Last week we released our Back to School Sneaker Shopping Style Guide featuring the best sneakers to head back to school in this fall for different style types. Among the categories featured were shoes for The Skater, The Hooper, The Comfy Kid, The Hypebeast, and last but not least, the Trendy Kid. What we didn’t cover, though, was perhaps the most important category of all: sneakers for casual everyday use. 

Call them everyday sneakers, “beaters,” or whatever you want—everyone, no matter what your style is, everyone needs a pair of sneakers that are durable and stylish. These shoes are the backbone of anyone’s closet, which is why we’ve decided to dedicate an entire blog post to what we’ll affectionately call “beater” sneakers.

Without further ado, let’s get started on our selections for the best everyday sneakers to head back to school in this fall.

An essential part of the modern wardrobe, the Nike Air Force 1 Low “White on White” is simply one of the most versatile sneakers on the planet. It can be dressed up or dressed down, and it will never, ever go out of style. The only suggestion we’ll make when it comes to the “White on White” AF1 is to keep the shoe as clean as possible at all times. But hey, get ‘em dirty if you want. We’ll always have more pairs for you.

Originally released in 1988, the Jordan 3 was the first Jordan shoe designed by Tinker Hatfield, and the shoe that Michael Jordan wore during his memorable performance in the ‘88 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Today, the Jordan 3 is the pinnacle of style, especially in this “White Cement Reimagined” colorway. Another advantage of making these your everyday pair is the fact that they look great fresh out of the box or all beat up.

The adidas Samba’s return to glory wouldn’t be possible without its original “White/Black” colorway. But that’s not to say there aren’t other Sambas that are just as versatile. Check out the “Black/Gum” if you’re looking for a budget-friendly shoe that can take a hit or two without looking fried

Another old school shoe with a timeless design is the New Balance 550 in the oh-so-wearable “White/Black” colorway. Like the Air Force 1 and Nike Dunk, two other classic hoops models, the 550 will never go out of style no matter what’s trending in sneakers.

The Jordan 1 is always a safe bet when it comes to looking great at all times. Cop the “Washed Black” colorway for even more wearability.

After debuting in 2009, the New Balance 1906R quickly disappeared from the scene only to return as part of the Y2K sneaker trend. The 1906R is now one of the hottest shoes in the game today, and is available in a bunch of different versatile colorways, like this one here from the “Protection Pack” with rough-around-the-edges suede panels.

When in doubt, stick to the classics. The Nike Air Max 1 ‘86 “Big Bubble - Red” is about as iconic as it gets for the retro running shoe as its design is inspired by the very first rendering of the Air Max 1 from 1986

The Nike Zoom Vomero 5’s comeback is one of the best stories in sneaker culture this year. If you’ve yet to give the retro performance runner a try, we suggest looking at the “Cobblestone” colorway due to its easy-on-the-eyes color scheme. And these are so comfortable, you’ll want to wear them all day, anyway.