10 Best Converse Sneakers in 2021
Converse is one of the many brands that leaped from hardwood to the streets and became a famous household label for all-rounder, beater-worthy sneakers. As thousands of variations continue to spring up from this brand, it’s easy to get drowned in the pool of options.
Don't worry. This is where we come in. Take us as your SNEAKER LIFESAVERS.
We plucked the best from hundreds of Chuck and One Star look-alikes plus many other spinoffs in between to make the scout easier for you. We don’t just highlight the popular ones, but the best-rated selections too. We wear-test more than 100 pairs to highlight the comfiest, highly durable, and most flexible ones.
If you’re a budget-conscious and practical hunter, we've collected all the best deals as we do the math for you.
Overview of this guide
How we pick the best Converse sneakers
We do all the legwork while you enjoy a hassle-free sneaker purchase.
- We buy all the pairs of Converse kicks we test here with our own money to give our honest opinion and a lineup of our top choices.
- We spend practically the entire day subjecting each sneaker through rigorous pounding on different surfaces.
- Our main parameters include quality, comfort, fit, endurance, and function.
Note: Before we physically test the sneakers, we go over thousands of user reviews and make concise summaries. Converse shoes that end up here are based on our system-generated Corescore scale that gives 0-100 ranking per shoe plus the result of our wear test.
Best overall
7 colorways available 7 colorways available Converse Chucks high top has a more famous sibling, the All Star Low. We find the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Low Top more universal and all-rounder than its ankle-high brother. So, what’s its star quality? It matches practically with just about anything!
If you have a vague kind of fashion style and you want a do-it-all sort of sneaker, you’d never go wrong with a pair that remains relevant for a century now. Its canvas style survived the Flower Power, Grunge, Retro, Gen Z trends. And it shows no signs of retiring.
Even the most distressed pair, which we literally subjected to drill and stain tests, look kicky, striking, and funky!
We tested over 100 Converse kicks only to end up with the All Star Low Top as the runaway winner in both style and comfort. It’s close to having a barefoot experience as it won’t weigh your feet down with excessive padding.
Barely are there any arch supports, but the relatively roomy build provides enough room for custom orthotics.
Breathability isn’t an issue, as the fabric allows air to circulate in and out. Moving around with this kick is such a breeze.
Whether you prefer a clean, straightforward, and minimalist sneaker to squeeze into your rotation or looking for a practical canvas sneaker to express your creativity, this low-top Chucks is a big cheese!
10 colorways available 10 colorways available What do we love most about the Converse Chuck 70 Low Top, an almost identical twin brother of the Chuck Taylor All Star Low Top? It got an edgier vibe. For us, those nitty-gritty modifications tied into this vintage-dressed sneaker are the deal clinchers!
After giving the Chuck 70 good pounding on wooden and concrete surfaces, we could solidly say it’s smashing! The intricate fabric weaving on this shoe can take up severe beating!
Did we say that this shoe offers a dynamic fit, something that’s missing in the Old Joe? That's one of the things we immediately noticed about this updated kick. Gone was the plastic heel cap that’s traditionally a must in most older Chucks. We can still feel the support and stability with the ergonomic heel structure.
Even the rubber foxing that’s 5mm higher than the usual height gives us that exceptional added stability.
The best makeover to the Chuck 70 is the most wanted arch support coming from its cushy foam insole. Walking miles with this is a happy adventure!
A denser rubber compound laid at the base helps us cover more miles without wear and tear marks.
Its $80 price tag may be a bit pricier than the traditional low-top Chucks, but the Chuck 70 got that primo element without being a burden to your budget.
Best high-top
24 colorways available 24 colorways available Everybody’s well-loved Chuck Taylor All Star High Top is unbeatable. When it comes to Converse and sneakers with high collars, the time-honored Chuck Taylor is The KING!
From sporty, athleisure, casual to formal wear, the classic Chucks just goes with everything! Even as our feet look like Ronald Mc Doland’s at times, we love how it can accommodate different width types, from narrow to wide footed ones among us.
It’s ready for some grinding and gnashing while still looking great! It suits any style preference as it remains stylish when kept clean and slick or gets distressed with a ripped upper and tattered sole.
Whether we get it dirtied under mud or rain, it stays charming still. In fact, the more raggedy and broken it looks, the more we can’t let it go. It’s the kind of beaters that you’d want to go tossing around over and over until the sole gets all busted. And that doesn't happen quickly.
Our feet stayed snug and dry the whole day we were strapped to this shoe. Its upper let our feet breathe while the perforated suede liner has tiny holes that allow air to flow in and out.
Chucks has been proving its worth over and over. And if there’s one high-top from Converse that will always find a space in our essential wardrobe arsenal, it’s this affordable, ageless gunner.
2 colorways available 2 colorways available The Converse Chucks takes the front line when it comes to street legends that show no signs of retiring. When it comes to heightened comfort, the Converse Chuck 70 High-Top is the hero. It’s simply a game-changer!
Chuck 70 ups the ante compared to the most common-looking Chucks that everybody loves. It’s graced with more cushioning and a more resistant canvas cover while retaining the versatility indelibly attached to the Chuck Taylor Hi.
We enjoyed swinging around the city day in and out for an entire month wearing this. The extra cushy sockliner makes the day-to-day experience more pleasurable. Did we say its insole is damn moisture-wicking? That indeed puts a 100% added comfort every time we wear this shoe for long hours.
We love how it clasps our feet as it has the essential support and stability we’re looking for in a high-top canvas shoe.
There’s no reason to switch sneakers at the end of a full day’s shift or long-day errand as everything feels strangely lighter than it seems.
Durability is unquestionable! It remains loyal in keeping our feet secured and protected for a lengthy time.
If you’re a vintage-loving soul and won't trade comfort for anything else, this shoe is something you should consider adding to your rotation.
Best platform
3 colorways available 3 colorways available With a jagged, chunky rubber sole, the Converse Run Star Hike takes us to greater heights!
There’s more to love about this fashion-forward twist to the Converse Chuck Taylor than its not-to-be-missed aesthetic. Aside from style and statement, it has soul in its sole! And that’s the single thing missed out in most platform kicks from Converse.
We challenged ourselves to see if this is worthy to be called a podiatry shoe. We slipped into it for a minimum of 8 hours a day and the result blew our minds!
It’s beefy and sturdy sole with jagged tread is d-y-n-a-m-i-t-e! It gave us the needed stability to keep us covered during multiple activities. It thwarts unnecessary rolling of the foot. With its supportive build, it didn't leave us with sleepless nights griping about foot pain, inflammation, and joint stress.
It’s heaven for the feet especially among us who are hypermobile, overpronated, have mild osteoarthritis, and minimal ankle instability. That attention-grabbing platform sole kept us surefooted and balanced.
Our toes didn't get cramped as we moved around. There’s enough wiggle room at the front. Our feet are snugly tucked enjoying each ride without any pressure. We weren't bothered by bunion and toenail pain as we stayed elevated throughout the wear test.
It made us strut in style with our favorite casual, sporty, and hiker garbs without being bugged by any form of discomfort.
This stylish hiker is a real winner!
3 colorways available 3 colorways available Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Move kept us in the groove, feeling lifted and light! It makes us stand loud and proud!
This modest-looking shoe is really a rockstar! Given its angular platform base, it makes up one of the most fashion-forward overhauls to the old-school baller that every sneaker lover adores.
Despite looking weighty, this charmer feels ultra-light making those walks and glides enjoyable.
This shoe lets us cover miles and be on our feet for more than 8 hours a day. That height-boosting sole offers tons of cushioning without getting our feet stressed or blistered.
Did we say it’s graced with a moisture-wicking OrthoLite insole too? That little add-on is a BOMB! It helps dampen any pressure or tension even as we went pounding along the streets for one straight month.
It gave us the freedom to express our creativity and fashion sense as it’s so stylish! Its recast look never failed to punctuate strings of outfits we wore for our daily activities. We love playing around with our OOTDs and getting endless Intagramable shots with this.
It made us move and groove; that's why we adore it so.
Best leather
4 colorways available 4 colorways available When it comes to Converse sneakers with premium leather quality, you’ll sing happy notes, too, as we did after trying the Converse Chuck Taylor All Leather Ox on.
Its quintessential style is its ticket to land among the best leather Converse creations, at least to our probing eyes.
Converse gave us good reasons to look refined even with an unadorned pair of coats, plain tees, jeans, knitted jackets, or capri. Thanks to the chichi vibe that goes with every pair of CTAS Leather Ox.
Its soft leather cover didn’t give us a hard time. It has draped our feet with comfort since day one.
It made our feet adjust to the mold instantaneously. There was an instant connection, and we just loved it!
The upper is solidly attached to the vulcanized rubber sole. Even as we were sporting this for practically most of the day for several weeks, there was no single time it got detached from the sole. It isn’t the most hard-wearing, but we can’t deny its durability.
Go for this oxford cut if you want a different take to the canvas Chucks and don’t want the enhanced ankle coverage. We won’t blame you if you decide to cop not one but two or more pairs.
We love the canvas Chucks for its unruffled, easy-going style but we also adore the luxe and swanky form that goes with every pair of Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Core Leather Hi.
Even with a price that’s a fraction higher than the traditional Chucks (influenced by the use of smooth leather), it’s worth adding to anyone’s sneaker selections. Every time we need a more classy and formal pair of shoes on days we want to look more dignified and refined, this shoe is a lifesaver!
The leather cover may be sturdier versus the customary canvas, but it softens over time and adheres to the shape of the foot when strapped up. This is where we felt we got excellent value for our money.
Another factor that got us drawn to this silhouette is its vulcanized sole construction. We didn’t feel any generous padding around the shoe but it kept us cozied inside. It’s phenomenally light and remarkably flexible!
If you’re planning to get an all-leather sneaker from Converse for everyday use, take our word and try to step into the world of the CTAS Core Leather Hi.
Best comfort
When it comes to comfort, the Converse Star Player bags the MVP!
Out of the insanely vast number of Converse sneakers, how did this stellar pair win our hearts? Here's its score sheet.
It provides a homey environment for our feet. Even as we got our feet planted in this shoe for more than 8 hours a day, it didn’t cause us to develop ankle, Achilles, and arch pain.
It’s simply amusing, admirable, A-1 with the right amount of padded detailing and comfort it granted our feet.
The adequately foamed interior compared to the nearly barefooted original makes every trip satisfying. Plus, it helps in providing an enhanced lockdown feel with its fully customizable lace-up system.
We didn’t feel any heel slippage making it more enjoyable to bring this Star Player everywhere. Even the waffle patterned rubber tread delivers traction. We didn’t have those unwanted slips.
It’s the kind of Chuck that’s friendly and forgiving, traits that sum up a real Star Player.
Also greatTo our discriminating taste buds, the Converse El Distrito is a real tough cookie!
Everyone’s most loved Chuck gets even more hard-wearing as it’s swaddled with a durable canvas. We took it on a month-long urban expedition, and it wowed us. This cookie doesn’t crumble!
Its padded tongue and lining make each foot adventure comfier than we expected. It even has a cushioned insole that filters in all the load and stress. These elements help reduce any pressure that may come into contact with our feet.
Given the added technologies infused into this former hardwood star sneaker, it incredibly feels light. It makes us fly whichever direction our feet take us.
Not only does it aces in comfort, durability, style, and versatility, but in value too. It’s just one of the budget-friendly Converse low-tops you won’t regret adding to your go-to sneaker lineup.
You’d hardly allow it just to accrue dust in your sneakerpile as its universal style works satisfyingly well with heaps of casual, sporty, and street-ready outfits.
The colorways for this silhouette are vast, so you can play around with your Instagram shots while wearing different shades of the El Distrito.
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