Jason Markk is one of the leaders in the footwear industry with their excellent cleaning and maintenance products. Their trademark bottles with the purple hue are hard to miss and they can be seen throughout the world in countless sneaker stores.
I was recently fortunate enough to go on a trip to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico where I had the opportunity to try some of their products first-hand, specifically the Travel Kit and the Repel. In order to show the true effectiveness of these products, I decided that the only pair of shoes that would be worn throughout the duration of the trip would be a pair of the brand new PUMA Tsugi Shinsei.
The Tsugi Shinsei from PUMA was an obvious choice from my closet to test these products as it featured a variety of materials throughout the silhouette: mesh, knit, leather, and foam. In addition to different types of materials on the shoes, an all-white pair meant that every little stain and scuff would be seen.
The night prior to departure, two coats of the Repel were sprayed on each shoe, dried overnight, and then the 8 oz. bottle was thrown into my checked luggage. The Travel Kit was the perfect addition for my carry-on luggage, as it met TSA requirements for liquids, and the compact ripstop nylon case held its 2 oz. Premium Shoe Cleaner, a mini Premium Brush, a 9” x 9” Microfiber towel and three Quick Wipes.
The shoes and the repel products were immediately put to the test, as my first few days on the island included trips to historic forts, beach boardwalks, a rainforest, and more. The fact that I was in Puerto Rico during the midst of their rainy season ensured that I would see how these products endured a variety of conditions.
After the first few days, I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the shoes were holding up after walking through puddles, mud, and sand. The knit and leather portions of the upper, as well as the foam midsoles, were very clean but the mesh portions on the toebox were a slightly different story. It was evident that the Repel spray was more effective on flatter surfaces, such as the the leather and the knit, than the mesh, which has more crevices that the spray may not have completely covered.
With proper maintenance and the occasional cleaning, your all-white shoes can last much longer than they used to. Thank you to the good folks over at Jason Markk for making sure my shoes stay fresh at all times! If you want to keep your shoes looking clean, be sure to pick up some Jason Markk products available at retailers such as Foot Locker, Capsule, and Livestock.
All images courtesy of Jonathan Kim.
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