KOIO Capri Review: Common Projects Don’t Stand a Chance

A fine white minimalist sneaker is a thing of beauty. 

The problem is: every single shoe brand has a version of this type of sneaker. So when you start looking for the best, it’s too easy to get overwhelmed. 

I want you to know, that I already went through all that a few years ago. And I figured the only way out was to get all of them and share with you exactly what I found. 

Yes, I’ve picked up KOIO, Oliver Cabell, Thursday, Beckett Simonon, and GREATS. 

And in this KOIO Capri review, I’m going to share with you why I think the Capri is the best minimalist sneaker, but where you can also find a better value for your money. 

KOIO Capri Overview

The KOIO Capri is at the top end of the quality spectrum for minimalist sneakers. To be honest, I see the Capri as a Common Projects Achilles killer. 

Yes, the Common Projects has a slightly lower profile and is a bit more narrow, but I can’t imagine going any slimmer than the KOIO Capri. It’s already a slimmed down sneaker. 

The KOIO Capri is Italian all the way through—in fact, there’s even nonna’s meatball recipe printed on the inside of the tongue…just kidding. 

It’s made with Vitello calf-leather, a Margom sole, and the whole sneaker is assembled in Tuscany.

One of the best things about the Capri is the huge range of colors and leather options KOIO offers—I have the Triple White, which is your standard white minimalist sneaker. But they come out with seasonal releases in interesting pastel leathers, suedes, and just generally have looks you can’t find anywhere else. 

Things to Consider Before Buying the KOIO Capri

The KOIO Capri is the best quality minimalist sneaker I’ve found. It’s not the most expensive, but it’s pretty costly when it comes to sneakers. 

The Capri is my top recommendation if you’re looking to get the highest quality possible without spending extra on branding or hype. 

Of course, you know about Common Projects—I think there’s a place for them. The only reason to get Common Projects is because they have that gold foil numbering, which is a status symbol. I think there are important reasons to get status symbols—there’s certainly value there. 

So it really depends on what you’re looking for in a sneaker—if you’re truly after great quality at a fair price, the KOIO Capri is the sneaker for you. Common Projects is better if you want a social signifier and are willing to pay a few hundred extra dollars for it. 

Further Reading

A Man’s Guide to Styling White Leather Sneakers

White leather sneakers are generally easy to pull off with most outfits. But the devil is in the details. Up your overall sneaker style game with this guide.

However, I think the Beckett Simonon Reid is also worth considering. It’s nearly at the same level of material and construction quality as the KOIO Capri, and it’s about half the price. 

If I had to start my whole sneaker journey over again and could only pick one—I’d pick the Beckett Simonon Reid. It’s the best value for your money for minimalist sneakers. But there’s one big catch: Beckett Simonon makes all their sneakers to order so it will take about 3 months to arrive. 

So if you want great minimalist sneakers now, stick with the KOIO Capri. 

KOIO Capri Review

First Impression

I picked up the KOIO Capri in Triple White. It’s a crisp, pure white, and I think having a basic white minimalist sneaker is a must-have for every guy. This one does the trick for me. 

I’ve had the KOIO Capri for over a year now and I’ve noticed that the creases are much more gentle than on some of my other leather sneakers. That’s due to the leather, which I’ll discuss in more depth later, but I think it’s a really important consideration for white sneakers, since those creases determine how clean the sneaker looks overall. 

The Capri has a low profile and is quite slim. There’s an interesting panel toward the heel of the shoe that adds a unique design element without taking the Capri out of the minimalist realm. 

I like the design a lot—it’s minimalist, but KOIO has still taken some steps to make the look their own. 

Leather Quality and Care

The leather is my favorite part about the Capri. The brand uses Vitello calf leather, which is actually from aged cows. It has a tight grain like calf leather does, which is why the creasing is so fine and doesn’t disrupt the clean, smooth look. 

The KOIO Capri is also lined with leather all the way through the toe, which adds durability, comfort, and breathability. I’m a huge fan of the suede heel patch they add to the inside of the Capri—no other brand I know of does this and it cuts out all of the heel slip that might cause blisters when you’re breaking your sneakers in. 

Be careful to avoid getting the laces dirty. That’s the only part that can be difficult to clean. The leather is actually really easy to keep neat and white. 

If they ever get dirty, you can just clean them up with a damp rag or even sudsing up some saddle soap and washing the leather. 

Further Reading

How to Clean White Leather Sneakers Like Brand New in 15 Minutes

Are your crisp white sneaks looking a little worse for wear? Don’t stress. Come find out how to clean white leather sneakers back to brand new, the right way.

Use Venetian leather balm every six months or so to re-condition the leather. KOIO recommends once a month: to keep them clean and white, that’s a good choice, but the leather doesn’t need that much conditioning. 

Sole

KOIO uses Italian Margom soles for the Capri. If you’re wondering what the big deal with Margom soles are: there’s nothing outrageously special about them. 

But Margom soles do offer great balance between firmness for durability and shock absorption for comfort. 

Common Projects and my Oliver Cabell Low 1’s both use the same Margom sole, so it seems like all the high end sneaker brands opt for this sole. 

The sole is stitched to the upper, which is great. That means it won’t peel off at any point like what you might see with a cemented-only sole. All the best brands over $100 use a stitch sole construction for their sneakers, so it’s not unusual. 

Overall, the sole isn’t a selling point for me, but it’s solid and keeps up with the other sneaks in the “best quality” category. 

Fit and Sizing

Of all the minimalist sneakers, I think the KOIO Capri is the second-most comfortable. The Thursday Premier is the most comfortable for me because it has a bit of extra room. 

And both the Thursday and KOIO smash GREATS for comfort—GREATS are still one of the most painful sneakers I’ve ever worn. 

The sizing options are the low point for the KOIO Capri, though. They don’t offer any half-sizes, which can be a bummer for a lot of people. That said, I’m a size 10.5 with a standard width foot, and I ordered the size 10: they fit well. 

One cool thing about KOIO sizing is that they do offer wide sizes for the most popular Capri leather options. 

If you’re looking at the Triple White and you’re a 10.5 like me, you can just get the 10 Wide and it should fit similarly how a 10.5 would. 

Check out my full breakdown on how to find the best KOIO size for your feet if you’re ready to dive deep into their sizing issues. 

Break-in Period

The KOIO Capri was immediately comfortable for me—I had no issues breaking in the sneakers. With such soft leather and a comfortable open-cell PU insole, my feet felt great during the first several wears.

Further Reading

7 Tricks To Break in Sneakers Fast and Easy

All well-built sneakers will send you to blister city if you don’t break them in first. Prevent sore ankles, feet, and legs, with these easy hacks.

What Do Other Reviewers Say?

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The KOIO Capri has over 1,400 reviews as of writing, and the average rating is a 4.8 out of 5. 

I noticed a lot of reviewers with half-sizes said that the wide sizes worked well for them. Of course, there was some disappointment that there are only three leather options available in wide sizes (at least at the time of writing). 

But there were also a lot of half-size reviewers who just ordered the next size down and still think the KOIO Capri fits comfortably. That was my experience, too—I’m a size 10.5 and the 10 fits me just fine. 

KOIO Capri Alternatives

Beckett Simonon Reid

The Beckett Simonon Reid is nearly the same level of material and construction quality as the KOIO Capri, and it costs a little over half of what the Capri does. 

The Reid from Beckett Simonon is definitely the best value for your money in the minimalist sneaker game. 

But there’s a huge caveat: Beckett Simonon is able to keep their prices so low because they make their shoes to order. They don’t have to order a ton of sizes that might never sell, so they’re able to be more precise on their margins. 

So when you place your order, they batch it in their factory, and it can take between 3-4 months to arrive at your door. 

If you have the patience to wait three months, the Beckett Simonon Reid is the best choice. 

Further Reading

Beckett Simonon Reid Review: The Minimalist Winner

In this hands-on Beckett Simonon Reid review, you’ll get my honest thoughts on this minimalist sneaker and how it compares to other similar brands.

KOIO edges out Beckett Simonon in quality by a little—but honestly, you probably wouldn’t even notice the difference. 

Considering that Beckett Simonon packs that much quality into a sneaker that costs almost half of what a KOIO does, to me, it’s the clear winner. But it takes three months to show up. 

Oliver Cabell Low 1

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The Oliver Cabell Low 1 is another interesting option—I’d recommend their distressed line more than their minimalist sneakers. 

I like my Low 1’s a lot, but they’re not as comfortable as most of my other sneakers. They just don’t win in any category for me—the Thursday Premier is the most budget friendly and comfortable, Beckett Simonon is an incredible value for your money but takes forever to show up, and the KOIO Capri is the best quality. 

You won’t go wrong if you get a pair of Oliver Cabell Low 1’s. But I can’t recommend them as enthusiastically as the other brands here. 

Further Reading

Oliver Cabell Sizing Guide: Don’t Make This Mistake

In this Oliver Cabell sizing guide, I’ll break down how Oliver Cabell’s sneakers fit and compare the sizing to other brands like KOIO and GREATS.

That said, if you’re liking the look of their distressed line—they’re the best with that style and their sneakers are solid, so you’ll be happy with what you get. 

Thursday Premier

If spending north of $200 for a pair of sneakers seems insane to you, and you just want a clean minimalist shoe that is easy to slip on and comfortable to wear all day, then check out the Thursday Premier. 

I have their white version and also a Camel Suede leather, and I wear them both quite often. 

Of all the minimalist sneakers, I find the Thursday Premier to be the most comfortable. They have a bit more room in the instep and they aren’t so narrow like KOIO, Oliver Cabell, and Beckett Simonon. 

That said, they’re not wide bulbous shoes either. They still have the slim look you want with minimalist sneakers, but they’re a little more forgiving. Plus they have half-sizes available. 

My Thoughts Overall On the KOIO Capri

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