Polo Snuff is the darkest brown Sanders put on the Hi Top — a deep tobacco suede with a close, even nap, nearer to milk chocolate than to the pale sand most people picture when they hear "desert boot". That depth is the reason to choose it. It behaves like an ordinary brown shoe rather than a summer one, so it goes with raw denim, grey flannel, olive chinos and navy without any thought, and it does not look out of place between October and April.
Dark suede also carries winter pavements better than a pale one. The nap flattens slightly and picks up a sheen at the toe and along the crease of the vamp after a few months of wear; a minute with a suede brush lifts it back. If you are buying one pair of suede chukkas and want it to earn its keep, this is the colourway to buy.
The Hi Top is built on Sanders' JOEL last, which has a neat, slightly pointed toe, and it is lined right through in leather. The sole is crepe, cemented to the upper rather than Goodyear welted — that is how Sanders build this particular family of casual shoes, and it is worth knowing before you buy, because a cemented crepe unit is not resoled in the way a welted shoe is. What crepe gives you instead is a light, springy tread and a quiet footfall from the first wear. Two eyelets, a plain vamp and no toe cap keep the pattern as simple as a chukka gets.
Fitting is F (standard), in UK 6 to 12. Take the Hi Top half a size up from your usual size — that is Sanders' own advice, and the JOEL last is a close one with a slightly pointed toe. Their Sam chukka, built on the rounder SNO last and the same crepe sole, is the roomier alternative if you already know you need it.
Care: Spray with a suede protector before the first wear, and again a few times over the winter. Brush the nap up with a suede brush after wearing — on a dark suede this matters more than it looks, because the sheen that builds on the toe is flattened nap rather than dirt. Marks come out with a suede eraser, not with water. Keep the crepe sole away from direct heat, brush grit off it rather than washing it, and use shoe trees between wears.
You can ask any question about this product.
Our specialists will answer you shortly!
Polo Snuff is the darkest brown Sanders put on the Hi Top — a deep tobacco suede with a close, even nap, nearer to milk chocolate than to the pale sand most people picture when they hear "desert boot". That depth is the reason to choose it. It behaves like an ordinary brown shoe rather than a summer one, so it goes with raw denim, grey flannel, olive chinos and navy without any thought, and it does not look out of place between October and April.
Dark suede also carries winter pavements better than a pale one. The nap flattens slightly and picks up a sheen at the toe and along the crease of the vamp after a few months of wear; a minute with a suede brush lifts it back. If you are buying one pair of suede chukkas and want it to earn its keep, this is the colourway to buy.
The Hi Top is built on Sanders' JOEL last, which has a neat, slightly pointed toe, and it is lined right through in leather. The sole is crepe, cemented to the upper rather than Goodyear welted — that is how Sanders build this particular family of casual shoes, and it is worth knowing before you buy, because a cemented crepe unit is not resoled in the way a welted shoe is. What crepe gives you instead is a light, springy tread and a quiet footfall from the first wear. Two eyelets, a plain vamp and no toe cap keep the pattern as simple as a chukka gets.
Fitting is F (standard), in UK 6 to 12. Take the Hi Top half a size up from your usual size — that is Sanders' own advice, and the JOEL last is a close one with a slightly pointed toe. Their Sam chukka, built on the rounder SNO last and the same crepe sole, is the roomier alternative if you already know you need it.
Care: Spray with a suede protector before the first wear, and again a few times over the winter. Brush the nap up with a suede brush after wearing — on a dark suede this matters more than it looks, because the sheen that builds on the toe is flattened nap rather than dirt. Marks come out with a suede eraser, not with water. Keep the crepe sole away from direct heat, brush grit off it rather than washing it, and use shoe trees between wears.
You can ask any question about this product.
Our specialists will answer you shortly!
