Converse "performance" Jack Purcell shoes

[brownbearfalling]

Is any one else interested in what Converse is trying to do with their shoes?

In the article in the latest Tennis magazine there was info that Converse will be adding performance features to their classic Jack Purcell shoes.

I'm really excited to see what they come up with because the sharpest shoes I have in my closet are all white Jack Purcells. If the classic styling is still there with these new shoes they are releasing, I'll be picking up a pair when they release.

Anyone have any more info on these shoes?

 

[brownbearfalling]

http://www.tennis.com/articles/templates/gear.aspx?articleid=8605&zoneid=24

 

[LPShanet]

Is any one else interested in what Converse is trying to do with their shoes?

In the article in the latest Tennis magazine there was info that Converse will be adding performance features to their classic Jack Purcell shoes.

I'm really excited to see what they come up with because the sharpest shoes I have in my closet are all white Jack Purcells. If the classic styling is still there with these new shoes they are releasing, I'll be picking up a pair when they release.

Anyone have any more info on these shoes?

They've been holding their cards pretty close to their chests in this one. They had been planning to launch them in Feb or March, but not sure if they're still on that schedule or not.

 

[flashfire276]

My question... How supportive and stable is it?

 

[10smonkey]

Can a tennis shoe today be functional and fashionable? “Overall, I like the shoe for club players,” says TENNIS footwear adviser Dave Cota after examining a prototype of the new Jacks. “It’s an old shell with the latest Nike technology. But I doubt it will hold up in the long run for really aggressive players who play four or five times a week.”

I have playtested these shoes ...they look nice and do have some modern touches..... think of them as an old style shoe with modern technology...That being said I firmly agree with the tennis mag guy

 

[adidasman]

Can a tennis shoe today be functional and fashionable? “Overall, I like the shoe for club players,” says TENNIS footwear adviser Dave Cota after examining a prototype of the new Jacks. “It’s an old shell with the latest Nike technology. But I doubt it will hold up in the long run for really aggressive players who play four or five times a week.”

I have playtested these shoes ...they look nice and do have some modern touches..... think of them as an old style shoe with modern technology...That being said I firmly agree with the tennis mag guy

I'd guess it's like the adidas Millennium shoes (Laver, Smith, Nastase); more high-tech than the originals, but still not really performance shoes in comparison with the Barricade or something like that.

 

[brownbearfalling]

Can a tennis shoe today be functional and fashionable? “Overall, I like the shoe for club players,” says TENNIS footwear adviser Dave Cota after examining a prototype of the new Jacks. “It’s an old shell with the latest Nike technology. But I doubt it will hold up in the long run for really aggressive players who play four or five times a week.”

I have playtested these shoes ...they look nice and do have some modern touches..... think of them as an old style shoe with modern technology...That being said I firmly agree with the tennis mag guy

Has comfort of the shoe been improved?

 

[Bobby Jr]

...footwear adviser Dave Cota after examining a prototype of the new Jacks. “It’s an old shell with the latest Nike technology. But I doubt it will hold up in the long run for really aggressive players who play four or five times a week.”

The problem with this call is Nike are probably the worst shoes on the market for falling apart imo. I've had 2 pairs of LL Vapour Tours and playing once a week for about an hour-90 mins both pairs started to fall apart within 2 months - i.e. 8-12 hours playtime and the glue holding the upper to the sole is badly coming away. The shoes look fine and the soles are fine - they just wont stick to each other.

Nike = look amazing but made with low grade materials and poor workmanship compared to Adidas, Babolat, Wilson, Prince etc.

 

[10smonkey]

They are very comfortable .... for wearing casually... not playing competitive tennis..... as for the nike reference the upper is made out of a lunarlite material but more like a mesh material instead of the old canvas ....the toe box is pretty much like the old style but built up a bit more ....

 

[LPShanet]

Can a tennis shoe today be functional and fashionable? “Overall, I like the shoe for club players,” says TENNIS footwear adviser Dave Cota after examining a prototype of the new Jacks. “It’s an old shell with the latest Nike technology. But I doubt it will hold up in the long run for really aggressive players who play four or five times a week.”

I have playtested these shoes ...they look nice and do have some modern touches..... think of them as an old style shoe with modern technology...That being said I firmly agree with the tennis mag guy

That's about what I would have guessed (and I think what Converse was going for with this shoe). Where did you get to playtest it? Is Nike actually involved, or does the article really mean "Nike-like" technology?

 

[Markov]

I'm not sure whether they'll be good to play or not, but that Magnus Wedhammar guy is absolutely right.

 

[coolhandluke]

when Johnny Mac was 15-16, he used to where them. I personally preferred the skidgrips!

 

[Capt. Willie]

I have playtested these shoes ...they look nice and do have some modern touches..... think of them as an old style shoe with modern technology...That being said I firmly agree with the tennis mag guy

I'd guess it's like the adidas Millennium shoes (Laver, Smith, Nastase); more high-tech than the originals, but still not really performance shoes in comparison with the Barricade or something like that.

addidasman, I think you hit the nail on the head, that is exactly what they sound like.

 

[Capt. Willie]

Is Nike actually involved, or does the article really mean "Nike-like" technology?

Nike bought Converse about ten years ago.

 

[LPShanet]

Nike bought Converse about ten years ago.

Yes, it was actually July of 2003. But since the two companies have been run entirely separately (apart from the financials), I was asking whether it was likely that they were really going to use Nike materials and technologies, or just create something similar.

On the further update front, I went into the Converse flagship store in NYC yesterday, and no one there had even heard of the shoe and were totally unaware that it was coming out. Not sure if it's been delayed, cancelled or similar, but it's pretty unusual that there would be so little info about the release at this point.

 

[Capt. Willie]

On the further update front, I went into the Converse flagship store in NYC yesterday, and no one there had even heard of the shoe and were totally unaware that it was coming out. Not sure if it's been delayed, cancelled or similar, but it's pretty unusual that there would be so little info about the release at this point.

That's a bad sign.

 

[PeterPanda]

I saw a converse regular pair with cupcakes on them if anyones interseted.lol

 

[LPShanet]

Update

Well, more info has finally come out, based on a press release on 2/7. Turns out the technology will be from Nike. Here's the release:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Converse Jack Purcell EVO Performance Tennis Shoe
Today Converse launched the Jack Purcell Evo tennis shoe, the latest addition to the Jack Purcell family. It combines the classic look Jack Purcell is known for with state of the art Nike technologies, making it one of the lightest and most comfortable tennis shoes ever built.

The Jack Purcell Evo shoe is carefully crafted with high tech performance benefits presented in a clean, simple package – perfect for on and off court action. The upper sports a stylish glen plaid mono-mesh woven with Nike Flywire technology for the perfect blend of breathable performance and style, keeping feet cool all the way through the fifth set. The trademark rubber toe sports the Jack Purcell smile just as it did more than 75 years ago, maintaining that iconic look.

The foundation of the Jack Purcell Evo shoe is built with an ergonomic foot form that comfortably cups and supports the feet. Nike Lunarlon Foam, one of the lightest foams ever engineered for footwear, gives the shoe a light and bouncy feel. For increased support in extreme lateral movements across the court, the Jack Purcell Evo features lateral rubber wraps and a composite mid-foot shank which adds torsional rigidity. The combination of a heavy-duty molded heel counter and mid-foot containment strap provides great heel lock-down. A Herringbone tread on the bottom of the shoes gives excellent traction on multiple court surfaces, while biaxial flex grooves allow the foot to move more naturally.

Jack Purcell shoes have been popular with tennis players since their inception in 1935, when world famous badminton champion Jack Purcell helped design an innovative and durable court shoe that raised the level of quality in performance wear. They quickly became must-haves for the aspiring Hollywood actors and actresses that Purcell gave tennis lessons to in the ‘30s and ‘40s. Eternally hip and understated, this classic court shoe now pushes that status in a progressive new direction. With a contemporary twist on the classic 1930’s silhouette highlighting the telltale smile toe, the Jack Purcell shoe embarks on a 21st century renaissance injected with a refined and simple style.

The Jack Purcell Evo will be available in a crimson and white colorway with the Jack Purcell logo in limited release at independent tennis retailers nationwide and www.converse.com on February 15, 2011 and Converse specialty stores in Boston and New York on March 3, 2011 for MSRP $110.00

 

[brownbearfalling]

Thanks for the info lpshanet. Are you going to be buying a pair?

$110 seems to steep of a price for me. Twice the price of the current purcell's is a little too much.

 

[TMCW140]

They look awesome! Would love a pair if they came out in the UK. Essentially just vapors, dressed up as converse, no?

 

[LPShanet]

Thanks for the info lpshanet. Are you going to be buying a pair?

$110 seems to steep of a price for me. Twice the price of the current purcell's is a little too much.

I'm almost definitely buying a pair, as long as they fit semi-comfortably. However, the chances of their ever seeing a tennis court on my feet are slim. I'm pretty particular about what I wear to actually play in. I just love my old fish-heads, and the idea of these appeals to me, mostly as a casual shoe. And the pics I've seen look pretty cool. Maybe a lot to spend for walk-around shoes, but style has no price, right?

 

[Tennisidentity]

Converse's Jack Purcell Evo for tennis at Harvard University

Here's a link to some pictures of the new shoes. The tennis team at Harvard University is wearing them right now.

http://www.tennisidentity.com/tenni...nnounces-the-jack-purcell-evo-for-tennis.html

 

[LPShanet]

Here's a link to some pictures of the new shoes. The tennis team at Harvard University is wearing them right now.

http://www.tennisidentity.com/tenni...nnounces-the-jack-purcell-evo-for-tennis.html

From what I can see in these and other pics, they do look pretty cool/interesting. Will report on my impressions when I see them in person. Mixed reports about whether they'll hit retail 2/15 or early March in stores. Must say I'm a bit surprised to see Harvard wearing them for matches, though.

 

[Capt. Willie]

Anyone notice the colorway of the Purcell Evo is basically the same as Harvard's colors? I wonder if this is coincidence or intentional.

 

[Capt. Willie]

I like those plaid shorts too.

 

[LPShanet]

More pics and info on TW now. The shoe is available for pre-sale.

 

[LPShanet]

Picked up my pair at Converse today. They are great looking, and definitely unlike anything currently on the market. The pics on TW are fairly accurate to how they look in person, I'd say. No plans to use them for actual tennis competition, but they seem solid enough that they could handle it, at the very least at a moderate level. But that would scuff them up, and they're way too sweet for that. Fit is a little large (I went down half a size from what I wear in adidas B6.0, BV, Feather, etc.), and quite wide, though not freakishly so. Arch is lower than medium, but what arch is there is fairly solid...it's not totally flat. Quite stiff out of the box. More to come as I get more detailed impressions.

 

[Capt. Willie]

Picked up my pair at Converse today. They are great looking, and definitely unlike anything currently on the market. The pics on TW are fairly accurate to how they look in person, I'd say. No plans to use them for actual tennis competition, but they seem solid enough that they could handle it, at the very least at a moderate level. But that would scuff them up, and they're way too sweet for that. Fit is a little large (I went down half a size from what I wear in adidas B6.0, BV, Feather, etc.), and quite wide, though not freakishly so. Arch is lower than medium, but what arch is there is fairly solid...it's not totally flat. Quite stiff out of the box. More to come as I get more detailed impressions.

If you do play in them please give us your thoughts. I would like to get a pair but I think I'd be afraid to play in them...too nice looking. I can't recall any pair of tennis shoes that has caught my attention as much as these.

 

[tacoben]

This thread needs a bump . I too am eager to hear from recent buyers of these retro shoes and how they rate. In the late 70's early 80's, the Jack Purcells were my favorite tennis shoes.

 

[Capt. Willie]

This thread needs a bump . I too am eager to hear from recent buyers of these retro shoes and how they rate. In the late 70's early 80's, the Jack Purcells were my favorite tennis shoes.

Yeah, I had hoped for more reviews too. Judging by TW's inventory count (every size shows 3+) and the lack of posts about them, I suspect they aren't selling well. I still want a pair, maybe they will be marked down a bit soon.