A few months ago, Reebok teased the upcoming collaboration with Universal Brand Development for the release of a Jurassic Park pack. In July, the brand officially launched the Reebok X Jurassic Park collection. The pack contained 10 different pairs of sneakers inspired by various aspects from the original film released in 1993. I was lucky enough to receive a pair of the Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85 as part of the release campaign.
The Reebok X Jurassic Park features a wide range of sneakers and apparel to keep every fan of the brand and dinosaur franchise interested. In addition to this, it features sizing for the entire family, including adults, kids and babies.
Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85 Design and Build
The Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85 was inspired by the notorious Dennis Nedry. Nedry was a computer programmer at Jurassic Park. He became an antagonist when he attempted to steal dinosaur embryos from the lab due to his financial troubles.
The upper of the sneaker features a floral print towards the rear. This pays homage to Nedry’s shirt he wears when the character is first introduced in the film. Other ties to the film include his computer’s background in one of the clips, which features zebra print. This is featured on the heel tab of the sneaker.
Further to this, there’s the yellow raincoat Nedry wears out in the rain as he attempts to escape the island during a power outage. This bright yellow tie-in is reflected on the tongue of the Club C, which also features the Jurassic Park logo. The right-hand side tongue has a splat of black liquid, an indicator of the liquid that was spat at him by one of the dinosaurs during the same scene.
In terms of materials, the upper is crafted from coated leather, with a rubberised raincoat material for the tongue. Additionally, the sneaker includes a mix of textile lining. Finally, there’s the gum rubber outsole beneath.
There is also quite a bit of text scattered throughout, with the words “Jurassic Park” featured boldly on the lateral sides. The words “Cloud” and “Island” are also featured in much smaller font on both the lateral and medial sides of the shoes. This is a reference to the location of Jurassic Park, Cloud Island.
The design is complete with a specially-designed insole, which features a host of elements from Nedry’s desk. This includes his PC, key card, fake bills and the shaving cream he adds to a slice of pie.
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Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85 Comfort
While the Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85 sneaker is based on a classic silhouette, there’s more than sufficient padding and cushioning added for a few modern touches. The inner is lined with cushioning from the front of the shoe all the way to the heel, including the padding around the collar for additional support.
There is also a softness underfoot in each stride with the Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85. A mix of midsole cushioning and the gum rubber outsole makes for a comfortable blend. Coupled with the insole you’re pretty much covered for comfort.
There’s sufficient space within the sneaker to make it comfortable for longer periods of wear. It’s not tight by any means and provides sufficient breathing room throughout. This means you’ll be able to wear both thin and thick socks as you choose without your feet feeling cramped.
The leather is also very soft, which means you don’t have to worry about stiffness when you’re walking, even from the beginning. There’s often a period of walking in a sneaker of this type, but that’s not the case here. It feels comfy from the off.
Performance and Quality
It’s not just about the looks and comfort levels but the lasting nature of the build. When it comes to quality, the sneaker features this in bounds. The sneaker shouts premium from the leather upper to the gum rubber outsole.
This quality can be felt in hand as well as underfoot as you hit each stride. Even with the extremely detailed design, the premium materials easily make this sneaker stand out. It also puts wearers at ease knowing the sneaker will last quite some time before it starts to wear out.
In terms of performance, it gets the job done really well. It’s not designed as a runner, so I wasn’t ever going to be hitting the streets for a jog. It’s designed as a lifestyle shoe and can easily hold its own throughout the day. I never felt as if I had to take the shoes off, even after hours of walking around the mall on the odd occasion. Once you’re ready to pack the Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85 sneakers back into the box, a simple leather wipe for the upper, and you’re good to go.
Themed Packaging
In addition to the cool references to the films on each of the sneakers in the Reebok X Jurassic Park pack, there’s also the customised packaging. In fact, each sneaker comes with its own sneaker box, further reference to the sneaker and its tie-in with the film.
For the Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85, the packaging is based on the shaving cream canister Nedry uses to try to steal the embryos. The outer enclosure of the box is a reference to the Barbasol Bread Buster Shaving Cream can. The bottom of the box includes the mud, which is an indication of when Nedry dropped the canister in the rain while attempting to escape.
Once you’ve slid off the outer enclosure, the box then features the inside of the canister. This is complete with each of the vials of embryos, as we see in the film. These vials are even labelled according to the types of embryos stolen by Nedry, such as the T-Rex and Velociraptor. This is in keeping with the accuracy of the entire collection.
The shoes are placed inside this box, which includes a cardboard separator between the two sneakers. At the bottom of the box is a foam base to protect the shoes when they are placed back in the box, as they are stored vertically.
Should You Buy The Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85?
The Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85 is one of my favourite sneakers from the collection, which spans some ten pairs of different tie-ins for the Jurassic Park film. It is a fairly detailed sneaker with quite a lot of graphic elements, from Dennis Nedry’s character right down to the insole and the extraordinary packaging.
The Review
Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85
The Reebok X Jurassic Park Club C 85 is a great sneaker and will be a great addition to any sneaker collection. Its tie-in to the film and the Dennis Nedry character are extremely detailed, from the shaving cream canister as the shoebox, to the sneakers’ insoles featuring various elements from his desk. There’s a lot to love about the sneaker and the pack as a whole.
PROS
- Beautifully crafted, themed sneaker
- Custom packaging
- Premium mix of materials
- Leather upper is easy to clean
CONS
- White midsole not as easy to clean