The 6 Best Sneakers For Men: Master The Casual Look

I like Nike and Adidas as much as the next guy, but when I want to add a touch of class and personality to my style, nothing beats a fresh pair of premium sneakers! 🤍👟

And the best thing is, you can do that without spending a fortune.

We’ve shortlisted the absolute best designer sneakers for every budget. Some of our favorites cost even less than $100.

These sneakers are versatile, stylish, and functional. At Luxe Digital, we think it’s money well spent.

In a rush? No problem! Here are the absolute best sneakers for men available right now:

Ready to see the full list? Here are our absolute favorite men’s sneakers of the year.

Looking for more? Explore our guides to the rarest Nike sneakers, most expensive sneakers ever sold, best Yeezy sneakers, and our illustrated guide to sneaker anatomy.

Koio Capri: Smartly dressed up

We absolutely love the Koio Capri’s sneakers collection as our everyday sneakers. These simple yet elegant premium leather sneakers are perfect to match with jeans to dress up during the week or casually for the weekend. The perfect everyday sneakers for men, really.

We’ve picked the black onyx model here for its timeless and classic sneakers look, but the shoe is also available in rich brown leather, classic white, and many more color options.

Koio is a fast-growing online sneaker brand created by two passionate sneakerheads. The company designs its shoes in the USA and produces them in Italy.

Check our in-depth Koio Capri review to see them in more detail. You can also look at our Koio shoes comparison to see the rest of their lineup.

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Amberjack The Court: The comfort pick

Amberjack made its name with dress shoes that feel like sneakers, and The Court takes that comfort system into an actual sneaker. The upper mixes full-grain leather with water-repellent suede, the lining is a moisture-wicking recycled Lycra, and the removable insole is heat-activated, so it moulds to your foot as you wear it. Anti-slip rubber pods on the EVA outsole add grip.

It costs $175 and comes in Ivory, pictured, as well as Onyx, Walnut and Cobalt. Amberjack says it runs true to size and suggests going down if you are between two. We’ve reviewed several of Amberjack’s shoes if you want to see how the brand wears over time.

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Axel Arigato Clean 90: Style with an edge

The Clean 90 is another favorite of mine. They’re slightly more expensive than Koio, but they’re also a bit more comfortable to wear all day long, and they come in a wide range of styles and colors.

I particularly like the off-white version shown above with a gum sole, but you’ll find over 100 different designs here, including soft suede and sneakers with intricately embroidered birds.

Tempted? Check our hands-on Axel Arigato Clean 90 review to see if they’re right for you. We’ve reviewed a bunch of sneakers from the brand, so you can also read our Axel Arigato sneakers review to compare their other models.

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Allbird Tree Runners: Naturally comfortable

I’ll be honest, I had serious doubts about the Tree Runners before trying them on. I thought the laces were too bulky and the design uninspired. But man, wait until you’ve tried them to judge them!

There’s something about the materials used by Allbirds to build these sneakers that make them feel super light on the feet and breathable. Allbirds really are some of the most comfortable shoes for standing all day, especially on hot summer months.

Added bonus? They’re machine washable and odor-resistant. More info about the Tree Runners and the other sneakers from Allbird here.

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Amberjack The Low-Top: Smart-casual comfort

The Low-Top is the one to buy if you want a leather sneaker that still looks right with chinos at the office. It uses A-grade full-grain leather with a sheepskin lining, and it shares The Court’s heat-activated insole and EVA outsole with rubber pods.

At $159 it is the most affordable Amberjack on this list. It comes in colors from Honey, pictured, to Chestnut, Ivory and Onyx, in standard and wide fits. Read our Amberjack The Original review for how the brand’s insole holds up over weeks of wear.

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Nike Air Force 1: The trusty staple

Nike is one of those failsafe, classic sneaker brands you need in your shoe rotation. The Nike Air Force 1 has been a fixture of the best-seller lists since 1982, and nothing about that looks like changing.

On-trend with a retro yet timeless look and legitimate street credibility, the Nike Air Force 1 ’07 are great value too, selling for just $115. We love this particular all-white iteration with durably stitched overlays, clean finishes, and the perfect amount of flash to make you shine.

The Air Force 1 has defined shoe culture since the moment it stepped onto the court. And it continues to be a fashion staple thanks to clean lines, a strong midsole, and new and classic colorways in low, mid, and high-top styles. You can also fully customize your own Air Force 1 design with the Nike By You program. Create your own sneaker by selecting the colors and materials for every component of the athletic shoe.

And if you’re looking for a classic sneaker look in another genre, check out the Adidas Superstar collection, one of the brand’s longest-running best-sellers. You’ll often time find them on sale for $55.

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The sneakers that we considered

But didn’t make the cut.

We tested over 60 different pair of sneakers for this story. You can see all our shoes reviews here. Some are simply not worth your money, so we didn’t recommend them. That’s easy. But a lot of them are great shoes, just not quite good enough to be part of our recommended capsule wardrobe for men.

I still want to give them a chance to shine, though. While I don’t recommend them to everyone, they might just be the perfect sneakers for you!

Here’s the run down:

• Best luxury sneakers: Gucci Ace Sneakers. No list of designer sneakers would be completed without the Gucci Ace Sneakers. They were at the forefront of the luxury sneakers trend and pushed the whole industry to embrace the lifestyle movement. They’re pricey, though, so it’s hard to recommend them to everyone. However, if you have the budget, I think they’re a great pair!
• Best retro sneakers: Axel Arigato Area Lo I absolute love this pair! The brand nailed the retro bulky basketball sneaker look. They’re super comfortable too. Most of Luxe Digital’s readers seem to prefer low-top sneakers, so I haven’t kept them for our shortlist, but they’re my favorite option if you’re into mid-tops. Head over to my hands-on review of the Axel Arigato Area Lo if you’re after something chunkier with a vintage basketball vibe. We also reviewed the Axel Arigato Rush if you want something lighter and more modern.
• Best tech sneakers: On Running Cloud X I’ve owned two pairs of On Running Cloud X over the years and I absolutely love them. They’re lightweight and supportive, breathable and stylish. They would be the perfect sneakers only if they could last a little longer. The ones I got just didn’t last very long as my every day sneakers and quickly showed signs of aging. You can check my hands-on On Running review here.
• Best trekking sneakers: Salomon XT-6 I love the look and feel of the Salomon XT-6. The French shoe manufacturer has seen a massive increase in its sneaker sales since it became a high-fashion status symbol. Even Ralph Lauren and Rihanna started wearing these cool shoes! I think they’re a bit too edgy for this shortlist but definitely worth considering if you want people to notice what you’re wearing.
• Best dad sneakers: New Balance 2002R New Balance have grown on me recently. Their collab with Aimé Leon Dore really kicked things up a notch. I’ve your into the retro dad sneaker style, I think they’re great. The 2002R, in particular, are super comfortable for every day wear.
• Best premium sneakers: Common Project Achilles Common Project was arguably at the origin of the premium sneakers trend, so I had to include them here. I only owned one pair a few years ago, and while they looked great, I think they’re now overpriced. You can get similar design and equivalent built quality from Koio at a much more reasonable price. That being said, if you want to pay homage to the trend’s instigator, go for it!
• Best looking cheap sneakers: Nike Killshot 2 I’m a fan of the Killshot 2’s retro look. This model has been around for a long time, and you can now easily snatch one up for less than $100 online. It’s a great option if you’re on a budget.
• Best high-top sneakers: Nike Air Jordan and Nike Dunk High These two legends had to be mentioned! I’m a fan of every Jordan sneakers (check our list of the most expensive Jordan’s of all time to see how far we can take things 🤪). And the Dunks have a rich history to be proud of, too (surprised? Check our Jordan 1 vs Dunk to see what I’m talking about). That being said, they’re a bit too bulky for the vibe we’re going for with this ranking.

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