Onitsuka Tiger (Asics) Serrano Review:

Onitsuka Tiger (Asics) Serrano, Gray/Navy Sneaker

The Serrano is a casual sneaker by the Onitsuka Tiger brand, which is owned by Asics. This relationship leads some people to refer to this shoe as the Asics Serrano, although it is nowhere officially called by this name.

This shoe looks visually like other Asics shoes, but I have found it feels very different. It also looks superficially similar in structure to the Saucony Bullet, but I have found that it actually feels very different from that shoe when wearing it. The Onitsuka Tiger Serrano is an extraordinarily comfortable lightweight sneaker, soft and flexible, with a simple retro look. For reference, I'm male, wear a size 9.5, and have a slightly narrower than average foot; this shoe is available both in men's and women's.

I want to begin with one remark about this shoe's name: it is nothing like a serrano pepper. Whereas the pepper is raw, fresh, biting, and burning hot, this is a gentle, mellow, soft, comfy shoe, nothing like the name suggests. And with its inconspicuous, simple look, it is nothing like the works of Andres Serrano, so I must ask, what were they thinking when they named this shoe?

Advantages:

• Comfort - This is the most comfortable sneaker I've ever worn; they feel more like slippers than sneakers. Wearing them while walking around a city feels like walking barefoot on moss in a forest. Don't believe me? Try them for yourself! These shoes feel very different from other Asics / Onitsuka Tiger shoes; if you have found other Asics shoes uncomfortable, do not write these off without trying them! I have walked several miles at once in these shoes, and they are always comfortable. There was no break-in period: they felt comfy right from the start.
• Lightness - These shoes are incredibly light; they add almost no detectable weight, which I think contributes to their comfort, and the fact that I find them good shoes to dance in.
• Traction - The sole of these shoes is rubber with a finely stippled texture, which gives them moderate traction on nearly all surfaces, including slick surfaces which some rubber-soled shoes slip on. The fine texture of the treads on the sole results in these shoes having about the same amount of traction on coarse concrete as on a smoother surface like tile or wood--although they have some traction, they will also slide somewhat on all surfaces. However, I found the tread wore down quickly, leading to a shoe that became a lot more slippery in the long-run.
• Warmth: - I find these shoes keep my feet surprisingly warm in cold weather. This is surprising to me, given how light and thin they are. I like these shoes while riding my bike, as they keep the wind off my feet better than other lightweight sneakers do.
• Style: - I really like how these shoes look...they have a simple retro style, and are sleek and fit/reflect the natural shape of the foot. There is some variety offered in color, although much less than a number of other casual sneakers such as those offered by Sacony. I'm not crazy about the choices of color offered; I think Asics lags behind Saucony for people with my taste in colors.

Disadvantages:

• Durability - Much of the upperparts of these shoes is made of soft, thin fabric. The soles are also thin. I have been told that these shoes wear well, and they do seem well-made, but mine, as I would expect, already show visible wear after wearing them for several months. The treads wear off very quickly. I also do not recommend wearing them in wet weather, and they are definitely unsuitable for wearing in the woods or dense vegetation where you would risk snagging the thin fabric on the upperside of these shoes.
• Price - These shoes are expensive; while you may rarely luck out and get a bargain on these in a store, these deals are unusual and this shoe tends to be much pricier than other casual sneakers. It's hard to find them even online for under $60. While I recognize that these are well-designed shoes, I think this price tag is too high for such simple shoes. I recommend making a mental note of this shoe variety, and then keeping your eyes open for sales.
• Breathability - In spite of how thin these shoes are, they do not breathe particularly well. There are numerous much thicker shoes, like New Balance Classics, which I find breathe much better. I do not wear these shoes on the hottest days for this reason.

Similar Shoes to the Onitsuka Tiger Serrano:

• Visually similar, most Asics brand or Onitsuka Tiger brand shoes look remarkably similar to the serrano. If you are going for the look, but don't like what the serrano has to offer, you will find a wealth of other good options, such as the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66, Onitsuka Tiger Ultimate 81, Asics Corrido, or Asics Bengal. These shoes, however, are all very different in structure, even though they look so similar. All of these shoes are heavier and less flexible.
• Structurally similar, a similarly lightweight and flexible retro sneaker is the Saucony bullet. However, that shoe has some peculiarities, including having, in my opinion, too much padding on the heel. I strongly prefer the Serrano to the Saucony Bullet, although I will note that the Bullet is cheaper and that I do think that the Bullet is exceptionally cute, much cheaper, and available in many more colors. Although neither shoe is suitable for wet weather, the bullet is more breathable, whereas the serrano is warmer.

Comments are moderated. Follow Cazort.net's comment policy for your comment to be approved.