The short: Super swank, 1980 and older Tonka tough, and classy like Freddie Blassie (early pro wrestler turned manager in the 80's (?), managing the likes of the Iron Sheik and Andre the Giant!)! The kind of product that lives up to the Chrome name that we all know and love.

The long: For those of you that haven't heard (if not, let us know where you live!), Chrome makes some swank shoes in addition to their rugged bags & smooth apparel. They've got four different models to choose from, and I grabbed the Chukka boots- a good pair is hard to find. Higher than low-tops, yet not quite high-tops either- that's where Chukka's are at- right in the middle- the perfect spot.

Chrome's shoes aren't just some Chuck Taylor rip-offs. While they do have a similar clean, solid look, take a closer look and you'll notice that they're more like Chuck's on steroids. Right away you'll realize that these were built from the ground up for cyclists, BY cyclists!

Let's start from the ground up. Red, skid resistant, Chrome contact soles that are tough as hell. Stiff enough to ride all day and won't shred away like a pencil eraser if you've gotta put your foot down.

The bottoms have the most color you're gonna see on these. The rest of the bottom is black rubber all the way around and it's really beefed up in the toe area so those cages aren't gonna wear through. Speaking of the toe area and cages, the toe itself is low profile so you can get in and out without any problems too.

Halfway up the rubber is a red stripe that stops at the beefed up toe, and another one that goes all the way around the top. Just enough to top it off without going over the top. For safety's sake, there's a rad little strip of reflective rubber in between the stripes.

Every piece of clothing is branded in some way-ya gotta represent! These are discreetly branded with a text logo in the rubber near the heel and a totally smooth embroidered griffin logo in red above that. I really dig the embroidery a lot. Classy!

If you wanna talk class, the rest of the Chukka's are made of 100% Arnhem suede- really, really smooth. And to quote Henry Ford, "you can get these in any color you want, as long as the color is black." Classic inside and out.

So now we're talking insides- on top of the rubber is a super tough board lasted sole that will stop the bite of any pedal trying to get through. Top that off with a re-enforced shank with a cushioning crash pad in the heel, the top that off with a contoured support.

The tongue is padded and attached to the shoe at both sides so it always stays in place. Two stainless grommets for the laces and if that isn't enough the ends of the laces are capped with stainless aglets for a little flash and another touch of class- not to mention heavy-duty. You can tuck the laces away to keep them out of your chain too if you wish.

These are the type of footwear you can abuse all day and go to a decent restaurant at night without getting the boot. Comfortable, solid, and built to last, these Chukka's are where it's at! If you're not into suede, or want a lower cut, check out the other models. They really are available in other colors than black. Seriously.

-Brandon