Author Archives: Aaron Kr.
April 26th, 2012 by Aaron Kr.
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The NFC North has that tough-as-nails reputation about them thanks to the legendary pedigree of dominant defense set forth by Pittsburgh and Baltimore (Cleveland and Cincinnati have some work to do, which is why this weekend’s NFL Draft is particularly important to them). Representing the AFC North is the Nike Huarache Free Shield; this particular set utilizes a consistent color-blocking of black Shield-fortified uppers with the team colors on the interior Torch-fitted bootie, completed by white outsoles and speckle-detail on the upper midsole that extends upwards toward the heel. The Huarache Free Shield re-visits 2010′s exceptional Nike Zoom Huarache TR Mid, so we expect these to be one of the first to go! Check out all four team colorways below, and lets us know if you’d be willing to lay down your team allegiance and cop one of these can’t miss Nike US Football releases!
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April 25th, 2012 by Aaron Kr.
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Many sneaker fanatics and aficionados never take into consideration the painstaking efforts that go into creating the shoes that they love. The design process can be a tedious one, especially when you consider all of the factors that can sometimes tie a designer’s hands. One of the largest stumbling blocks is the need to keep materials and costs manageable in order to ensure that the final product is affordable for consumers and profitable for the brand. While we’d all love to see our Nike’s loaded up with large Air Max bags, full-length Zoom units, carbon fiber, foam and all those other costly amenities, the bottom line is that these coveted luxuries can often drive pricepoints out of control, urging the need for more cost-effective material options in their place.
But what would happen if Nike completely unchained the leash and opened the premium floodgates in the name of the ultimate performance basketball footwear? The answer is the Nike Basketball Elite Series, a no holds barred assault on the conventional design process and the budgeting limitations that can so often hold it back. For Nike Basketball designers Jason Petrie and Leo Chang, the Elite Series project is like a dream come true. With pricepoint constraints thrown out the window, the gloves were finally off to go out and reach for the pinnacle of performance basketball footwear glory. That kind of freedom doesn’t come along very often for most footwear designers, and when it does, it’s accompanied by a responsibility to meet lofty expectations.
For Jason, Leo and the rest of the Nike BBall team, the solution was to go back to the beginning to analyze and evaluate every aspect of each existing model to determine each and every place where performance could be enhanced. Materials were added, removed, invented, tweaked and shaved down, making the shoes lighter and stronger, as well as more responsive and comfortable, all in the name of providing NBA athletes and the consumers who buy the shoes with the ultimate option for the rigorous post season push. Right down to the types of threads that are woven into the laces and the sticky grips that contour to your step on the footbed, every possible detail has been considered and tailored to maximize the overall function of the shoe. The price tags might seem a bit high when you see these hit stores this weekend, but you get what you pay for and the Nike Basketball Elite Series has just raised the bar for what performance luxury can mean to a sneaker.
Continue reading for part 1 of our interview with Jason Petrie and Leo Chang and check back tomorrow for the follow-up featuring everything you need to know about upcoming Elite Series colorways.
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April 24th, 2012 by Aaron Kr.
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Last week, we brought you a sneak peek at the latest Packer Shoes collaboration – a dynamic duo of Saucony Grid 9000′s dubbed the ‘Trail Pack’. The Grid 9000 model made some quick fans last year when it returned as part of the Bodega collection, and now the Packer crew gives the super-comfy runner a fresh new look for spring, equipped with a juicy blend of colors and materials. One pair sports an army green/spicy orange color scheme balanced out by light and dark greys, while the other contrasts a light tan base against rich blue with splashes of pink to further electrify the look. Both Packer Grid 9000′s feature a combination of suede, ballistic mesh and ripstop nylon on the uppers, giving the ‘Trail Pack’ a durable make-up that still keeps things breathable and ready to rock all year round. You can check out a detailed gallery of pics after the jump, and look for both pairs to hit Packer Shoes in-store and online next Friday, May 4th with a handful of additional retailers in the U.S. and Europe to follow shortly after.
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April 18th, 2012 by Aaron Kr.
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Over the past few years, Packer Shoes has knocked it out out of the park time and time again collaborating on sneaker projects with a variety of different brands. For their latest collabo endeavor, the NJ shop teams up for the first time with Saucony for a new spin on the criminally underrated Grid 9000 model, which was recently reintroduced to the masses as part of last year’s Bodega collection. Packer‘s offering features two trail-inspired colorways with a complementary blend of rugged base colors and vivid accent pops and a carefully considered combination of materials covering the uppers. Look for these to release in the not too distant future, so check out the teaser pics after the jump for now and stay tuned for more info and images coming soon.
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April 11th, 2012 by Aaron Kr.
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A few weeks back, we brought you a first look at a new N7 version of the Nike Zoom KD IV set to be a part of Nike’s upcoming summer 2012 collection. The Nike N7 initiative is a program created to help bring sports and physical activities to Native American and Aboriginal communities, and with the large populations residing in the Oklahoma area, Kevin Durant has become very familiar with the program and the people that it helps. When it came time for the next round of Nike N7 releases, Durant stepped up to collaborate on some special KD IV’s as his personal offering to the “Everybody Leaves A Footprint” campaign. The shoe was done up in both black and white colorways, each richly decorated with the special touches that have come to be expected on N7 footwear. The shoes won’t hit NikeStore and other select retailers until later this summer, but in the meantime, you can get a look at them on Kevin’s feet tonight against the Clippers. Official images and more info on the release and N7 program await after the jump along with a special video introduction from KD himself.
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April 7th, 2012 by Aaron Kr.
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When John Wall visited Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks in November of 2010, Reebok celebrated the Big Apple spotlight by hooking up their rookie rising star with a crazy metallic gold version of his Zig Slash shoe dubbed the ‘Gold Rush’. Only 12 pairs were released to the public at a special Foot Locker release event in NYC, leading to quite a scramble outside of the 34th St. Foot Locker. We saw a sneak peek of the follow-up Zig Encore ‘Beyond the Gold’ all the way back in November, but with the NBA lockout wiping out the initial Washington Wizards trips to MSG this year, the shoe’s release seemed to be in peril. Now it appears that things are back on schedule with John Wall and company finally set to visit the Knicks this coming Friday, and a super limited release of the ‘Beyond the Gold’ is indeed on the way. Check out the teaser pics for now and stay tuned later this week for more info.
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April 5th, 2012 by Aaron Kr.
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When we kicked off the Sneaker News March Madness Non-OG Air Jordan Tournament a few weeks back, there was no way to predict who would come out on top at the end. Unlike the OG colorway Air Jordans that have firmly cemented their place in sneaker history over the years, this batch of kicks doesn’t boast quite the same level of across-the-board agreement on which are the all-time greats. While there was plenty of heat to be found, the title was certainly up for grabs by any of the 32 worthy competitors that entered the tournament. Most of the higher seeds found early success, but there were quite a few surprising upset runs as well, eventual leading to a Finals match-up of two number 2 seeds – the ‘Raging Bull’ Air Jordan V vs. the ‘DMP’ Air Jordan VI.
As with many of the match-ups, this one remained pretty close throughout the vote-off with your eventual champion finally managing to create some breathing room towards the end before locking up the title once and for all. You may not necessarily agree that the winner you crowned is in fact the greatest non-OG Air Jordan of all-time, but you have only your fellow sneakerheads to blame, as these results were determined entirely by your votes. Keep reading after the jump to find out who took the crown in our March Madness Non-OG Air Jordan Tournament and thanks to all who participated in the voting!
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March 29th, 2012 by Aaron Kr.
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The field of 32 capable contenders in our March Madness Non-OG Air Jordan Tournament has been whittled down to the Final Four, leaving the remaining competitors to fight it out to determine who is truly the best of the best with the 2012 crown still up for grabs. When weighing the popularity of OG Air Jordan models, it’s a little more clear cut which are the top dogs, but with the non-original colorways, things are fairly open to debate and personal opinions, making sure that the eventual outcome should be interesting to say the least. Now that four shoes have made it all the way through their respective regions, it’s time to see once and for all which shoe is the king of them all. As you know, the results will be in your hands, so make sure to get your votes in before Sunday night at 11:59pm EST, and check back Monday for the announcement of our Sneaker News March Madness Non-OG Air Jordan Tournament finalists!
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