Hanley Sneaker - Horween Shell Cordovan Black

This is my 6th pari of Goral sneakers. I've been very happy with the other pairs, so I decided to take the leap with my first pair of shell cordovan shoes. I wanted something that felt casual enough to easily wear with jeans and a t-shirt and with some unique character, so I got the reverse shell.

When I took this pair out of the box, I was disappointed to find that they appear to have been polished and shined as if they are regular shell cordovan, so they don't have the more matte finish or the variation in colors that are seen on the website photos. They are like the regular shell sneakers but when you look close, you can tell that the texture is the reverse side -- so it has the general aesthetic of normal shell, but without the same quality of finish.

More disappointing than the polish is that the lasting is sloppy. The leather isn't pulled smooth in the area between the toe box and laces. The leather has wrinkles even before the first wear. Neither shoe is great, but one is distinctly worse than the other. I have a pair of Hanleys which are beautifully lasted; I expected this pair would look the same.

Amazing shoes in every sense of the word.