. Local stocks ran low as I was transitioning from high school to college, and my last pair of Jackals – green suede with a white outsole – finally got too roasted to wear somewhere before the turn of the millennium. 

Not only were they great casual sneakers, they were kickass driving shoes. I learned how to heel-toe in my 1991 Honda Civic DX and the firm, flat sole of the Lanzera’s along with their slim profile, made the lessons easier for someone like me with big feet. 

For decades now I’ve hunted for new old stock pairs of Jackals with all of that in mind, but coming up short as the company had seemingly faded into the dream of the ’90s. Imagine my surprise, my glee in fact, when I found out last year that Lanzera was coming back and taking Jackal orders to re-launch the business. 

The reboot of the sneaker is everything I’d hoped for and, in all probability way nicer than the examples I was buying 30 years ago. The golden brown Caramello suede on a kind of butterscotch outsole is full-on dadcore, with thick-cut leather and a quilted tongue that help to justify the $130 asking price. (I’m pretty sure the shoes were $50 when I was a kid, but gas was $1.50 and time doesn’t stand still.) 

I’m going to need a pair in navy with a crisp white sole, at least until Lanzera sells enough to justify bringing the dark green colorway back. The shoes are still perfect – I mean perfect – driving shoes. Especially if you’re going more for good pedal feel than paddock poseur vibes. Whether you remember this little slice of sneaker history or not, I highly recommend putting a pair in your closet.

Source: Lanzera