All-Star vs. Jack Purcell debate

I see it more like a smiley face! I like my purcells more than my regular all-stars

chucks, the toe on purcells is ugly to me. Quality-wise, they're both crap

I have both and the purcells are more comfy. But, the all-stars at 2/3 the price are a great buy.

I have to stick with Chucks.... I also can't get over the double layer rubber toe cap.

Look-wise, I like the "toe tumor," I guess it gives it a different look from the classic All-Star that everyone seems to have. I also like that sumewhat subtle difference in them. What I don't like though, is the price but that can be easily resolved since I can buy them at footlocker for 30% off during their Friends & Family Discount.

Comfort-wise, I believe the Jack Purcell's are more comfortable. JP's insoles are a bit thinker than the ones found in the original All-Stars. I'll try and make a comparison to confirm when I get home later.

So overall, my vote goes to Jack Purcell.

The Purcell toebox design has its own name... it's the Distinctive Smileâ„¢, not "toe tumor" goddamnit.

Chucks and Purcells, while both classic canvas sneakers, give off different vibes.
Chucks = (East Coast) streetwear staple, ying to Vans Authentic (West Coast street)'s yang, so to speak.
Purcells = (West Coast) preppy

I personally love the toe tumor.

JP's are pretty much played out at this point, but if you step away from the internetz, there has to be at least 100 pairs of Chuck Taylors being worn on the street for every pair of JP's... at least.

I used to wear Chucks exclusively for most of my youth until I discovered JP's... was just more into the look and is surprisingly waaay easier on my feet when I have to walk a lot. My pile of beat-to-shit JP's is finally bigger than my pile of Chucks I've been saving.

I just got my first pair of leather JP's about a month ago and am digging them. They may very well be more comfortable than the canvas ones. Unfortunately, I don't think they breathe as well, the tongues never stay straight, and had to size down half a size from my canvas size (seems a tad longer and wider than their canvas counterpart).

Aesthetically, I really don't see much difference between the two shoes. I simply have multiple pairs of Purcells because Chucks do not fit me. It's like sticking my feet into two empty boxes of Kleenex.

I've been tempted recently to try PF's as I hear they're sized like Purcells and are just as comfortable (the other HUGE sell point about Purcells).

Vans are undoubtedly West Coast, but are you forgetting about "In L.A. we wearin Chucks not Ballies"? If I have to choose sides for the two shoes, the Purcells seem way more East Coast to me than the Chucks, mostly because of the preppy vibe you mentioned. I thought I knew what preppy was until I moved to the East Coast. Then I really saw preppy. And non-ironically, too. Anyway, both of them (Chucks in particular) are pretty much just universal, I don't think you can really regionalize them.

Personally, I like both Chucks and Purcells. I like Chucks as a monochrome (or nearly monochrome) shoe, and if I want an interesting colorway, I tend to like the Purcells better.

I like purcells because everyone here wears chucks while purcells are almost impossible to get.

This is kind of interesting... because if I had to give a major plus to Chucks, it's because they come in a gazillion and a half colorways whereas JP's are typically black, white, and navy (with a handful of new colors every season and the Varvatos').

I find the toe cap on purcell's very uncomfortable. I can easily wear an 8.5 in chucks (though I buy size 9) but sometimes I have to buy a size 10 in JPs to make room in the toe area. Usually I just buy a 9 or 9 1/2 and switch out the insole. With chucks, I love the black leather/parchment highs and lows. With purcells, I love the all white ones.

Yeah, if I remember correctly, 10 years ago or so Purcells were rarer. I definitely got comments when I rocked a pair then. Now, not so much. They are much more ubiquitous now, I guess b/c of J Crew sells them distressed + Varvatos did a pair, etc.

As for the leather, yes!! I have white leather Purcells that I love. Another great thing about leather is that it doesn't get dirty as fast so they stay white longer

Which is why I wish the Purcells came in more colorways. But every season there's a number of "premium" Purcells released, and there are usually a few that are interesting. What I meant to say, that maybe got lost, is that when there ARE interesting colorways available, I would usually prefer Purcells to Chucks, because I think having something breaking up the stark white of the toe cap is a nicer detail--with Chucks, a lot of the time I feel like a good colorway is made significantly less compelling because something like 50% of the visible shoe when you're actually wearing it is just undifferentiated white rubber.