See our new derby shoe, The Evans, unboxed
Three key areas we focused on: the leather, the outsole, and the toe shape
Scroll down to read more about our new derby shoe
One of the downsides of working in the shoe industry is that you’re constantly looking at other people’s feet. Over 20 years now, eyeing new trends, looking for pairs of HELM, checking out the latest from another brand, but most of all looking for inspiration for future projects.
As I shared earlier this year around the development of The Finn, our Chelsea Boot we launched earlier this year, some projects take longer than others. We’ve spent years constructing the perfect Derby shoe, almost got there a few times, but never fully completed the task of finding the perfect partner and complement to The Bradley. A derby that’s slightly more casual, more of an everyday shoe built for jeans and chinos, & more comfortable than any Derby shoe you’ve ever worn before.
Even though the Bradley is named after me, this is my new everyday shoe so I wanted to share what I love about it and why I refuse to give the sample back.
Three Things to Love About Our Derby Shoe, The Evans
- The Leather – using the same Neymar leather as the Hynes, this is going to be the most comfortable shoe you’ve ever owned. Zero break-in, step-in comfort and you only have to touch the softness of the leather to know that this is going to be immediately comfortable.
- The Outsole – to be the most comfortable shoe you’ve ever owned, we had to have an outsole that would provide a soft cushion, but also be durable enough to call itself a pair of HELM. Our signature full rubber outsole not only provides that, but looks elegant and modern, perfect for the office and nights out.
- The Toe Shape – get this part wrong and a modern leather derby shoe turns into a clunker. We developed a special last to make sure that these not only hugged your feet, but immediately looked like an updated classic.
If you don’t already have a derby shoe in your closet, this is the perfect one to add. It’s the everyday shoe you need, something you can wear with jeans, but also dress up when you’re traveling for work trips. Below are 3 ways that we wore it during one of our most recent photo shoots.
See how The Evans works across different outfits.#FootwearForLife pic.twitter.com/xDzs1PK60P
— HELM Boots (@helmboots) April 13, 2023
Leather care for our new derby shoe
Our new derby shoe is available in Black, Brown, and Whiskey. For any leather care application, we recommend first ensuring a dry and clean shoe by using a clean brush to clear away debris. We recommend Blackrock Leather 'N Rich for conditioning and softening your leather. We carry pigmented Pure Polish if you're ever looking to spruce up the color of your pair; black and brown correspond with their respective colors of The Evans, and light brown matches with Whiskey. Just looking for shine? No problem, we also carry Pure Polish's High Shine Wax Polish. We also recommend Otter Wax leather sealant to give your shoes some extra protection. When storing your derby shoes, don't forget cedar shoe trees.