u/Cranky_GenX

Available in all sizes except Sasquatch 🫈

Link

Ja3 Chinese New Year (Year of the Horse) - Cool Box and packaging ✅
Bold design ✅
Portland Fire Colors ✅
Not reselling for a mortgage payment ✅
This pair of shoes checks every box.

Of all of the Nike Chinese New Year releases, this year, this pair got the least amount of hype, that I saw. I have three other pair of 2026 Chinese new year shoes from Nike and none of them have the unique artistic packaging that this pair has. I really wish that Nike would've put into those other shoes the same amount of effort they put into this one when it came to the overall experience of the shoe. In terms of the design, it's the usual Ja3 bold pattern and awesome tread. However there is definitely one really unique aspect that is specific to the overall theme, year of the horse... the tongue on the shoe is horse hair. It's subtle when you look at it and you don't really notice it until you get close. This shoe was also surprisingly comfortable. I have found that a lot of the newer style basketball shoes tend to have a very narrow toolbox but this feels really nice on the foot. Best of all... you can easily find this pair, online, for below retail at this point. Right now, this Ja 3 is available on @footlocker Locker for below $120!!!

On Sale for $161.50 with code: PARJUN15 via Champs!

Nike Air Max 95 Big Bubble OG 'White/Dusty Cactus/Grey'

https://www.champssports.com/product/Nike%20Air%20Max%2095%20Big%20Bubble/M4740103.html

Adistar XLG 2.0 - Adidas just continues to take chances and put out shoes that are not only visually interesting, but comfortable as hell. I originally wasn't too sure about these chunky style shoes but I have a couple of pair now and absolutely love them. My favorite part about these shoes is the 3-D pieces that pop off of the shoe. These manage to keep the shoe looking sleek while at the same time having that chunky aesthetic. #adidas #sneakers #sneakerhead

This seems to be becoming the norm. Boutiques and other sneaker stores pimp these releases, take the orders, send out confirmation emails, and then follow that up weeks later with the obligatory "whoopsie. turns out we don't have the stock" email.

in this case, I received this email more than two weeks after the initial drop. A drop in which I placed the order literally the moment the drop occurred.

Are my fellow Sneakerheadz finding this happening more and more or is it just me?

Available at Hibbett - last I saw this wasn't supposed to release until the fall

https://www.hibbett.com/nike-air-max-95-black-chrome-gamma-blue-metallic-silver-mens-shoe/00C2G.html?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&cjevent=8aa7cd3e698a11f180de00b20a1eba22&utm\_medium=Affiliate&utm\_source=CJ&utm\_campaign=INSANE+SNEAKER&fbclid=PAVERFWASeNjBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAacX6goW-lf3IAj2Ncw7bZWwwW0pgsVgOTAb4i30J0tu6Ba-fX1JlIny\_DoV1Q\_aem\_SmaozqvZGPg4optrQ6F3jg

If you haven't already noticed, the Fire are now starting to play AC/DC's Back in Black whenever Meg has a big play. Having lived in Iowa city for 20+ years I can tell you that this song is played a lot at Iowa Hawkeye sporting events. If anyone was wondering what the connection is, there it is.

My wife and I are season ticket holders for the Portland Fire of the WNBA. Before the season started I decided I wanted to wear a different pair of sneakers to every home game. When I told my wife that, she reminded me that I already had a lot of shoes and probably didn't need to buy anymore. Rather than get into an argument, I decided to start buying her some really cool shoes as well and what do you know? It worked. Here she is rocking the Tropical Pink Travies(won the raffle on his site) while I'm in the AJ4 Toros(LOVE this pair). This was a really fun game to watch. Not the outcome we wanted but any chance you have to watch one of the greatest players to play the game(A'Ja Wilson) is worth the results.

Troll Repellant
Yes. I know this was a WNBA game.
Yes. I know the W stands for women.
Yes. I know that women are playing.
Yes. I know the MNBA subsidizes the league, at the moment.
Yes. I know you have strong opinions about a league you claim not to watch.
Yes. I know “nobody watches this” is a WEIRD thing to type under a post you stopped to comment on.
Yes. I know you could beat them one-on-one (especially in the safest arena of all: your imagination)
Yes. I know some men get emotionally injured when women are good at things.

NOCTA dropped their Canadian World Cup gear, including the CYROSHOT Tiempe
https://www.nocta.com/collections/x2-world-cup

Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG SP x Union x Bephie's Beauty Supply 'Woven Sail' - originally released in 2023, I believe. I wanted the shoe ever since. A few months back, while on a trip to Las Vegas for work, I stumbled upon a Shoe Palace in the casino where my convention was being held. Imagine my excitement when I saw this available. There's something about the uniqueness, the weave and the colors that just makes it special. They aren't for everyone. But they're for me.

adidas Superstar XLG Nanzuka Star Wars R2-D2 And C-3PO

Hard to believe that six months ago I only had two pair of Adidas and now I probably have more than...uh...let's just say more than that. Prior to this adidas kick, I had been a pretty loyal Nike sneaker head. Then it just became obvious that Nike was rehashing the exact same designs with slightly different colors and slapping a lazy collaboration tag on it with no creativity. Not to mention that the Nike sneaker head community is incredibly toxic and gatekeeping.

Meanwhile adidas is over here creating some real unique collaborations and putting out some very creative, frankly artistic, shoes.

The biggest problem I have with the brand is their sizing. The sizing is so wildly different from style to style that it is hard to know with any consistency what I should get. For example, I am an 11 1/2 in the Samba and SL series but in the superstar line, I am a 10 1/2. Sometimes. I'm currently wearing a pair of superstars that is an 11 and borderline too tight. The pair in the picture above is an 11 1/2 and is so big I could probably ski in them.

In any case, I have officially become a huge Adidas fan and I'm looking at continuing my addiction. Thank you for your enablement.

What the heck am I supposed to do with shoelaces this long? I don't know why but it seems like almost every pair of Adidas I buy, and that's quite a few, come with shoelaces that are way too long. This is just silly. Almost unusable.

These are sweet! I LOVE the marbling. Can't wait to get them in the mail.

Two beautiful Porsche parked next to each other at the grocery store. (Of course I am partial, mine is the silver 2004 996) Pretty sure I look like a weirdo taking pictures of these two.

Very pleasantly surprised by how much room there is in the toe box. Normally on air max I need to contemplate cutting off my pinky toes but these are incredibly comfortable and SUPER light weight. Not to mention, you can see them from outer space. So that's a plus.

Best of all, I got them from Stock X for below retail (even with shipping).

Very pleasantly surprised by how much room there is in the toe box. Normally on air max I need to contemplate cutting off my pinky toes but these were incredibly comfortable. Not to mention, you can see them from outer space. So that's a plus.

I also found them to be much lighter than I was expecting.

When the Mid Life Choose Your Own Adventure Time came, I went the sneakerhead route instead of the Lego path.

Because I work from home, and I'm in my office 8 to 10 hours every weekday, I wanted a space that was conducive to creativity and the opposite of monotony. When I'm on zoom calls, the Caitlin Clark signed jersey wall is directly behind me, to my right is the Jurassic Park fantastic four wall, to my left is the other side of the room. The lights outlining those shoes are connected to my Alexa so that when it detects I am in the room, they turn on.

Favorite Model - The Jordan 4 is my favorite sneaker and in my opinion the best shoe tinker ever put out. Other than those, I tend to gravitate towards unique looking shoes with very cool boxes.

Favorite Boxes -The Jurassic Park Ja 3s, the Puma Fantastic 4 collection, and the Bruce Lee Kareem Abdul-Jabbar adidas(the paper on the inside of the box is a wingspan photo of Kareem and it is so cool.)

Most Unique Pair - Either the Adidas Chewbacca high tops with the wookie hair or the adidas Hellstar orange creamsicle with the flames.

Most Creative Brand - Adidas, is by far, the shoe brand which is putting out the most creative and daring sneakers out there. They still have their classics but they are doing a lot with their whole lineup.