I finally found level ground for my sneaker, some times obsession, but mostly hobby this year. I have enough pairs now that I know what I like. My chase for specific shoes has become more focused and I know that a few shoes a really love is better than 4 colorways of the same shoe I really like and found below retail.
Vans Gilbert Crockett Blackout (January) - It was a great day in 2019 when I learned they made “pro” Vans that didn’t have paper thin soles. I love the look of a Van, like many generations surely they were the shoes of my youth. Half Cabs specifically were what I skated in for a lot of high school, but as an adult these dogs need support. The pros are built for some youth to trash themselves on a 10 set, but also for an old man to run errands on the weekend. Jump to this past year and I picked up my second pair of Crockett pros in black.
Air Jordan 1 High Bordeaux (April) - Last year we went to Boston for Spring Break with the kids on some 2020 flight credits. We didn’t go with a full itinerary though. If we can we like to have some things we’d like to do, but keep space for organic discovery too. Some times that takes the form of exploring a little museum tucked into the shadows of a city. Other times it is the 12 year old telling us he wants some “drip” for his birthday and us seeking out sneaker stores. No luck in Beantown, but in the airport home we ordered these.
Nike Sacai x Clot Waffle “Net Blaze” (May) - When there was a run of Sacai drops in various colorways on the dumb app in 2021 I got in on all of them, and as expected didn’t win any. Frustrated and dead set on picking up a pair I got the “Kiss of Death 2” Clots in late 2021. Last year still enamored with the look and already sold on the comfort, I picked up a second pair.
Nike Air Max 1 ‘Treeline’ (May) - I’ve been hunting for my first pair of Maxes for a few years now, but could never find the colorway I liked. These were an app drop that I assumed was a limited release. I got in on them not thinking I would win and then I did! Huzzah…oh these are a drop you can just buy and they were just available in the weeks that followed the release? I make out like that upset me, it did, but not because I didn’t like the shoes. They are great, but Nike sucks for how they operate all this.
Nike Dunk Low ‘Fossil Rose’ (August) - Mike’s white whale hunt for Dunks and my continued support to “get in” on drops eventually turned into my desire for Dunks. He gave me the dunk virus and on a wild hair in the summer I finally picked up these. Easily my favorite pair last year.
Nike Air Max 1 ‘Crepe Hemp’ (September) - Now armed with fool me once knowledge on Max “drops”, I was somehow fool me twiced when these came out. The color and textures are super up my alley. They are the shoes I get the most compliments on out in public. Speaking of, I used to not compliment people’s shoes when I was out. Maybe I’d lean over to my wife and say “those are crazy expensive, but really cool”. After feeling great from enough shoe compliments myself I now hand them out like candy.
Nike Dunk Low ‘Teddy Bear’ (December) - These are my favorite pair I bought last year and I don’t get to wear them. My wife’s relationship with my dumb shoe hobby ebbs and flows between mildly supportive to passive aggressive. When she requested that I pick her out “cute fashion shoes” last Fall I jumped on the chance. Really happy with the pick, they look cool as hell on her and they make me smile every time she wears them.
Tom Sachs x Nikecraft General Purpose Shoe (December) - So she gets Christmas shoes and I don’t? Is not what I said to myself, but it certainly was the theme to the justification to pick up a grail shoe at the end of the year. They are great, super comfortable, look good with lots of wear (other peoples pictures), and no fair that Laura Kampf is rocking them in every stinking video. How am I supposed to hold out on getting these!