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Zespa ZSP4 Review
Luxury white sneakers are a fierce battleground for fashion brands. Common Projects Achilles Low White is the granddaddy when it comes to white sneakers. However, lots of peoples are put off by the high price tag, and they are yearning for cheaper Common Projects alternatives.
Zespa ZSP4 are premium white sneakers and are widely considered as one of the cheaper alternatives to Common Projects.
This is my second pair of Zespa ZSP4. I bought my first pair of Zespa ZSP4 years ago and Zespa has made some small upgrades to it since then.
Zespa ZSP4 sale
Zespa ZSP4
Zespa ZSP4 is currently on sale at $195. Full price is $295.
Zespa sizing
I ordered a size 41 and the sneakers fit perfectly with just the right amount of toe room.
For your reference, I wear US8.5/ UK7.5/ EUR42 / 26.5cm Flyknit Nike sneakers and that is close-fitting without any toe room.
Lookup your UK/US size from this chart provided by Zespa and check what your Zespa EU size is. I found this pretty accurate.
Unboxing experience
Zespa ZSP4 comes in a navy color shoe box with small golden words Zespa, Aix-en-Provence on top of it. When you open the box, you will see a care instruction, an extra pair of shoelaces in a small box, and a shoe dust bag.
When I bought my first Zespa ZSP4, it comes in a white shoe box which looks similar to Common Projects, and it didn't provide an extra pair of shoelaces or a shoe dust bag.
So there is an upgrade in the package, although an extra pair of shoelaces and a shoe dust bag doesn't cost much.
Details
Zespa ZSP4 is made from full grained calf nappa leather which feels soft to touch. The stitching on soles is tight and consistent.
It has 8 eyelets.
The soles don't seem to be margom soles as suggested by lack of logos, but they do feel solid and add some decent weight to the shoe.
The collars are generously padded. I wear ankle socks and didn't feel my heels rubbing against the shoes at all.
The insoles are covered by full grain calf leather with Zespa logo in gold stamped on them. I put them on without added insoles and walked around for a whole day without feeling my feet hurting.
The gold logos are also stamped on the heel tab and the tongue.
Overall I'd say that the quality is very apparent.
Common Projects alternatives
As far as the silhouette is concerned, the most noticeable difference is that Common Projects Achilles has a flatter toe box and less collar padding, giving it a slimmer profile if you are looking it from the side.
Zespa ZSP4, on the other hand, has a rounder toe box and more collar padding, make it look more like an upgraded version of Adidas Stan Smith.
But in terms of qualities of construction and materials, Zespa ZSP4 is pretty much on par with Common Projects Achilles.
If you are looking for more Common Projects alternatives, please check out my blog post Common Projects alternatives.
Summary
It's a solid choice if you're after white sneakers with slim profiles. And yes, it's not as sleek as Common Projects Achilles, but I personally think the difference is minimal.
I would definitely recommend Zespa ZSP4 when it is on sale, but at full price there are plenty of alternatives out there.
If you are on the hunt for purchasing a new pair of white sneakers, definitely check out Best White Sneakers for Men for Every Budget.