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There’s nothing more American than unnecessary tacticool gear marketed for your purchasing pleasure, but where plenty of companies talk the talk when it comes to melding functionality and style, veteran-owned and operated shoe start-up Woobies actually walks the walk — literally.
Founded in 2015 by Army Special Forces veteran Tony Aguiniga, Woobies bills itself as the first veteran-owned shoe company. Its signature sneakers come in two styles: low-tops and mid-tops, creatively labeled at 5.56 and 7.62 (because, well, military stuff). We opted for the latter in olive drab. With a textured canvas upper, metal eyelets, and a thick rubber sole, suffice it to say these sneakers’ have good bones.
The 7.62 mid-top sneakers from WoobiesWoobies
But what separates the 7.62 from most other mid-top sneakers I’ve enjoyed (and I’ve enjoyed many!) is the ankle support. Plenty of mid-top and high-top sneakers don’t offer a ton by way of actual ergonomic support; the classic Chuck Taylor All-Stars as the prime example. But the Woobies actually include what feels like additional padding and support which makes them ideal for extended urban adventures (bar crawls, essentially).
Beyond comfort, though, there’s another element that makes Woobie shoes stand out: brotherly love. Aguiniga and Woobies work with the Green Beret Foundation to help smoothen the transition for operators when they leave service, a community element that separates vet-owned companies from other start-ups. And frankly, that’s not a bad way to spend $59.99.
Check out the Woobies sneakers here and get 15% off with the code ‘taskandpurpose’