Quoc Pham HardCourts
Kickin around in the newest line of commuter shoes to grace the Spindle shelves are the Quoc Pham hardcourts. These are the latest sod compatible shoes with the Mission Workshop seal of approval.
At first glance the subtle styling is quite understated, yet I still get great compliments on these guys. its black on black on black look also goes with pretty much everything I wear on a regular basis. These shoes have been through a lot and they show very little wear. Lets get this review started, bit by bit!
Lets start with the Cordura-like, woven nylon upper. This ballistic, abrasion resistant nylon holds strong against furious concrete scrapings. A few gravel slide outs and over the bar ventures have ensured valid testing of these shoes….. and my face…. and my body. But as Led Zepplin says, " the shoe remains the same…" …. thats right…. right?!? The weave, though extremely sturdy, breaks in like an old tennis shoe while maintaining its steel cage like protection. The first thing to break structure is the leather tab, gracing the company's logo. This has zero effect on the shoes function but adds little ear-like flaps to the outside of the shoe.
Heel cups are usually the first thing to go out on shoes, tearing and breaking little pieces of plastic in to the shoe on a regular basis. Not the Hardcourts. These maintain structure without being too rigid. Also on the rear of each shoe, is a reflective strip for safety purposes. Here in Atlanta, law says you must have a front light and a rear reflector, these will do as your rear reflector if yours gets broken or stolen. Personally, we see no substitute for a obnoxiously bright rear light, but these may get you home and away from the strong arm of the Law.
Now for the sole, and man do these baddies have sole! the balance of stiffness and comfort are incredible! Thick soles so your cleats don't tap, great flex in the midsole but stiff enough to mash it in the fastest traffic. Working in these sukkas for over 13 hrs a day is testament to their comfort and to still be able to stand at the bar of our local watering hole after those 13+ hrs is pretty damn amazing. The rubber sole itself is thick and grippy, good enough for those emergency BMX brakes when your chain pops or you brakes are in need of dialing in. With all the trekking that has been done in these badboys its amazing that all the adhesive binding the upper to the sole has no sign of ever coming detached.
Said to be water resistant, we didn't really see too much water shedding on our rainy day rides. Water will sneak its way through the tight weaves and soak right into your socks and feet, so wear merino woolies on those cold rainy days. That said, after arriving home, slipping a rag in to each shoes will ensure they will be dry and ready the next day of street bashing.
Photography above provided By Jarrell Williams
They're also great for crushing cans!