ASICS is always up to something good. The Japanese sneaker giant is nothing if not busy, constantly rolling out forward-thinking collabs as often as it debuts innovative freshness.

The ASICS GEL-Venture 6 Shield falls into that latter camp.

This is a dad shoe designed for a genuinely hardwearing dad lifestyle.

Need a shoe that can combat scuffs? Look no further.

Debuted in an ASICS Korea photoshoot more focused on charming Korean actor Ryoo Seung-bum, the ASICS GEL-Venture 6 Shield is a clever running sneaker intended for the long haul.

The chunkish shoe wears a built in shield — hence the name — that extends from the heel to the toebox, protecting the retro-leaning runner's precious mesh upper from the ills of the daily grind.

In practice, the resulting design feels very adidas Ozweego, what with that layered look across the upper.

Add in the Kiko Kostadinov-flavored appeal of three very muted colorways and you have a shoe that's borderline fashion-y.

But in effect, the GEL-Venture 6 Shield lives up to its name as a resolutely sturdy shoe meant for the rough n' tumble incidents of daily life.

I don't doubt that it'll survive some real rugged terrain, too, especially as the GEL-Venture 6 Shield is part of ASICS' outdoorsy Venture line.

Step back and admire: this sneaker has a nice shape, versatile colorways, an unpretentiously nice bit of detailing that's also quite useful — a solid, understated update to an already solid shoe.

And who could complain about a sneaker that lasts a little longer? All it needs is an international release date.