Bravest Studios Kross Kountry Runner — Brazil

Bravest Studios built its name on taking a familiar silhouette and doing something unreasonable with the colour. The Kross Kountry Runner in Brazil is exactly that: a mesh trail-runner shape in yellow, green and blue, with a cross panel over the midfoot that gives the shoe its name.

The build

The upper is open mesh with the cross panel stitched over the top rather than printed, so the X holds its shape when the shoe flexes. The sole is a genuine chunky runner unit with visible layering — not a fashion sneaker imitating one — which is what makes the shoe wearable all day.

The colours are laid in as blocks. Yellow carries the toe and quarter, green takes the overlays and the X, blue picks up the collar and the sole trim. Because none of the three blend into each other, the shoe reads as graphic rather than messy.

Fit

True to size for most people. The mesh has some give across the width, so wide feet are fine, and the collar is padded enough that you can wear these low without heel slip. The size run is listed in full on the product page.

How to wear it

This is an anchor shoe, so everything above it should be quiet. A plain tee and a straight or baggy leg is the whole formula. It also does something useful that a black sneaker cannot: it puts a colour into a fit that is otherwise neutral, which is worth more than another pair of triple blacks.

The verdict

A genuinely comfortable runner that happens to be loud, rather than a loud shoe pretending to be comfortable. If you already own the neutral sneakers, this is the one that changes what your fits look like.

See the Kross Kountry Runner at ExclusiveClothing.shop — free US shipping over $150.