Last year, I reviewed the Hydrogen-1 brogue lace-up boots, which were awesome then and remain awesome 10 months later. Those shoes’ brother model, the Sulfur, are a similar pair of shoes, but in low top as shown above. The Hydrogen-1 Sulfur shoes are also Italian made, and they also have the same trademark thick sole that seems to be common with the whole Hydrogen-1 line. Speaking of the thick soles, below is a better photo of what’s going on down there:
As far as I can tell, the sole is one huge piece of rubber. This is great from a construction standpoint because you won’t have peeling, but it looks a bit clunky and adds a lot of weight to shoes. The sole’s comfort is great, and shouldn’t be a concern. However, strangely, the shoe laces are not comfortable on the top of your foot. It looks like they changed the default laces during the time I got these shoes and current, and it looks like the new laces are flatter. This is a great change, and one that I’m going to make soon. If you use round laces on these shoes, and you have big feet, they will dig into the top of your foot and be mildly annoying.
One of my favorite qualities of all the Hydrogen-1 shoes are their lack of visible branding. The only marking showing the brand name is under the heel, and its a subtle imprint. This is great for the minimalists out there who are looking for basics to match anything. In a world of huge Nike “swoosh” marks, having shoes that aren’t a walking (pun intended) billboard is a breath of fresh air.
Now for the bad news…these beauties will cost you $305. Much like the brogues, the construction is top notch, and the leather is beautiful to the eye and to the hands. If you think about it, these shoes will easily withstand a decade of use, so you’re really looking at $30 a year (or less). Quality goods will always cost more upfront, but the benefits over time will pay dividends (much like buying a good suit). Hydrogen-1’s motto is “utilitarian luxury,” and you’ll certainly get both with their Sulfur shoes. If you can front the cost, these shoes will rock your world.
