I Wore Converse's New, Luxury Jack Purcell for a Month

Earlier this year, Converse introduced a new tier to its Chuck Taylor lineup dubbed First String. I reviewed the initial launch (along with three other versions of the Chuck), and the TL;DR is that they feel incredible. But a new addition to the First String series has been quietly bubbling in the background.If you’ve been keeping an eagle eye on the Converse catalog, you may have noticed an icon has slowly taken a backseat: the Jack Purcell. First introduced in 1933 as a premier badminton shoe for then-reigning champ Jack Purcell, it became a go-to sneaker for birdy-lobbing racquet athletes as well as style appreciators like Kurt Cobain (also, me in college with my A.P.C. jeans). But in recent months, the Jack Purcell slowly and deliberately disappeared from store shelves. Turns out this was all in anticipation of a concerted glow-up, and now we officially have the First String Jack Purcell. Naturally, I was inclined to test it out for myself.MaterialsThe uppers are made from a soft, glove-like leather with a natural grain texture that gives them a character more in line with the original canvas uppers. The lining is also completely lined in the same leather as well, which feels primo on foot. If you like to rock your sneakers without socks, you’ll love how this feels. Underneath, the classic Jack Purcell sole is replaced and upgraded with a Vibram sole that still mimics the grooves and siping of the original.ConstructionGreat materials don’t mean much if they aren’t constructed properly, which Converse knows. The rubber sidewalls are noticeably thicker than other sneakers, which should make them more durable against scrapes, scuffs, and relentless grip tape scratches. Not only that, but the rubber sidewalls reach higher up the shoe for even more coverage and protection. That said, the shoes still use a classic vulcanized sole construction that may or may not last as long as most other vulcanized sneakers (Chuck Taylors, for example). For fans of stitched cup soles, you might be disappointed.The removable insole is a nice touch in case you want to swap it for your own, but I find it plenty comfortable. It’s wrapped in leather from the heel through the arch, and then a cotton twill from the arch to the toes—a nice touch that makes the wear experience feel that much more premium. The insole is equipped with Nike’s Air unit at the heel. I can’t say that I really notice much of a difference in every stride, but maybe you will.Aside from that, there’s a handful of smaller details that get the First String treatment as well. The eyelets are flatter and more flush with the uppers, the aglets are made of metal instead of plastic, and the tongue now includes a lace-keeper that holds the laces in place and keeps the tongue from going askew. A small detail and a small change, but a welcome one.FitI was pleasantly surprised to see that the shoes aren’t just visually bulkier because of the thick rubber sidewalls, but they actually have a wider toe box. Compared to previous versions I’ve owned, I could immediately feel the difference, which my toes appreciated. That’ll certainly have an impact on sizing, which, for me, meant that I went down one whole size from my usual sneaker size. For reference, I wear a men’s US9 in most sneakers, but a US8 in the Converse Chuck 70, and went with the same size as those.StyleSimilar to the First String Chuck Taylor, the suped-up version of the prodigal badminton sneaker is substantially beefier than past iterations. The thick rubber sidewalls give the toebox a broader overall silhouette from every angle, though, thankfully, it’s not as pronounced as the FS Chucks.Looking at the First String Jack Purcell feels like bumping into an old friend who apparently became a gym rat in the year or two since you last saw him. He’s bulkier but also more defined, his skin looks better, and he seems to be more capable. But like your friend’s new found gains, these newfangled Jack Purcells probably should stay away from slimmer jeans. As the fashion cycle churns through late-stage baggy pants, stick-skinny silhouettes will make their way back onto moodboards and store shelves. I still think we have plenty of time before that trend trickles into a full-on wave, but it nevertheless might impact how you feel about these Jack Purcells.ConclusionFor fans of the OG Jack Purcell, if this isn’t the return you were expecting, nor the return you necessarily wanted. Rest assured that Converse has something closer to what you remember coming down the pipeline. For the Purcell non-purists open to change, the First Strings are better in pretty much every way, from the materials to the construction to the actual fit. As for the design itself, that’s subjective. The only thing that definitely isn’t better is the price tag, but for a product competing in the luxury sneaker space, these are a bargain.