Are Amberjack Shoes Worth It? A 100-Wear Review of The Original
Price: $195
Why Buy?
The Amberjack The Original is a very comfortable and durable option that will work in most office environments.
Why Avoid?
The Amberjack The Original isn’t going to be a direct replacement for a high-end dress shoe.
Specs:
| Model | The Original |
| Height | Low |
| Size | 12 Standard |
| Weight | 551 g / 1 lb 3.4 oz |
| Materials | Leather / PU / TPU |
| Construction | Cemented |
| Country of Origin | Portugal |
History
Last year, 100wears took a first look at the Amberjack The Original – the launch shoe for the brand. Since then, Amberjack has exploded in popularity. I see them everywhere and they’ve launched seemingly countless versions of their shoes. Many which have been featured on these pages.
However, even as my own Amberjack collection has grown, none of them have received the number of wears that this pair has. Over 100 in fact.
Why? Well, these shoes are sort of like a big Tight End in football. They are there for you in the tough situations. Going to be on your feet all day walking around CES? Amberjack The Original. Super rainy and you need something that’ll be able to take it? Amberjack The Original. Tweak your knee running this morning and still need to make it into the office? You guessed it – Amberjack The Original.
Now that these shoes are well and truly broken in, let’s dive in and see if all those wears made them better, or worse.
Disclaimer: Amberjack provided these shoes for the purpose of a review, but this is not a sponsored post. 100wears aims to use shoes in the environment they were designed for, and these were used for office work and business travel.
Looks
Upper
The upper of the Amberjack The Original has held up well with age. As expected, the glossy shine that comes on the leather out of the box wears away, leaving a more traditional matte finish. Speaking of the leather, it has lightened up a shade or two. Further, the soft pliable nature means that no creases really set in.
Over the last 18 months, there was one thread that came loose on the collar of the right shoe – though it has not gotten any worse over time.
The derby style upper continues to do a great job offering just enough formality to wear to the office. My only real complaint remains the same as it was during the initial review – I wish they didn’t have the pull tab.
However, for people who agree there is some great news. Amberjack has released a version of this shoe called the Classic with no pull tab and no perforations on the laces.
Mid- and Outsole
The mid and outsole of the Amberjack has held up extremely well. If you didn’t get a chance to read the original review, the cup sole unit that Amberjack uses is really great. Designed to allow for a massive drop-in midsole while also avoiding the sneaker-dress shoe hybrid style, it is an excellent way to find comfort in this class.
Turns out, it’s also extremely durable as well. While I wasn’t running marathons on concrete in these, I didn’t try to baby them either. Even after 100 wears it looks like they have well over half their life left. In fact, there is only a bit of wear on the heel and basically nothing under the ball.
Summary
The Amberjack The Original does exactly what it says it will on the box. It is a shoe that is dressy enough for work while being comfortable enough for play. As a shoe reviewer, I have a closet full of pairs that cost several times what these do that don’t get a quarter of the wear.
If you work in a purely casual environment this might not be the right pair for you. I’d suggest taking a look at their Chelsea boot for that. However, for the guy who works in a more formal environment and is on his feet all day, these are an excellent choice.
Amberjack The Original: Fit and Comfort
Fit
Over time, I found that the Amberjack The Original didn’t really change in fit at all. While you might expect the foam midsole to compress over time, if it did I didn’t see that in the fit.
I still believe that going true to size was the right call, but if you try them and find them slightly snug, don’t expect them to loosen up. I got these in my typical size 12, and they fit great with dress socks. If you prefer thicker socks, you might want to consider going up a half size.
Comfort
Of course, the Amberjack The Original is comfortable, but I’m surprised just how well it has held up over wear. The one major drawback of any shoe that uses foam is that foam breaks down. It’s unavoidable – the same characteristics that make it nice and squishy mean that after millions of compressions it won’t pop back as quickly.
Well, after around 1,000,000 steps in these, the comfort is still there. The Original offers great compression underfoot, without being so soft that they are unsupportive. The rubber on the outsole is extremely pliable which, combined with the soft leather upper, means these are as flexible as you need them to be.
I have no concern wearing these all day.
How Much Does the Amberjack The Original Cost?
Since that initial review, the price of the Amberjack The Original has gone up, but only from $189 to $195. I never like to see a price increase, but to be fair to the brand that is to be expected. With inflation, everything needs to tick up in price just to keep the lights on.
One thing that more than off sets that is that Amberjack has increasingly offered sweeteners at purchase. For example, at time of writing they are offering a buy-3-get-1-free deal. While that isn’t a sale in the traditional sense, it does offer a way to save a few bucks if you’re going all-in on Amberjack.
The price point is definitely higher than some alternatives, but the benefits of this shoe justify the extra cost.
After 100 wears, are the Amberjack The Original worth it?
I can say with certainty that the Amberjack The Original should be on your radar. At least if you prioritize comfort.
Of course, these are not going to replace your Crockett and Jones shoes. If you’re presenting to the board those will remain a better pick. However, on days where you’re trying to get it all done and need to be comfortable doing it, I’m not sure there is a better option out there. Just maybe get the Classic version.