Review: Oliver Cabell – Low 1 White
A new version of this sneaker has been released, check out the updated review here.
We take a look at these luxury sneakers, minus the markup. But do they actually meet the benchmark?
The Specs
| Brand | Oliver Cabell |
| Model | Low 1 |
| Colour | White |
| Retail Price | $178 USD (approx $250 AUD) |
| Size Reviewed | US10 |
| Fit | True to size |
| Upper Material | 3oz full grain calfskin leather from Veneto, Italy |
| Sole Material | Italian 70 Shore (rubber sole) |
| Lining | Spanish cowhide leather |
| Laces | Italian waxed cotton |
| Stitching | Hand stitched and lasted in Albacete, Spain |
The Look
No doubt about it, this shoe looks the part. It looks like a luxury sneaker should– simple, minimal and classic. Yes, there are similarities to the benchmark in the category, the Achilles Low by Common Projects. But it’s different enough to pull off that minimalist white leather sneaker look with ease.
A quick first look from a distance, all boxes get checked: quality calfskin leather upper, hand stitched, leather lining and a familiar rubber sole. No, it’s not a Margom sole but from a distance no one is going to care.
But good-from-a-distance shouldn’t be the benchmark in the luxury sneaker market. As we look closer there are imperfections in the leather, wrinkles and creases appear at certain curves, but this can be forgiven. Why? Leather is natural and the shoes are handmade, these qualities are endearing to some, and will naturally appear as you wear the shoe.
We look even closer and the imperfections become even more apparent:
- Small particles of dust and dirt are all over the shoe, this isn’t a deal breaker as you can easily wipe these particles off.
- Inconsistencies in stitching appear throughout various places in the shoe.
- Pitting on the white leather finish. We’re not sure if pitting is the correct term here, but this is all over the leather upper, most noticeable on the heal above the Oliver Cabell logo.
- Small rips and tears in leather, on the inside heal.
The pitting and rips are something we didn’t expect to see in this shoe.
The Feel
The shoe fits true to (sneaker) size, the leather upper isn’t super soft and supple, it’s firm but still feels like a quality calfskin leather. While leather lined sole is soft and comforting.
Once on foot, it feels like any other luxury sneaker, tight and supportive with a slight break-in required. Some people complain about squeaking coming from the shoe when wearing it, but we didn’t experience that.
The waxed laces, also felt great and didn’t feel like they would come undone easily. You also get a spare set which is a nice touch.
Is it Affordable?
Yes, it’s affordable for what Oliver Cabell are trying to accomplish. But the real questions are:
- Is it worth it? No, it’s still an expensive sneaker when it comes down to it. If the imperfections weren’t there, the answer would be different.
- Does minus the markup also mean a minus in quality? In this case, the materials are quality, but the execution doesn’t match it. It’s more likely a minus in quality control.
Note: We made Oliver Cabell aware of the imperfections we found, and they agreed to exchange for a replacement pair which would be imperfection free. However, once the sneakers were restocked a replacement was refused and a refund given instead.
We would have loved to receive a replacement pair to give a comprehensive review on the wear and tear of this shoe, but weren’t given the opportunity.
