Cole Haan Air Grant Bit SKU: #7662235

James

from chicago

Like all Air Grants, which are wonderful shoes, this is no exception. Everyone is correct about needing to size up 1/2. And when you first put it on it feels a little tight, but then after a few wearings it conforms to your foot. The leather is very nice, the bit detailing is quite stylish, and the Nike air unit and little nubbed sole is extremely comfortable. In my opinion, the Air Grant in all its variations (bit, penny, laced) is worthy of competing with even the most high end label drivers and should be an essential to any man's collection. And is also a great alternative to those tired of wearing boat shoes.

W

from Washington, DC

The Air Grant Bit is a great shoe for the price, but overall lacks the quality and features that I desire. The Air Grant Bit is an excellent shoe with a high quality, textured leather exterior. The leather is supple to the touch and over time begins to conform to your foot. This is good and bad. The upper portion tends to stay flat, but the front edging begins to shrink inward and deform. Right now my pair have already generated large wrinkles around the front of the shoe due to these differences. Its overall construction is sound and looks like it will last a long time. This is critical to me because of a bad past experience I have had with the stitching on a pair of Cole Haan Drivers. That pair was out of commission after only two weeks when the stitching broke. The shoes provide a superb feel while wearing socks. However, I prefer to wear these shoes barefoot. Without socks, I found that they were slightly abrasive to the back of my heels at first. After about a week of wear, this problem eliminated itself due to the upper heel of the shoe softening. I owned a pair of Cole-Haan driving shoes from 2010 prior to this. The switch from pad type soles on that driving shoe to the cleated type sole on the Air Grant Bit was a bit of a turnoff from a style and functional perspective. I find the cleat type sole to be less visually appealing and less stable to walk on. I am uncertain how those little cleat nubs will wear and deteriorate over time because even now they feel a bit wobbly. Looking back at the purchase, I would have gone with another pair if I had prior experience with the cleat type sole. The buckle on the shoe adds a nice touch of pizazz and makes any outfit pop. However, on my pair, when I look down the buckles appear to be of slightly different finishes - one more polished, the other a more subdued brushed look. Once again this is a great shoe for the price despite my criticisms which stem from very high standards.

Brands I'd also recommend: Allen Edmonds