Englandmj7
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2006
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I just posted this up on the "other" SF and figured there may be some people here interested as well.
I just got in a pair of Cipher's "El Commandante Stealths" from Cipher's "˜Urban Guerrilla' line and am very excited about them. I wanted to post a review seeing as there are a lot of people on here interested in up-and-coming brands that separate themselves through innovative differentiation and use of high quality materials.
As some of you probably know, Colin (username: Cipherman), who runs Cipher has been kind enough to post his designs up on Superfuture and has been extremely respectful and cool about receiving critiques/advice/compliments from members of the board. Unlike most other brands (*cough* t-shirt companies *cough*) who are recycling graphic prints, putting out boring non-cut & sew pieces, and the like, he has gotten a full-blown shoe line off the ground on his own. I believe he is based out of HK and has literally been on the floor overseeing the manufacturing of all of Cipher's products.
This particular model I got are made of a nice, thick-as-hell ballistic nylon. This material was originally developed as a material for flak jackets in WW2 and is used today in a lot of tactical combat gear (as well as luggage, jackets, etc.). It was also recently used on a popular model from the Vans Syndicate line. The Stealths feature a combination of butter soft leather / what seems to be nubuck leather inner and outer heel/ankle lining, and inner tongue lining. The rivets are tough as hell, as are the laces. I would imagine you could probably even use these as a skate shoe as they are very durable as well as comfortable and have a thick insole.
A lot of facets of the shoe were entirely handmade and it shows (in a good way). The camo pattern on the insole is screen printed by hand, the labels sewn by hand, and the toe seams hand stitched, for instance. The sole is stitched tightly through to the upper with heavy stitching, unlike many Nikes, etc. which are simply cemented and stitch detailing added to give the impression that they are stitched. This construction method makes them very sturdy; you can tell the sole isn't ever going anywhere on these.
This particular run was only 25 pairs, and they are hand numbered. One of the things I love about these are the little details that come out upon close examination, by-products of the handmade workmanship if you will. For instance, I noticed the bottom of each insole was hand-signed by Colin.
I think that fair comparisons can be drawn between this particular model and certain Visvim shoes in terms of quality / aesthetic. The difference with Cipher, however, is that you are getting a shoe of this caliber for a fraction of the price. If I recall correctly, the Stealths retailed for around $120. I also like that these are almost "˜boot-like' and remind me of Red Wings somewhat (with the toe stitching) as well. Definitely a versatile enough design to wear with most outfits. As a Visvim collector myself, I often use them as the pinnacle of high quality sneakers, and these are certainly on par.
Considering the small production volume, the excellent materials used, and the handiwork involved, I have no clue how these are being offered at this price. What I can deduce from that, however, is that Cipher is a brand that seems to care more about getting a quality product out than making a quick buck. It is also refreshing to see a new, young sneaker brand that isn't in the vein of overly colorful kicks a la Greedy Genius, JB Classics, Bape, and the like (if you are into that, so be it). I look forward to more updates from Cipher and definitely encourage other SF'ers to consider getting a pair, or at the very least, checking a pair out at their local shoe vendor when Cipher's brick & mortar presence grows.
The folks at Cipher were extremely helpful in answering all my questions, so I encourage you to contact them and check out some of their newer models here:
http://www.cipherism.com
Who knows; if they get enough business through us maybe we can have a hand in designing a "˜forum special' model? An affordable version of some FBT Shakers maybe?
Here are some pics (excuse the poor lighting, these are pitch black, not chocolate brown):
Let me know if you have any questions.........
I just got in a pair of Cipher's "El Commandante Stealths" from Cipher's "˜Urban Guerrilla' line and am very excited about them. I wanted to post a review seeing as there are a lot of people on here interested in up-and-coming brands that separate themselves through innovative differentiation and use of high quality materials.
As some of you probably know, Colin (username: Cipherman), who runs Cipher has been kind enough to post his designs up on Superfuture and has been extremely respectful and cool about receiving critiques/advice/compliments from members of the board. Unlike most other brands (*cough* t-shirt companies *cough*) who are recycling graphic prints, putting out boring non-cut & sew pieces, and the like, he has gotten a full-blown shoe line off the ground on his own. I believe he is based out of HK and has literally been on the floor overseeing the manufacturing of all of Cipher's products.
This particular model I got are made of a nice, thick-as-hell ballistic nylon. This material was originally developed as a material for flak jackets in WW2 and is used today in a lot of tactical combat gear (as well as luggage, jackets, etc.). It was also recently used on a popular model from the Vans Syndicate line. The Stealths feature a combination of butter soft leather / what seems to be nubuck leather inner and outer heel/ankle lining, and inner tongue lining. The rivets are tough as hell, as are the laces. I would imagine you could probably even use these as a skate shoe as they are very durable as well as comfortable and have a thick insole.
A lot of facets of the shoe were entirely handmade and it shows (in a good way). The camo pattern on the insole is screen printed by hand, the labels sewn by hand, and the toe seams hand stitched, for instance. The sole is stitched tightly through to the upper with heavy stitching, unlike many Nikes, etc. which are simply cemented and stitch detailing added to give the impression that they are stitched. This construction method makes them very sturdy; you can tell the sole isn't ever going anywhere on these.
This particular run was only 25 pairs, and they are hand numbered. One of the things I love about these are the little details that come out upon close examination, by-products of the handmade workmanship if you will. For instance, I noticed the bottom of each insole was hand-signed by Colin.
I think that fair comparisons can be drawn between this particular model and certain Visvim shoes in terms of quality / aesthetic. The difference with Cipher, however, is that you are getting a shoe of this caliber for a fraction of the price. If I recall correctly, the Stealths retailed for around $120. I also like that these are almost "˜boot-like' and remind me of Red Wings somewhat (with the toe stitching) as well. Definitely a versatile enough design to wear with most outfits. As a Visvim collector myself, I often use them as the pinnacle of high quality sneakers, and these are certainly on par.
Considering the small production volume, the excellent materials used, and the handiwork involved, I have no clue how these are being offered at this price. What I can deduce from that, however, is that Cipher is a brand that seems to care more about getting a quality product out than making a quick buck. It is also refreshing to see a new, young sneaker brand that isn't in the vein of overly colorful kicks a la Greedy Genius, JB Classics, Bape, and the like (if you are into that, so be it). I look forward to more updates from Cipher and definitely encourage other SF'ers to consider getting a pair, or at the very least, checking a pair out at their local shoe vendor when Cipher's brick & mortar presence grows.
The folks at Cipher were extremely helpful in answering all my questions, so I encourage you to contact them and check out some of their newer models here:
http://www.cipherism.com
Who knows; if they get enough business through us maybe we can have a hand in designing a "˜forum special' model? An affordable version of some FBT Shakers maybe?
Here are some pics (excuse the poor lighting, these are pitch black, not chocolate brown):
Let me know if you have any questions.........
