They say you should never judge another person until you have walked a mile in their shoes, well with that in mind I felt it only right to walk 50 miles in the new Reef Rover shoes before I could offer judgement on them. I’ve spent a few weeks using them as my everyday shoe, subjecting them to hours of walking in lectures and around an additional 50km of riding, I think at this point it’s safe to say that I’m a fan!
They come out of the box in a waxy brown colour, the leather uppers with an appearance that doesn’t scream NEW SHOES, instead offering an aesthetic that doesn’t need to be walked around the house for a few hours first (we all do that right?). After a month of use that look can only be described as lived-in, in the most fabulous of ways, without distress or scuffing they have taken on the vibe of a loved work-boot, the leather doing its thing and taking on a life of its own with a lovely tonality.
It’s fair to say that Anda was happy with the aesthetics to start with, a blend of comfort and practicality, and that’s grown through use.
All-day comfort is strong with the Rovers, coping admirably with a 12 hour day of work and commuting, the soles giving both comfort and traction, whilst the uppers do their natural breathing, ensuring that feet don’t get too warm.
That sole, it’s got an appealing pattern, mimicking the waves on a beach (or even, seriously I’ve just got this, a Reef perhaps?), it’s effectively flat meaning that should you be riding flats or even SPD-SL pedals on the bike then you have a great contact area, the leather around the ankle even offering a modicum of protection against crank bashing!
As well as looking after cooling duties, the uppers also keep the rain at bay, offering a good level of water resistance, so if you are are fan of dancing in the rain then these could be the shoes for you!
Overall I’ve been really happy with the Reef Rover Mid shoes, they have taken over as my footwear of choice for both work and knocking about, with the leather taking on a lovely lived-in vibe and the comfort for all-day use being superb. You can buy them HERE (amazon) and they are about £75.