Review: Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66
The original Mexico 66 that debuted in the 1968 Olympics (credit: Sneaker Freakers)
Debuting in the year 1966, the small Japanese company, Onitsuka Tiger, created the Mexico 66 which has maintained its presence in today’s footwear scene and for good reason. The sleek design along with the iconic tiger stripes provides a beauty that few other shoes can achieve. Beneath all the form however, was function. The soft genuine leather, more-than-sufficient arch support, and a unique patterned outsole that provided beautiful comfort all made this THE shoe to wear. Legends across the world utilized the Mexico 66 for its style, design, and functionality: Bruce Lee wore the yellow/black variant in his final film, Game of Death; the Japanese olympic team made it the official sneaker when debuting in the 1968 Olympics. All this goes to show why this shoe has garnered so much widespread attention.
I decided to purchase the Mexico 66 for two reasons. One, the founder of Nike, Phil Knight, wrote an autobiography where he mentioned his time working for the company Onitsuka Tiger; I happened to pick up the book thanks to my overbearing english teacher. Two, my friend (and cofounder) Kai recommended me to take a look after the insole of my Reebok Club C 85 happened to fall off. I made the purchase and since then, I’ve never looked back.
One reason I love this shoe is because of the uniqueness. An issue that people have with shoes is that many of the trending styles are heavily oversaturated (just like my Reebok Club C 85). They want to gain a sense of identity through footwear and finding a brand/style that they can come to call their own is difficult. I also had this issue: what shoe could I call my own? While I personally love the impacts that famous designs such as Dunks or Club C’s have left, I can’t find myself wearing them because everyone seems to own a pair. What shoe was unique, unseen, and yet provided style, function, AND a sense of identity? I was certainly hard-pressed to find one.
Enter, the Mexico 66.
I personally believe the Adidas Samba is a beautiful shoe; it was so stylish and functional that skaters and soccer players alike utilized the shoe. I think this is one of many reasons why I find myself allured to the Mexico 66. The design is very similar but with few differences, the most obvious one being the branding (tiger stripes to replace the iconic three stripe). It has a luscious suede in various areas of the shoe that adds a tick of luxury to the shoe. The shell is mainly composed of a premium cactus leather that is soft and molds to your feet after breaking the shoes in. The aforementioned tiger stripes aren’t all that special seeing as how the well-known father brand, Asics, utilizes the same logo; however, the 66 isn’t like any shoe you will see on the Asics website and for that reason, the logo simply looks and feels much more unique to that shoe. But when we look at the company, eight times out of ten, people will have never heard of Onitsuka Tiger due to its nicheness, and for that reason, the Mexico 66 is so unique.
The visible suede yoke on the front of the shoe, not to be confused with the rubber blue part
More suede on the back (slightly dyed blue because the indigo on my jeans dyed onto it; I think that’s a cool little feature)
But let’s take a look at the shoe itself.
The Mexico 66 is retailed at $120 (but you can get it cheaper on Amazon for around $100 at the expense of less color options). While the shoe is on the slightly more expensive side, I would argue that the value of the shoe is well worth it. It comes in genuine cactus leather, velvety-smooth luxury suede, and unique features that compensate for the price. However, if you want cheaper alternatives, Onitsuka Tigers offer a wide variety of shoes at cheaper prices (around $90) which all feature iconic designs. In my opinion, investing into the premium will be worth it due to the value and quality.
Priced at $120 (surprisingly, even more color options are available on the website)
Cheaper prices at Amazon (and not a horrible selection of colors)
Credit: Onitsuka Tiger + Amazon
Wearing the shoes for the first time is quite a different experience. I couldn’t tell at first if I liked it or not because it was so different. The inner sole had a noticeable bump meant for arch support that felt bizarre, the thin-ness of both the leather and outersole made me feel like I was walking barefoot, and the shoe overall was just kind of stiff.
I found myself obsessed.
After a few months of usage, I definitely prefer the more beaten look the shoe has acquired compared to what it first looked like when I received them
There is definitely a break in period (albeit a small one) to soften up the leather and allow it to mold around your feet, but afterwards, it’s unbelievably comfortable. The inner sole as well, strange at first, felt amazing; you could feel that it was soft but still firm enough to provide support when walking and running. An aspect that goes relatively unnoticed are the laces. I love the thickness and feel; it's like a sturdy rope material that is soft to the touch. It’s hard to find a flaw with the physical aspects of the shoe.
Another beautiful touch that I found wasn’t from my own pair specifically but all the pairs: The colors are beautiful. There are so many options from mustard yellow (for the adventurous folk) to more casual and iconic colorways, such as white and black. There is blue, green, and everything in between. Finding a color option isn’t going to be an issue because there is something for everyone. Find what you like that will fit your style as well as match most of the colors that you tend to wear.
Spiky outersole is thin and gives great grip; could feel strange at first
The only real awkward point with this shoe that I could find was the fit. Because it’s thin in terms of the shell (made completely of leather) as well as the durable-but-thin rubber outer-sole, it definitely takes time to get accustomed to the feel. I would describe it as walking barefoot on pillows. While this is my experience, I could see why it would feel strange to some. I highly recommend you either try it in-person (might not be possible because stores are hard to find) or you order the approximate size and give it a test run before deciding to keep/return it.
There is also another point that, really, I’m just nitpicking. On the back of the shoe, behind the opening, there is a small leather “tab” that says “Tiger”. I think it’s a beautiful touch but it doesn’t really maintain its form as it should. While it should stay down, it frequently flips up. Again, not a big issue as you could just push it down but something I want to mention.
To maintain the shoes, try to make sure you’re on a surface that is not too heavily dirty such as a sidewalk or a street; walking on wet grass/dirt can stain the leather with mud or ruin the suede ever so slightly (because cleaning suede is a pain). If a family member or otherwise happens to step on your shoes, never talk to them again. Every now and then, get a wet cloth of sorts and wipe down the leather of all stains (make sure the cloth isn’t too wet or the suede might absorb too much water and get ruined).
As for styling, the versatility of these shoes allow for so much. A streetwear-oriented style is easily possible because of the skateboarder-esque vibe these shoes give. A more smart outfit looks fantastic because the 66 has a beautiful elegance thanks to the leather and suede combo. So much is possible and it has most definitely found a place in my wardrobe.
I chose to pair my Oni Denim Selvedge jeans (review coming out sometime) because I felt the rich indigo paired beautifully with the navy blue on the shoe itself. Because of the vast colorway options, I suggest you assess what colors you utilize in your outfits and go from there.
If anyone wants to feel even older because youth isn’t appealing for some reason, Onitsuka offers a version of this shoe known as Mexico 66 VIN (I assume VIN implies vintage but I could be wrong). The only differences (that I know of anyways) are the more classic colorways as well as the tiger stripes being suede instead of leather. Just a nice touch that adds another layer of luxury.
Overall, the Mexico 66 has provided me with a layer of beauty and function rarely matched. Comfort, style, and uniqueness are all there. All that you can do is elevate it, mold an outfit that both complements and is complemented by these shoes. Grab a pair and don’t look back.
