Customer Reviews Onitsuka Tiger Ultimate 81®

This is my second pair. I originally bought a pair in white with black stripes. I love them. They are so lightweight, and running in them now feels so natural. I used to wear Asics, but this style of shoe just feels more comfortable. I think it might depend on your running style.

I wear the black on black tigers as my compromise between comfort and decent-looking walking shoes. I've just bought my second pair, since the last pair was completely kaput after about 4 years (holes in the soles, the sides, the toes, and no support left at all) -- I should probably replace them sooner next time. This new pair feels a lot tighter than the last pair, probably just because I haven't beaten them into submission yet. I do remember the previous pair rubbing all the hair off the top of my big toes when they were new -- this pair is rubbing a little more higher up and also right on the nail of my big toe. Ultimately the shoe is quite narrow. Since my feet are a little on the narrow side of normal, this'll be ok for me once I've broken them in, but these are probably not a good fit for someone with a wide foot. I prefer a little more arch support, but for a lightweight sneaker without that ugly built up footbed, these do ok. I bought a second pair because I couldn't find another shoe with the right combination of breathable upper, some support, and respectable appearance (I explicitly didn't want something that looked like a neon athletic shoe.) The break-in period makes them not completely ideal, but they work for what I need. They fit true to size for men's 10.5/women's 12.

LOVE these shoes, they are my go-tos for casual everyday sneakers that look cute but in a pinch I can wear to work out in. Good support for as lightweight as they are. I have big feet and these make my feet look smaller. They're great!

I loved this shoe right out of the box. It. Is extremely comfortable and fits accurately to size. I purchased the shoe with the mesh which seems to make a difference per prior reviews. The only drawback I can see is that the sole is relatively thin which may result in wearing out early. Time will tell.

I rarely wear anything but the Tiger Ultimate 81. They are comfortable to walk in all day, have a smaller profile than a traditional sneaker, and come in great colors. But be warned, some of the shoes are made of different materials. I ordered the Ultimate 81s in both grey and red; the red pair are wider (and way more comfortable) right out of the box compared to the grey pair. The mesh on the top is different, which may have something to do with it. I have relatively small (size 6), wide feet, with very high arches, so wide for me is better, but the grey pair are breaking in nicely. These shoes match up to my generally hard-to-fit feet. I am an avid runner, and Asics has always been my shoe of choice. With the hip and knee injuries I have obtained from said running delights, these shoes are what saves me on my long walks / running around at work. They offer great support and great cushion without all the bulk. Low profile is key. I travel a lot and nothing screams out "I am a North American tourist" like big sneakers. So, although I am sure he is comfortable, having a shoe- pant combo like Jerry Seinfeld is not really appealing to me. Overall, a well made, comfortable and great looking shoe. And Zappos is the only place I can have all the color options I like!

These claim to be Vegan friendly. They provide the best arch support that I have found in vegan friendly shoes. The tread is excellent in the rain on my slippery steps. I just wish these were not sneakers.

I have been a fan of these shoes for many years. They are stylish and comfortable. I walk a lot in the city and I need to be comfortable, but hate to sacrifice style. These are perfect for that. The Ultimate 81 pair that I bought are plastic all over, so they keep my feet a little too warm in the summer. The mesh ones are better in that sense. I usually wear between an 8 and 8½. I have long toes and medium width feet. The 8½ fit perfectly.

These are one of the lightest, flexible, supportive, and comfortable pair of shoes I have purchased in year. They have a durable feel that doesn't have the bulk that durability normally brings.

Great every day shoes! I purchased these in the charcoal/black, and I love them for every day. I'm normally between a 7.5 and 8, and the 7.5 is perfect. I work in a casual office, and I often need to run around town throughout my work day. These are great for casual purposes, and I've been wearing them with jeans and crops/capris. I don't think that they're supportive enough for working out, but I love them as a casual sneaker.

These shoes are pretty boss. My wife says they are her favorite pair in my closet. Overall these shoes look great and are reasonably comfortable. I find them to be pretty flat, but I also have high arches, so your experience may vary. I ordered 11.5 and thought they felt big, so I ordered an 11 and those were definitely too small so even though the 11.5 felt a little big it was the best choice (I wear an 11.5 normally). In any event, you are buying these shoes for the look first and they are winner on that front, I highly recommend them.

These shoes are super comfortable. They even have extra heal support built in. Plus they come with 2 different color laces so you can switch between white and navy - they look different with the white and navy.

I had loved these Onitsuka Tigers going back 7 or so years when I saw them in the mall. In all that time I wasted hundreds of dollars on Nikes, Adidas, and other major name sport shoes for casual wear with my jeans, etc...and put buying these Onitsuka's on the back burner. I will likely not be wearing any other of my sport shoes (except what I wear for actual running) now that I have these Tigers. They are amazing! The look is of course late 70s/80s retro (hence the name? 'ultimate 81'?). They beat out even the Nikes and Adidas back in the day! It's like going back in time. I realize these are not made for athletic or training use, and I use other more current shoes for that, but as a super cool 'hot tub time machine' to the past, these simply cannot be surpassed. I love them. As for other aspects, yes, they fit totally true to your Nike sizing (even though Nikes themselves often vary among the brand)...I like that if you go on the Onitsuka website they breakdown sizes into actual inner inch count. I found their men's 12 is 11.8 inches, so I knew that worked for me. They are very comfortable, and while designed for a superb and accurate retro look, they do appear you could walk out into Olympic stadium and compete in the mile...especially if the year was 1982. While I got the very conservative black with grey logo stripes for use with my jeans (and I live in L.A...that's the look here), the color combos are so multi-various as to be mind boggling. I cannot imagine a better casual athletic shoe. I am so happy to have these, they are really the very best!

There really is nothing wrong with these shoes. They feel and look great, I would just not call them medium width. The arch is about 2" wide and my feet hang off the side I really would have loved these shoes but sadly they will not do. If you have feet that are about 3-3½" wide above your heel these will not work for you!

Great shoe once it's worn in a little. I haven't had it very long but it's seems tough and comfortable for standing 10 hours a day. Would buy again.

These shoes are stellar and I get a ton of compliments when I where these shoes. I didn't realize it when I ordered them but they also come with orange laces which makes them even more snazzy.

Great shoe! Very comfortable and they look great. The lighter color on the shoe is actually a light blue, not gray as I'd thought...but they are still nice. Makes my size 8.5 feet look small too!

These shoes are an excellent fit. I am sometimes a women's 7 and sometimes a 7.5, so I went with 7.5 as others have suggested to size up. The sizing was perfect. I walked about five miles in them and my feet didn't hurt. The only downside was that I did end up with a blister on one of my heels. I'm not taking a star off for that, because I haven't met a new pair of shoes that didn't give me a blister. It's par for the course for my messed up feet! I'm also giving 5 stars to the style. They're sleek and classic. My other shoes make my feet look like puffy space aliens. I know the puffy parts are likely more supportive and such, but I love these so much more. I'm glad I ordered these, and would order them again!

Best pair of shoes I've ever wore! Was so tired of buying a new brand of shoe and having to try different sizes to find the right fit, in the right color, blah blah...and at size 13 not many "in store" options were available and would eventually settle with a poor quality Nike, Reebok, etc. And then I found the Tigers. The size is always true, so no more trying on shoes for the right fit. Quality of the shoe is excellent...I buy a new pair every year or so and all the pairs I've bought are still wearable. There's a plethora of color combos too.

If you don't buy these shoes, you need a mental evaluation. They have it all, style, comfort, history, and even a touch of sexiness. On my second pair, worth every penny.

Just purchased these for a two week trip to Italy where I'll be doing a ton of walking. I went a half size smaller than I normally wear in Nike sneakers, and they seem to fit very well. They are a little snug, but as other reviews have pointed out, they shape to your feet with wear. I have very high arches and the support is great...I can actually feel it touching my arch for once. I'll definitely be buying more colors soon!

I was looking for a casual yet sporty shoe to wear; I already own the Saucony Jazz and Bullet and was looking for something new. I really love this shoe -- it is probably about a half size larger than I need but it's still very comfortable and my foot doesn't slide around or give any indication that it's too large (I have to cinch the laces pretty tight, that's how I know). I'd stay true to size in ordering -- for what it's worth, I am a women's size 10.5-11 and ordered this in a men's 9.5; I should have stayed with a men's 9.

I love these shoes more than any others that I own. They look great and feel great. I wear a 12 and they are true to size. I don't wear wides. Buy these, you'll love them.

This shoe is great! The tread, fitting, durability, and comfort are all 5 stars! I use these for martial arts training outdoors. This includes any parkour-style activities. Looking for a great activewear shoe? It fits the ticket for martial arts! And stylish, too!

Happy with this purchase. Shoes are stylish and for comfortably. I needed one half size larger than my normal shoe size.

Second time buying these shoes! They are the best pair of shoes I have ever worn. They fit great, look great, comfortable, and last a long time. Will buy again.