Hey Reader your event bestie here 👋

Let me set the scene.

IMEX Frankfurt. One of the largest trade shows in the global events industry. Thousands of attendees, hundreds of booths, miles of convention center floor, zero opportunities to sit down.

And I am wearing sneakers.

White sneakers.

I am not a sneaker person. I am a heels-on-a-plane, stilettos-on-Capitol-Hill, wedges-in-Dubai person. I have opinions about sneakers at professional events that I won’t fully publish here because I’d like to keep some friends.

And yet.

FRANKIE4 has been in my rotation since the Baker Wedge dismantled every expectation I had at SITE Global in Dubai. (Missed that review? It’s here.) When the Nat III went in the lab, I said yes, packed my white leather sneakers, and flew to Germany.

Here’s what happened.

PRODUCT OF THE MONTH: FRANKIE4 Nat III White Tumbled

What it is: A podiatrist-designed leather sneaker with FRANKIE4’s Sole Hero® Footbed, triple-layer support, and a customizable fit pack. Backed by 13,000+ reviews averaging 4.9 stars.

Price: $214 → Shop the Nat III​

What I tested: Size 9, White Tumbled, Regular fit

Where I tested it: IMEX Frankfurt

Step Count: 32,692 steps over 5 days

The promise: You never have to choose between looking good and supporting your feet. Podiatrist-designed. All-day comfort. No compromise.

The reality: Mostly true. With one honest Day 1 asterisk I’ll get to in Field Notes. By Day 3 it was a non-issue. By Day 5 I understood the cult following.

SCORE CARD

Step & Repeat Scorecard
FRANKIE4 Nat III White Tumbled
Category
Score
🧪 Friction Factor
6/10
🔨 Durability
10/10
✨ Aesthetic Lift
9/10
🩹 Blister Factor
6/10
🏗️ Support
9/10
♻️ Sustainability / ROI
9/10
⏱️ 8-Hour Test
10/10
🍸 Boardroom to Bar
7/10
🏟️ Conference Floor Survival
10/10
🧳 Packability
8/10
✅ Final Step Score
84/100
Field Metrics
Wide Foot Friendly
✅ Yes
Compliment Rate
📉 Low

FIELD NOTES

Best surprise:​
The quality is real. 100% leather upper, leather lining, rPET foam lining made from recycled plastic bottles. After 32,000 steps at one of the largest trade shows in the world, these still look brand new.

Worst surprise:​
Three things, and I’m not here to sugarcoat them.

• The sizing runs about half a size large. I wore a 9 and an 8.5 would have been the better call.
• A small blister formed at the heel counter on Day 1, almost certainly related to the extra room. Preventable if you size down.
• The insole stained my socks. Not a dealbreaker, but white sock wearers, consider yourself warned.

What I’d change:​
Wear them once before your conference. One coffee run. Give the leather two hours to meet your foot before you ask it to handle Day 1 of a five-day trade show. Also: use the Sole Saver Pack that comes in the box. It’s there for a reason.

Who it’s secretly perfect for:​
The sales rep working a trade show floor for three straight days.

The speaker who needs to look pulled together but cannot think about their feet on stage.

The frequent flyer who wants real leather, real support, and the ability to slip them on and off at security without untying anything.

THE VERDICT: [BUY / SKIP / DEPENDS]

✅ Best for:​
Event pros logging 6,000+ steps a day on convention center floors. Work travelers who need one shoe that goes from flight to floor to dinner. Heel people (👋) who need a conference sneaker that doesn’t look like gym gear.

🚫 Avoid if:​
You’re buying these the night before a major event and planning to skip the break-in. Also: white sock wearers, you’ve been warned about the insole.

🔁 Would I rebuy?:​
Yes. Already looking at the Champagne Tumbled colorway.

One-line verdict:​
“The heel girl’s sneaker: not flashy, not failing, and still standing by hour seven.”

💰 DISCOUNT CODE

Use the link below to get 15% OFF your first pair of Frankie4 Shoes
→ Start Shopping Here​

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Want behind-the-scenes content, real-time testing updates, and more chaos between newsletter issues?

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JUST FOR FUN

what i’m watching: Company Retreat. Hilarious and Relatable.

what i’m reading: Inside The Box by David Epstein​

where i’m headed: San Francisco for the Sessionboard Event Content Lab. Join me there! Absolutely cannot wait.

tiny existential question: At what point does “staying in your lane” become an excuse to stop growing?

hit reply and tell me: Heel person or sneaker person at events? I want the confessions. And if you’re a heel person who secretly owns a sneaker you love, I especially want to hear from you.

catch up with Event About It Podcast: Event ROI, Relationship Capital & Did She Actually Cancel Christmas?​