ASICS position as a leader in sportswear is well-established. The Japanese label has been churning out super shoes and equipping runners for over 70 years, a heritage it often taps for inspiration.
But workwear? That feels like foreign territory for the brand. Or, at least, it did until I started browsing on its Japanese website.
It turns out that ASICS has a full line of rugged workwear footwear styles—at the time of writing, there are 128 different models—listed under a sub-line that (according to Google translate) is titled Winjob. And, there are some hidden gems in there.
For example, the ASICS Winjob CP307 BOA® MAZIORA 3E (catchy name, right?). The sneaker has an iridescent upper with an unconventional lacing system comprised of straps, wires, and a BOA Fit System that delivers micro-adjustable precision fit.
If you told me that it was the latest outlandish shoe to arrive from Kiko Kostadinov’s continued partnership with ASICS I wouldn’t think twice. However, instead, it's a proper work shoe with a glass fiber reinforced resin toe cap, oil-resistant rubber, and JSAA standard A type certification.
There are a lot more wild sneakers where this sturdy, iridescent pair came from. ASICS Winjob also has the CP405 3E, a tall boot that looks like a cross between hiking boots, boxing shoes, and motorcycle boots—three styles of footwear that are especially popular currently.
Or, for a more chunky boot, there is the W-DX-2 3E, a huge orange cold-weather boot something like a Moon Boot but more functional.
The CP307, CP405 3E, and CP305 AC 3E are my personal favorites from the Winjob line, however, there’s a vast selection of left-field footwear to explore. The only issue is, unfortunately, they’re not available to browse on ASICS American or European sites, these seem to be exclusive to Asia.
Not the first time that ASICS’ Japanese line has been gatekeeping an unintentionally stylish sneaker—last month, I discovered the sneaker-slipper hybrid ASICS Life Walker there—the shoe has gotten some interest in the sneaker community.
The CP3101 and CP3102 models from ASICS Winjob have been spotted on the shelves of Seoul-based streetwear shop WORKSOUT, a duo of velcro-strapped sneakers that look not too dissimilar to ASICS' upcoming Hal Studios collaboration.
With the shoes popping up in a streetwear boutique, maybe there’s a future where ASICS’ workwear footwear goes from being a hidden gem to another of its popular categories. Looking at the shoes from its Winjob line, I certainly hope that’s the case.
