I’ll Mofork my money right over for those shoes

When I see them, I will know.

I’ve needed new shoes for a couple months now and have been half-heartedly looking. There’s a Li-Ning store near our Walmart and I’ve waltzed through, waiting for a pair of shoes to catch my eye. I knew I wanted a domestic brand, not something popular in the States like Nike or Adidas. Li-Ning is a Chinese company founded by World Cup Gymnastic Competition medalist Li Ning. This store seemed like a good place to start but their shoes weren’t rugged enough for me. I was looking for something that would take me trail running. Granted, I’m not really a trail runner but I wouldn’t mind being mistaken for one.

Earlier this week we were in Hong Kong, stocking up on some health and beauty supplies when I spotted a shoe store and thought I’d poke my head in. It lacked the popular American branding on the outside so I was intrigued. Almost immediately after stepping through the door I saw these beauties, sitting on a shelf marked “Esqo” or something similar to that. The randomness and complete unfamiliarity of the name, coupled with the attractiveness of the shoe drew me in.

I just may not know their name right away,

They reminded me of Columbia or Salomon, some brands I respect but have never owned. I appreciated their rugged tread and their earthy colors. Their price tag, $399HK (399 Hong Kong dollars = about $51 USD) was also a green light, given some of the prices of other shoes around. Needless to say, I bought them and here we have our first product review!

Mofork is an elusive brand. A quick Bing search reveals the “MOFORK” trademark once belonged to someone out of Seoul. I couldn’t find current products available for sale in any online stores like Amazon, Baopals, or Aliexpress.com. Sometimes a website shows a shoe but it’s never available. No sites carry any stock and I’ve never seen these in person in another store.

…but we’re getting acquainted!

Overall, the shoes are soft and both times I’ve worn them, my feet did “breethe” pretty “FreelY”. I wore them for an hour on the metro, two hours on the badminton court, and then for another three hours for dinner, a drink and a ride home.

During that time, they helped me sprint occasionally to chase the shuttlecock. They were supportive and my feet felt great after wearing them, even though they’re not broken in yet. Whether I was walking, sprinting, changing direction or ordering a beer, my feet felt supported, protected and comfortable. 

Typically, I can make sneakers last a year or longer if I rotate them with other shoes. If these hold up, I may not have to wander the streets of Hong Kong again for a while.