The Superlight Kicks

Cole Haan’s 2.Zerogrand Stitchlite – made from a single piece of stretch jersey – is your next everyday sneaker that’s lighter than Converse All Stars, and Adidas Stan Smiths.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

Cole Haan’s 2.Zerogrand Stitchlite – made from a single piece of stretch jersey – is your next everyday sneaker that’s lighter than Converse All Stars, and Adidas Stan Smiths.

Tight gauge stitching on the upper ensures the shoe fits you snugly, like a sock does.
Tracked grooves here provide extra traction in case it rains.
Tight gauge stitching on the upper ensures the shoe fits you snugly, like a sock does. Tracked grooves here provide extra traction in case it rains.

We’ll admit it: Like almost everyone else, we’re attached to our Converse All Stars and Adidas Stan Smiths for everyday wear. But when Cole Haan – the Chicago brand that’s gone through a renaissance with cooler takes on classics – dropped its 2.Zerogrand Stitchlites, we decided it was on to something else.

At 167g (weighing less than an iPhone X), each shoe is slightly lighter than an All Star (227g) and way lighter than a Stan Smith (327g). Its knit-like upper has a designer-kicks-meetyourfavourite-socks look, yet isn’t socklet-like.

But Cole Haan being Cole Haan, it doesn’t just do the aesthetically pleasing or the cultish. Like all its shoes, the 2.Zerogrand Stitchlite has tech: a footbed cushion for even weight distribution and moisture-wicking; an outsole to provide shock absorption; responsive insole cushioning that rebounds with each step and doesn’t wear out even if you don the sneakers 24/7; and 1mm perforations around the upper to optimise airflow, which prevents toe jam – even if you go sockless. They may not be ideal for the gym and sports, but they’re good for everything else. $239 – BG

PHOTOGRAPHY ZAPHS ZHANG STYLING SHAN
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Tight gauge stitching on the upper ensures the shoe fits you snugly, like a sock does.
 
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Tracked grooves here provide extra traction in case it rains.