I was replacing a pair of Zara canvas sneakers and landed on the Chuck Taylor All Star Equip WP Counter Climate during the search. I was already looking at Chuck Taylors so the look wasn’t the question. The question was the waterproof leather claim, which sounded like exactly the kind of marketing language that never quite matches the product. I liked how they looked though, and Converse India had a 10% discount running, so I bought them anyway and decided to find out.

That was close to two years ago. I’ve worn them regularly since, and until last month when I picked up the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66, these were the only pair of shoes I’d bought in all that time. I think that says more about them than anything else I could write.

The colourway is black upper, white sole. Classic combination, impossible to get wrong. The leather is full-grain and waterproof, and unlike most waterproof claims, this one actually holds. I’ve been caught in Pune’s monsoon rains more than once wearing these. You wipe them down and they’re fine. I haven’t submerged my foot in a pothole to scientifically test the limits, but for everything short of that, they handle it without complaint.

What makes them genuinely useful rather than just good-looking is how little you have to think about them. Dark denim and a black tee for a casual evening out. The same pair for a quick ride to the café on the motorcycle. The same pair when the weather suddenly turns. They work equally well with casual and semi-formal, and the classic Chuck Taylor shape earns that. It’s a design old enough to have stopped caring what the occasion is. The moment that proved this was a formal dinner, the kind where you’re expected to look put together. I put these on with dark blue denim and a black button-down shirt and walked in. Nobody looked twice.

Chuck Taylors have never been known for comfort. The OrthoLite cushioning in these changes that, and the EVA foam keeps them light enough that the waterproofing doesn’t turn them into something you resent putting on. The speed laces are there if you need them, useful for mornings when you’re already running late.

There are two things worth knowing before you buy. First, they run slightly heavier than canvas Chucks, not uncomfortable, just something you notice. Second, and this is the more persistent irritation, the top eyelets are a fraction too tight. Pull the laces hard enough, regularly enough, and they start to wear through where the lace meets the metal. It’s a small flaw in an otherwise well-built shoe, but it’s worth being aware of.

My brother is a sneaker head and he approved, which is not something that happens easily. I’ve since recommended these to a couple of friends who were looking for a good everyday sneaker.

I’d buy these again without hesitation. Two years of regular use, one formal dinner, countless rides and rainy evenings, and they still look like shoes someone actually takes care of. Best purchase I’ve made in recent memory, and yes, that includes the Triumph 765. Make of that what you will.