I Just Found the Best $80 Sneakers for Summer, and They’re Waffles

One of those early summer mornings where it’s already 80 degrees before 8:00a. I was running late. Threw them on without socks. Didn’t bother tightening the laces. Just slipped them on and darted out like I’d had them for years. By the time I made it to the café, I loved them. One passerby even gave me a little smile and nod. Impossible to know if it was because of the shoes, but I like to think it was. A fellow waffle-lover in the wild.

Slim profile. Classic lines. A little bit retro. A little bit modern. The kind of sneaker that doesn’t try to be loud. They fit slightly narrow, which for me is ideal. My feet don’t love wide shoes that look like boats. These hug just enough. A firm handshake kind of fit. Confident. No overcorrection. No extra padding. I barely touch the laces. Just a loose, lazy loop, and they stay put. There’s something very “I’ve got this” about the fit.

The outsole is the real wink. Nike’s iconic Waffle tread, originally released in 1974 for performance running, is perfectly repurposed for the modern man’s lifestyle. It gives the shoe some edge, literally and figuratively. And it quietly nods to Nike’s heritage without feeling like you’re trying to cosplay the 70s.

I’ve dressed them up with linen pants and a tucked tee. Worn them to the grocery store in gym shorts and no plan. They work either way. That’s what makes them so good.

The price?

Only $80. And right now, you can get them for $60.97. So yeah. It’s waffle season, gentlemen. Act accordingly.