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The best white sneakers for men are more than mere wardrobe staples—they’re the base of the menswear food pyramid, the shoes you’ll likely reach for more than any other in your closet. Which explains why there are a mind-boggling amount of white sneakers available, from all-time classics to wild-style flexes, upscale designer riffs to affordable but no less inspired stalwarts.
We get that white sneakers aren’t exactly the type of kicks you lust after on StockX, but there’s no denying the rush of dopamine you get when you break out a fresh pair. Pristine. Gleaming. Scuff-free. And that new sneaker smell! Sure, there's a little sadness when you thank your old, roughed-up white sneakers for their long and distinguished service and set them free. They delivered hundreds of wears; held down hundreds of fits. But there’s beauty in this circle of life.
To keep the circle going, we surveyed hundreds of potential contenders, tested out the cream of the crop, and settled on these seven picks—along with six honorable mentions—as the best white sneakers for men. (With a few more here if you’re looking for the best white sneakers under $100.) Now go forth and be fresh.
The Best White Sneakers, According to GQ
- →The Best Discourse-Dominating White Sneakers: Adidas Samba OG sneaker, $99
- →The Best Canvas White Sneakers: Converse Chuck 70 sneaker, $90
- →The Best Slip-On White Sneakers: Vans Vault Slip-On Reissue 98 LX Sneakers, $85
- →The Best Fashion Guy White Sneakers: Maison Margiela Replica Sneakers, $595
- →The Best Large-and-in-Charge White Sneakers: Nike Air Force 1 '07 Sneaker, $115
- →The Best Outdoors-Ready White Sneakers: Salomon XT-6 Shoes, $200
- →The Best Small-Batch White Sneakers: Moonstar x Buck Mason Deck Shoes, $158
Best Discourse-Dominating White Sneakers
Material: Leather and Suede Fit: True to Size Size: 4-14
We've talked about the highs and anxiety-inducing lows of the Samba's reign, but the fact remains that they're one of the most versatile shoes on the market. With smooth leather and suede uppers that toe the line between sporty and casual, the post-training sneaker turned brunch shoe for the netizen's elite is how you keep a low-profile without going totally obscure. Sure, it may feel like everyone has them (and many do), but that's what happens when a shoe makes its way from the sidelines into ubiquity. Love ‘em or hate ’em (but secretly love ‘em), the Sambas are top of mind and thus top of our list.
The Samba, says GQ senior commerce editor Avidan Grossman, “is a weird little shoe.” Designed in the late ’40s by Adidas founder Adolf Dassler himself, it was initially conceived as a training sneaker for soccer players practicing their footwork in sludgy conditions, before spreading like wildfire across every corner of the globe. Grossman remembers owning two pairs at crucial junctions in his life. In high school, he wore the first religiously with slouchy khakis and rugby shirts, before re-upping in college, when he swapped the khakis for raw jeans and the rugbys for graphic tees. That degree of staying power (and sheer versatility) isn’t unique to the Samba—but it’s increasingly rare to find in a sneaker that costs less than a Benjamin. “When the memes die down in a year,” Grossman adds, “I’ll probably buy my third.”
Best Slip-On White Sneakers
Material: Canvas Fit: True to Size Size: 6.5-13
You don't have to be from California or even skate to pledge allegiance to the LX slip-on sneakers. All you need is a keen eye for clean lines and a desire for laidback styling that requires bare-minimum effort. Crafted from sturdy canvas that's been kitted out with a rubberized sole that can withstand the gnarliest of coastal showers, the LX is no-frills footwear at its finest, before minimalist sneakers were even a thing. There's plenty of colorways to choose from when it comes to getting your Vans fix, but we've found that OG white never gets old. Rock them with a big baggy pair of chinos and a plain white T-shirt, and you’ve got your warm weather fits locked in.
Grossman is the first to admit he isn’t a skater—or an aspiring Angeleno. (When asked to clarify on both fronts, he just laughed.) But the beefed-up version of Vans’ slip-on remains one his favorite sneakers of all time. “For, like, twenty bucks more than the mainline alternative,” he says, “you get a shoe with a ton more cushioning, styling potential, and throwback charm.” They look killer with sawed-off Dickies and a cropped tee—and even better with pleated jorts and a work shirt. Like a lot of fellas, Grossman wears “sneakers less and less these days,” he admits. “But these are forever cool.”
Best Fashion Guy White Sneakers
Material: Leather Fit: True to Size Size: 6-16
If you’ve been keeping up with men’s fashion for the last decade or so, even peripherally, you've probably come across a pair of Maison Margiela's Replica sneakers, an aptly-named homage to the kicks first issued to the German military in the late ‘80s. The original German Army Trainer (or GAT, in online menswear parlance) bears a striking similarity to the other retro-leaning kicks on this list, but it may very well have been doomed to obscurity if not for a certain press-shy Belgian designer, who introduced the silhouette to the fashion crowd at the onset of the aughts.
Plenty of other brands have put their own spin on it (and it's easy enough to come by an authentic vintage pair), but Margiela's is the rare upscale variant worth every penny. The leather is buffed but not shiny, the suede is appropriately supple but not precious, and the whole shebang is elevated enough to wear to the office on a Friday—and low-key enough to wear to drinks when you clock out. In 2024, Margiela, the man, is revered for his cerebral approach to subverting the classics, but the success—hell, ubiquity—of the Replica is testament to his eye for commercial viability, too. The guy knew how to make a high-quality product and how to market it. How's that for a legacy you'd like to claim as your own?
Best Large-and-in-Charge White Sneakers
Material: Leather Fit: True to size Size: 6-18
All real sneakerheads know that black Air Force 1s are a bad omen—if you see someone in them, it means you should turn and run. White Air Force 1s, on the other hand, are a sign of nothing beyond the wearer’s very fine taste. Since 1982, when they were introduced as Nike’s first basketball shoe to feature its revolutionary Air tech, the AF1 has held it down as the Swoosh’s single most reliable model. It’s hardly the flashiest Nike ever released, or the best performing on the court, or the most storied—but it’s tasteful, understated, and wholly timeless, three adjectives that don’t get thrown around in sneaker circles often enough.
Long before Balenciaga made clownishly oversized sneakers a thing, Air Force 1s were chunkier and more bulbous than any of the sneakers that came before them. When doused in all-white, those proportions—along with the perforations on the toe and the panelling along the sides—feel all the more statuesque. And while they look incredible fresh out the box, they're among a rare class of white leather kicks that genuinely still look killer smoked to high hell. Whether you're on your first pair or your 40th, it's never really a bad time to pick up another.
Best Canvas White Sneakers
Material: Canvas Fit: Runs large Size: 3-13.5
Looks-wise, the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star has hardly changed at all since it first hit the hardwood in the early 1920s; it’s still the white sneaker you probably think of first. In terms of construction, though, the no-frills GOAT hit its peak in the '70s: the canvas upper was weightier, the rubber midsole rode up a little higher, the toe cap was a touch smaller, and the patch on the back of the heel was a cool retro black rather than the standard white. A few years back, Converse decided to make them that way again. For a cool $90, the Chuck 70 gets you all those key design upgrades, plus the benefit of modern cushioning installed into the thicker vintage outsoles. They're the same Chucks you've always loved, only better. The only choice you have to make is whether you want the high-top or the low-top version.
Chucks are as classic as it gets, says GQ commerce writer Gerald Ortiz, and the Chuck 70 is significantly better than its regular counterpart. "The canvas is burlier, the silhouette is chunky but not in an overly trendy kind of way, and the insole is supremely cushion-y.” In other words, they're well worth the minor price jump, so we'd recommend springing for the upgraded version. GQ associate commerce editor Tyler Chin upgraded from the standard Chucks to the Chuck 70s when he graduated high school and says he liked the retro silhouette, added support, and higher quality. “The 70s didn’t look or feel as flimsy as the cheaper Chucks,” he points out. We concur.
Best Outdoorsy White Sneakers
Material: Mesh and rubber Fit: True to size Size: 7.5-13.5
When the team at the legendary French outdoors outfitter Salomon wanted to get more people interested in their hyper-functional sneakers, they scoured their archives for silhouettes that could serve as canvasses for wild colorways: electric limes, fire truck reds, fresh ocean blues. As it happens, though, Salomon's shoes look plenty sharp with no color at all. The nylon mesh, sleek panels, and quick-lace system work even better together iced out in glacial whites, and the grippy lug soles seem somehow fiercer. Like all Salomon kicks, the XT-6 has all the tools to conquer craggy mountainsides, but it'll perform just as well on the city streets with your biggest brunch fits. We named them the Sneaker of the Year back in 2019 and they're still a hit to this day.
Best Small-Batch White Sneakers
Material: Herringbone cotton Fit: Runs large Size: 5-12, whole sizes only
These may look like a regular pair of sneakers, but you can't judge a book by its cover (as cool as it looks). These collaborative kicks are the work of Moonstar in cahoots with Buck Mason. Moonstar has been in the business of footwear for generations upon generations—since 1873 to be exact. They got their footing by making traditional Tabi shoes and evolved to master the vulcanized rubber process. Each shoe uses a unique method which requires the clay-like rubber to be applied by hand before the shoes are literally baked in a kiln. The result is a higher-quality sneaker with more character and soul (heh) than the competition.
Ortiz (yes, again—the guy went through a 5-year-long white sneaker phase) loves his Moonstars because of how comfortable they are—and how beautifully they break in, like a rare pair of vintage sneakers. “These are the kind of sneakers that vintage fiends drop serious cash for at highly curated so-called ‘thrift’ stores,” he says. “The difference is that you don’t have to worry about these crumbling to pieces.” Are they worth twice the price of other alternatives? If you dig slow-made, well-crafted garments with a great story, absolutely.
More White Sneakers We Love
Reebok
Reebok Club C 85 Sneakers
These supremely clean leather sneakers helped one GQ writer kick his kicks kick—and have propelled countless dudes into new echelons of style god status. Some might consider ‘em a little played out, but despite fashion's changing tides, a classic is a classic is a classic.
Superga
2750 COTU Classic Sneaker
Based on vintage Italian Navy deck shoes, Superga's hero product has long been a low-key classic that flies—or, uh, swims—under the radar. Its sleek profile, sturdy canvas, and classic looks are the kind of attributes that made guys like Steve McQueen and Paul Newman style icons. If you love the look of Chucks but could do without the rubber toe cap, these are a great alternative.
Nike
Vomero Sneaker
If you thought Nike was out of the dad shoe convo, think again. The much buzzed-about return of the Zoom Vomero 5 means one thing, as far as we’re concerned: aughts-era running shoes are really, truly back—and when they look this clean, we sort of wish they never went away. The Vomero somehow strikes a balance between throwback and forward-thinking, precisely why they’re so hot right now.
Norda
001 Trail Running Sneakers
Whether you're hitting the trails or the pavement, the flagship product from Canada's coolest indie sneaker imprint will keep your feet locked and your stride dialed. When they first debuted, we were so impressed with their good looks and performance that we even gave them a spot in our 2022 GQ Fitness Awards. Today, they’re still just as good and have put the big sneaker brands on notice.
11 by Boris Bidjan Saberi x Salomon
Bamba 5 Sneakers
Ask any archive lover or ‘opium fashion boi’ what sneakers they have in their closet and you'll get an earful about 11 by Boris Bidjan Saberi and his collaboration with Salomon. The duo’s brutalist, avant-garde vibe is a recipe for graildom, and though the pre-distressed colorways are more coveted, this pristine white version offers a purer canvas for your own destruction.
Rick Owens
Ramone Low Sneakers
The Ramones are among Rick Owens' roster of certified runway classics, guaranteed to restock (and sell out) every season. These vanilla-white low-tops are perfect for strutting around the warm weather with some drop crotch pod shorts and a muscle tank, just how His Darkness intended.
What to Look for in White Sneakers
If you’re new around these parts, allow us to formally welcome you to the most exuberant, expressive, anything-goes era of menswear yet. (It’s as fun as it sounds.) But if “exuberant”, “expressive”, and “anything-goes”, aren’t the first three terms you think of when you picture white sneakers, well, we’re with you. The platonic white sneaker should still be cool, but it should also be resolutely classic. Timeless. Time-tested. And that matrix is exactly what guided our selection process here, which nods to the buzziest white kicks of the moment, but remains firmly grounded in the silhouettes that have endured, decade after decade, no matter which way the trends tailwinds blow.
Our seven winning picks speak to that tension more ably than we could’ve anticipated. Each of them is as classic as they come, but taken in aggregate, they offer a telling snapshot of the fashion zeitgeist at this very moment. The discourse-dominating Adidas Samba is duly represented, ditto the very online Salomon XT-6, but so is the Converse Chuck Taylor—and Moonstar’s brand new, retro-inspired riff on a charmingly old-school deck shoe.
When it comes to homing in on the white sneakers that feel right for you, lean on the same matrix, and prize longevity above all else. The names in the mix above earned their status (and their spot on this list) through sheer consistency; they might be inadvertently trendy now, but their pedigree means they’ll still look cool, classic, and whatever other adjective you’re chasing a decade down the line.
How We Tested
Simple, really: We wore them ourselves. Before we did that, though, we put out an internal call to the GQ Recommends team soliciting firsthand (or, uh, firstfeet) experience to guide our search. The ask was mercifully straightforward: If you could only wear one pair of white sneakers for the rest of your life, which would you choose? The answers, as you might expect, did not disappoint—and they kept trickling in, prompting us to reevaluate our winning picks with every new contribution.
The list we decided on reflects the breadth and depth of our search—and the difficulty involved in culling hundreds of options down to a mere handful. Looks were a crucial consideration, sure, but so were craftsmanship, quality, and comfort. We tested sneakers made from lightweight canvas, mesh, leather, and a mix of all three. We tested skate shoes, running shoes, basketball shoes, tennis shoes, and a whole lot of fashion-first sneakers we’d be scared to scuff.
Based on those evaluations, we ran the numbers, collated the anecdotal evidence, and emerged with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best white sneakers for men right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the affordable beaters to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) designer riffs. Whatever your preferences, whatever your style, there's bound to be a superlative pair on this list for you. (Read more about GQ's testing process here.)
- Gerald Ortiz, GQ Style Commerce Writer
- Tyler Chin, GQ Associate Commerce Editor
- Avidan Grossman, GQ Senior Commerce Editor