By roger___af • April 4, 2024"I wanted to prove that black leather could make a mark in this competition. I think black teacore is some of the most beautiful aged leather, but only a few pairs have placed in past thunderdomes - so I wanted to help raise its profile. I will admit that these were a beast the first month or two. Flame Pandas are thick tough vegetable tanned leather. I had to wear them for only a few hours at a time to start - and then tried to increase that time as quickly as possible. I remember describing the midsoles to a friend as though I was walking on 2x4s. I think the subway steps helped the midsole flex, but it was rough for awhile. However, after about 2 months they really started to conform to my feet. Now you can feel my foot imprint and they're wonderful to put on; I just love lacing them up in the morning. In terms of care, I let them dry out when they get wet and brush them with a horsehair brush when they get dirty. I conditioned them at the end of the competition with saphir creme. I'll probably continue to do that every 6 months to a year. The teacore started to show through a few months into the competition at the flex points and along the inside where my shoes run against each other. There's toe spring and toe collapse, which helped the teacore show through a bit more. If someone kneels a lot I suspect those would be more prominent...."Read the full review
