From the store to the site, the team is strong. The guys and gals of NiceKicks.com and the Snkrs Day Shop took the time to countdown their ten favorite sneakers of 2011. Check ’em out, give us your favorites, and enjoy your New Years. Here’s to a great 2011 and an even better 2012.<\/p>\n
10. Taka Hayashi x Vans Vault Sk8-Hi LX ?Honey?<\/strong><\/p>\n Taka and the Vans Vault team have linked up for a number of great shoes, but none rank as high to me as his reinterpretation of the Sk8-Hi. From the ground up, the shoes sported a new outsole, a mixture of treated textile and ostrich skin upper, finished off with leather laces.<\/p>\n 9. Ronnie Fieg x ASICS GT-II ?Ultra Marine?<\/strong><\/p>\n Ronnie has gotten busy for the past four years on ASICS sneakers, but his first go round on the GT-II showed to many that he knows a thing or two about sneakers that don?t have a split tongue.<\/p>\n 8. Frank the Butcher x adidas Forum Crest Hi<\/strong><\/p>\n Frank knows his kicks, period. The high top Forum has not been seen since the days when the hustlers in his hometown were rocking this beast. Frank unearthed the shoes from the grave and put together a series of three that are to be celebrated. Great materials, timeless colors, and the original ?Hustler?s Crest?. They may be a remake, but many will say these kicks are made for an OG.<\/p>\n 7. Concepts x New Balance 999 ?Kennedy?<\/strong><\/p>\n Concepts has no shortage of great releases on their resume, but the ?Kennedy? 999s definitely rank high on the list. Concepts helped bring back this vaunted silhouette with a bang, and they were the official pair to rock last summer with a polo and shorts.<\/p>\n 6. Snkrs Day x New Balance 1500<\/strong><\/p>\n Maybe I?m a little biased about how much I like this shoe, but the materials and quality that New Balance executed make this my favorite project to date. Don?t let the photos fool you?hit these with the flash and you will see that these aren?t your grandpa?s grey New Balances.<\/p>\n 5. Nike Air Foamposite One ?Royal?<\/strong><\/p>\n We have seen countless Foamposite drops in the past couple of years, but nothing touches the OG.<\/p>\n 4. Air Jordan 11 ?Concord?<\/strong><\/p>\n The 100-foot dunk commercial was yet another unforgettable commercial put together by Wieden + Kennedy for the Air Jordan franchise, but MJ and team busting doors down and finishing 72-10 is something that can?t be matched. Look past the great design of the Jordan 11 and look at what MJ accomplished en route to his 4th ring ? Jordan 11s are historic.<\/p>\n 3. Air Jordan 3 White\/Cement<\/strong><\/p>\n The Air Jordan 3 was an iconic shoe in and of itself in terms of design, but coupling that with what Michael Jordan accomplished on the court in the 1987-88 season makes this shoe one of the most incredible sneakers of all time.<\/p>\n 2. Run DMC x adidas Superstar ?My adidas?<\/strong><\/p>\n Sure, sneakers get referenced in hip-hop all the time, but no shoe or brand was put center stage quite like adidas was by the legendary RUN DMC. Adidas Originals held nothing back for this release with the finest quality leathers, black reflective stripes, gold rope chain lace dubray, and nods to the 25th anniversary of the track.<\/p>\n 1. Nike Mag<\/strong><\/p>\n Everything about this project was legendary. The years of grassroots efforts to build awareness of the demand and love for this shoe by fans of the movie and sneakers paid off as Nike used the opportunity to bring out the McFly to raise awareness and millions of dollars for Parkinson?s research.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10. Nike Huarache Free 2012 Runner White\/Gold-Teal<\/strong><\/p>\n Free technology dominated the marketplace this year and with the addition of a classic, huarache upper you have the best of old and new.<\/p>\n 9. Missoni X Converse Chuck Taylor Hi “Blue”<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Solid follow up to their previous collaborations with Converse.<\/p>\n 8. Ronnie Fieg X Asics GT-II “Ultra Marine”<\/strong><\/p>\n Ronnie killed it with these in my opinion. I like that he chose the GT- II for this collab as the perforations on the tongue as well as the label with contrasting print are such a subtle yet important details on the shoe.<\/p>\n 7. Air Force One Low “Denim”<\/strong><\/p>\n The combination of the denim, contrast stitching and gum sole make this shoe one for the record books.<\/p>\n 6. Zillion X Asics Gel Lyte III<\/strong><\/p>\n Without the picture of this shoe, most people will have no clue what the F*** I’m talking about (even in the office no one remembered this overseas release). But take a look at it, a good long look, and I think you will appreciate the beauty in the simplicity of this shoe.<\/p>\n 5. Air Jordan I “Banned”<\/strong><\/p>\n A classic. Nothing else needs to be said.<\/p>\n 4. Air Jordan III White\/Cement<\/strong><\/p>\n This is hands down my personal favorite Jordan of all time (followed by number 5 on this list). Design, wearability, heritage and history make this shoe so great.<\/p>\n 3. Snkrs Day X New Balance 1500<\/strong><\/p>\n I swear this is not shameless self promotion as I honestly believe these were one of the best releases of the year. The way the final product turned out far exceeded our expectations and the combination of the high grade pig skin with the 3M makes this shoe second to none (well I guess third by this list, but you know what I mean).<\/p>\n 2. Air Jordan XI “Concord”<\/strong><\/p>\n Eagerly awaited by HUNDREDS of thousands worldwide, this shoe satisfied many who begged for it to be brought back.<\/p>\n 1. Nike Mag<\/strong><\/p>\n True, this shoe was not available to everyone, but you cannot deny the impact it has made on the sneaker community. The amount of anticipation it had in the hearts of sneakerheads and moviegoers alike is unparalleled. The greatest shoe that never released, finally did.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10. Air Jordan 5 “Premio”<\/strong><\/p>\n I love the extremely detailed premium leather on these retros. It’s easily my favorite Bin 23 release to date.<\/p>\n 9. Nike LeBron 8 V2 “Cool Grey”<\/strong><\/p>\n Cool Grey on the LeBron line gets me every single time. I’m already looking forward to the upcoming “Cool Grey” LeBron 9. This was my first purchase of 2011.<\/p>\n 8. Nike Zoom Kobe VI “Medium Grey”<\/strong><\/p>\n My favorite player’s shoes + my favorite color = win<\/p>\n 7. Snkrs Day x New Balance 1500<\/strong><\/p>\n Am I being biased? Maybe a little bit, but, again it is predominately grey, and I love the different materials applied to its makeup.<\/p>\n 6. Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 “10.0”<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the lone vibrant sneaker in my top 10. I really like the theme Nike incorporated on this shoe, and the “Bright Mango” color scheme just sounds intriguing. By the way, the Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 is one of my favorite performance sneakers of the year.<\/p>\n 5. Vans Chukka Standard Issue LX “Castlerock”<\/strong><\/p>\n This is my favorite casual sneaker of the year. The two different shades of grey, and the wool side panels caught my attention when they first arrived in the Snkrs Day shop.<\/p>\n 4. Air Jordan 3 Black\/Cement<\/strong><\/p>\n The return of this shoe was very special to me because it’s one of my favorite Jordans ever. Plus, Jordan Brand blessed me with a free pair for winning the basketball competition contests in October. Thanks JB!<\/p>\n 3. Air Jordan 11 “Concord”<\/strong><\/p>\n 72-10. That’s really all that needs to be said. This shoe is easily one of my favorites ever. Ever.<\/p>\n 2. Air Jordan 3 “Black Flip”<\/strong><\/p>\n The “Black Flip” Air Jordan 3 totally caught me off guard. The premium leather and the black leather lining made this my sleeper of the year.<\/p>\n 1. Air Jordan 5 “Wolf Grey”<\/strong><\/p>\n Obviously, I love grey shoes. The Air Jordan 5 is one of the best silhouettes ever, and to see it smothered in Wolf Grey brought a smile to my face instantly. I probably wear this shoe more than any sneaker right now.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10. Air Jordan 4 “Doernbecher”<\/strong><\/p>\n Great looking shoe for a great cause. I love the way the green and blue pop off the black. I actually love everything about the shoe except the prices they resell for.<\/p>\n 9. Nike Lebron 9 “Christmas”<\/strong><\/p>\n When we first saw the LeBron 9, I figured I would never own a pair, I just didnt like the styling of it. When I saw the Christmas edition, my opinion totally changed! The all red upper is dope and the 3M Swoosh and icey bottom sets them off perfectly.<\/p>\n 8. Nike Air Force 1 “Year of the Rabbit”<\/strong><\/p>\n The color way of this shoe is nice and clean, and that’s always a good thing. The colors are a great combo, and the material is incredible. ?How can you go wrong with the milky bottom?<\/p>\n 7. Air Jordan 14 “Last Shot”<\/strong><\/p>\n I know a lot of people may not like 14s too much, but I really do! Classic Bulls colors on a 14, made this a easy pick for me.<\/p>\n 6. Nike Air Force 1 “Brazil”<\/strong><\/p>\n Black upper on with a white midsole, and gum bottom is a win on any Air Force 1. Add the green hits with the detailing on the leather and you have a classic.<\/p>\n 5. adidas JS Panda<\/strong><\/p>\n Yeah, I know these are a bit much for some but I really dig them, so they made my list.<\/p>\n 4. Nike Air Griffey Max 1 “Emerald”<\/strong><\/p>\n I had been waiting on this shoe to retro for quite some time, and this year it finally did, and boy did that make me a happy 3. Nike Air Force 1 Duckboot<\/strong><\/p>\n What can I say? I love Air Forces! These are super fresh from the colors to the non-slip bottom. Too bad I will only have 2. Vans Spectator “Brother Marshall”<\/strong><\/p>\n I really like the Vans Spectator silhouette. It’s fresh and can be dressed up or down easily. Brother 1. Snkrs Day x New Balance 1500<\/strong><\/p>\n Yeah, I know, it’s kind of biased to pick a Snkrs Day shoe, but this shoe is dope! Shout out to Matt! The <\/p>\n 10. Nike Free Run 2 “Challenge Red”<\/strong><\/p>\n I haven?t checked the numbers, but the Free Run 2 had to be one of, if not THE top selling shoe in 2011, and all for good reason. I picked up the Challenge Red colorway, which is practically sold out everywhere now.<\/p>\n 9. Nike Air Max 90 Vac Tech Premium Haystack<\/strong><\/p>\n I was stoked when we got these in at the shop. They are just super clean, and super smooth, and look great under some raw denims. Top 5 90?s colorway to date, in my opinion.<\/p>\n 8. Nike Air Max 2011 Black\/Volt<\/strong><\/p>\n Go-to shoe for shipment days at the Snkrs Day shop. These hold the title for the most comfortable shoes I own, and my favorite modern Air Max to date, but those 2012?s do look like they are going to be a winner.<\/p>\n 7. Nike Blazer Mid SB ?A Tribe Called Quest?<\/strong><\/p>\n I got caught sleeping when these dropped earlier this year, and I am regretting it so much now. If anyone still has these sitting on the shelf in an 8.5, let me know!<\/p>\n 6. Vans Vault x Taka Hayashi Derby TH LX Black<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n When I need a break from The Dirty 6th Street and head over to the Warehouse District, I need something a little dressier than sneakers on my feet. These Derby TH LX?s do the job perfectly, and the natural gum sole looks so dope.<\/p>\n 5. Snkrs Day x New Balance 1500<\/strong><\/p>\n Matt did an amazing job with these, and they were automatically added high to my rotation list. They are clean, eye catching, and comfy as hell!<\/p>\n 4. Nike SB Dunk Low Pro SB ?Space Jam?<\/strong><\/p>\n Space Jams are my favorite 11, and Dunk Low SB?s are possibly my favorite shoe to wear, so I knew I had to cop these when pictures first surfaced. My boys at No Comply Skateboards in Austin hooked it up, and I have gotten much wear out of them in 2011.<\/p>\n 3. Jose Parla Converse Chuck Taylor Product Red<\/strong><\/p>\n Aesthetically speaking, my favorite shoe to drop this year. It is clean, artistic, and very pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, I was unable to grab these, but had I, they probably would have been even higher on the list.<\/p>\n 2. LDRS x adidas Forum Moccasin Mid Red<\/strong><\/p>\n Probably my craziest pickup of 2011, but these are guaranteed to turn heads. The details on this shoe are amazing, and the leather is softer than any other leather shoe I snagged this year. Great job Leaders.<\/p>\n 1. Air Jordan 3 ?True Blue?<\/strong><\/p>\n I have worn this shoe exponentially more than any other shoe in 2011, so I had to put it at the top of my list! The True Blues have the elephant print on the panel by the lace wholes, which is why I pick them over White Cements or Black Cements.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10. Nike Air Force 1 Red\/Black <\/strong><\/p>\n I’m not big on Air Forces but these joints right here are fire. Red is my favorite color and these are covered in it. With a suede upper and black bottom these have to be top GR of 2011.<\/p>\n 9. Air Jordan 5 Black\/Metallic Silver <\/strong><\/p>\n Has to be the best 5 model. Black suede covers the shoe with the metallic to give it that little pop. Missed out the first re-release, but not the third time.<\/p>\n 8. Nike Air Griffey Max 1 White\/Black-Varsity Red <\/strong><\/p>\n The Griffey Max 1 is a classic shoe in my life. For Nike to drop this color way, it made it a for sure cop for me.<\/p>\n 7. Air Jordan 13 “Playoff”<\/strong><\/p>\n Finally brought back a classic to the future. The “Playoff” is one of the top 13 model in my opinion behind the Bred.<\/p>\n 6. Air Jordan 3 White\/True Blue <\/strong><\/p>\n The Retro 3 is my second favorite model behind the famous Jordan 11s. It’s just a simple classic model. True Blue’s have been a favorite in my choice of kicks.<\/p>\n 5. Air Jordan 3 BHM<\/strong><\/p>\n Man, great choice by Jordan Brand picking the Retro 3 to represent Black History Month. Black with the gold and African American designs on the shoes made for a nice look.<\/p>\n 4. Snkrs Day x New Balance 1500<\/strong><\/p>\n Be a crime to the company if i did not have these, sweet smooth kicks on the list. Real nice clean cut with A+ comfort made these make my top 5. Nice work Matt.<\/p>\n 3. Nike Zoom KD IV “Weatherman”<\/strong><\/p>\n Kevin Durant is one my favorite players in the NBA. With that being said, I’m as well a big fan of his kicks. The KD IV is a nice model and that Weatherman colorway just make them joints pop. I’m a fan of bright, loud, crazy color shoes.<\/p>\n 2. Air Jordan 3 Black\/Cement<\/strong><\/p>\n What can I say? I love 3s. No matter if its OG or Retro. I Can pretty much wear these with anything and still get compliments. Simple, fresh, with a classic smooth look, ah that sounds like me.<\/p>\n 1. Air Jordan 11 “Concord”<\/strong><\/p>\n Of course my number 1 choice is going to be the Retro 11 Concord. The shoe speaks for itself.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10. Nike MAG<\/strong><\/p>\n As a film lover and life-long sneaker collector, seeing these finally release was a dream come true. These fall at #10 for me simply due to the fact that they were not made to be worn and were not widely available, but I can?t say enough about the great way Nike went about releasing them and supporting the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Here?s hoping we see these return for the masses in 2015. They?ll be at the top of my list that year if they do.<\/p>\n 9. Air Jordan 5 ?Wolf Grey?<\/strong><\/p>\n I wasn?t completely sold on these when images were first released, but once I got my hands on a pair there was no turning back. Neutral Jordans are great because you can wear them with a multitude of outfits, and the 5 is one of my favorite models so these have already gotten a ton of use (but probably not as much use as George?s pair).<\/p>\n 8. Nike SB Dunk High ?Liberty?<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes, the Space Jam Lows were hype-worthy, but the ?Liberty? comes out on top in terms of SB releases from the Swoosh this year in my book. Scuffing your Dunks never looked so good. Hopefully we get to see more sneakers with the same type of layered treatment next year.<\/p>\n 7. Nike Air Force 1 ?Year of the Rabbit?<\/strong><\/p>\n I?ve never been a big AF1 collector, but the YOTRs definitely make the top ten in my year-end list. The contrast of leather and suede is perfect, and the translucent sole serves as the perfect foundation for this perfectly mismatched pair. Seeing Matt wear these into the office during the summer was always slightly painful.<\/p>\n 6. Ronnie Fieg x Asics Gel-Lyte III ?Salmon Toes?<\/strong><\/p>\n These were a long time coming from Ronnie, and were definitely well worth the wait. The premium materials, the way he blocked them?incredible.<\/p>\n 5. Nike Zoom Kobe VI ?FC Barcelona? Away<\/strong><\/p>\n As a big Bar?a fan, these will always be a grail and one of my favorite sneakers from 2011. I love the icy sole in contrast to the vibrant mango upper. At least we got a more attainable glimpse at the colorway on the ?BG32? Hyperdunks. Those are a favorite, too.<\/p>\n 4. Air Jordan 11 ?Concord?<\/strong><\/p>\n MJ and the Bulls went 72-10 when he wore these, but beyond that Tinker Hatfield designed a shoe that altered the way we all think about basketball sneakers, what they can look like, and possibly what we can do in them. Classic.<\/p>\n 3. Nike Zoom KD IV ?Nerf?<\/strong><\/p>\n The color-blocking, the mini hoop and Nerf basketball packaging, the exclusivity ? everything about this shoe made it great and incredibly hard to track down. The pictures didn?t even do the boldness of these proper justice, and seeing the Longhorn Basketball team wear them on the court with those all-gray uniforms was the cherry on top.<\/p>\n 2. Nike Air Huarache Bball 2012 QS<\/strong><\/p>\n One of my favorite Tinker-designed shoes got an updated QS comeback this year and I couldn?t be happier. I?m going to go watch the Fab 5 documentary again to celebrate. The runners are a must-cop as well.<\/p>\n 1. Air Jordan 3 ?True Blue?<\/strong><\/p>\n I know, I know, everybody loves the ?Concords? and I?m crazy for not putting those in the top spot, but ?True Blues? have (and probably always will be) my favorite 3 and one of my all-time favorite sneakers. Nothing beats the red Jumpman contrasting with the True Blue interior and accents, and the extra hint of Elephant Print near the laces puts these over the top. JB could retro these every year and I would be an infinitely happy sneakerhead.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10. Nike Footscape Motion (Bodega)<\/strong><\/p>\n These are one of those rare shoes that look weird on the shelf but are pure beauty on the feet. The lucky few to cop this TZ release know what I?m talking about. Pictures don?t do this collaboration the justice they deserve.<\/p>\n 9. Nike SC Trainer II QS (Infrared)<\/strong><\/p>\n Bo and Andre knew the deal with these in the 90?s. And finally we do too with the QS release with rich high quality leather and construction. Heads up, NIKE, quality over quantity all day, any day.<\/p>\n 8. Nike Air Max Penny I (Orlando)<\/strong><\/p>\n Penny?s first signature was an instant classic. Never owning the originals and passing on earlier retros, this shoe was a must for 2011.<\/p>\n 7. Vans Vault Sk8-Hi LX by Taka Hayashi (Honey)<\/strong><\/p>\n Hayashi-san blesses us with one of the best designed shoes of 2011. The juxtaposition of honey colored ostrich leather and khaki herringbone uppers on top of a rubber skate shoe can only be achieved through the mind of a great artist. Domo arigato fasho!<\/p>\n 6. Nike Huarache Trainer Low (EA Sports ?Fight Night? x Manny Pacquiao)<\/strong><\/p>\n Like the pound for pound champion boxer who Nike and EA Sports has teamed up with, the ?Fight Night? this Huarache Trainer has ?WIN? written all over it. Torch mesh for breathabilty, lightweight uppers and a gummed sole make for quick responsiveness on court, canvas or in the gym.<\/p>\n 5. New Balance 1300 (Steel Grey ? Made in the USA)<\/strong><\/p>\n New Balance killed it this year with all its collaborations. Shout out to Snkrs Day?s 1500?s and Concepts 999?s. But this remake of this 1300 that dons original color blocking is pure class. This ain?t your grand pappy?s shoes… well they very well might be!<\/p>\n 4. Adidas Superstar 80?s (RUN DMC ?My Adidas?)<\/strong><\/p>\n This wasn?t the first time we saw the forefathers of Hip Hop and Adidas collaborate on a shoe nor will it be the last. Classic 80?s Superstar design using premium material with a touch of 3M stripes and heel tab make this one of if not the best constructed shell toe we?ve seen to date. Word.<\/p>\n 3. Tie: Air Jordan I (Banned) & Air Jordan XI (Concord)<\/strong><\/p>\n These two iconic shoes hold a very special place in athlete sponsorship as Money was fined for wearing shoes that went against NBA uniform regulations. The Concords made headlines during Mike?s comeback season as he lead the championship Bulls on a 72-10 season the same way the rookie year retro ?Banned? I?s bold colors changed the way we looked at sneakers and endorsements forever.<\/p>\n 2. Tie: Air Jordan III (Black \/ Cement + White \/ Cement)<\/strong><\/p>\n Best on Earth. Best on Mars. Whichever version you prefer you can?t go wrong with the shoe that Tinker designed to win over Mike from changing his endorsment deal to Adidas. This would only be the start of many more Air Jordan models that we would all fall in love with.<\/p>\n 1. Nike Mag<\/strong><\/p>\n I?d call you a liar if you did not geek out when you saw Marty slip on these futuristic sneakers in 2015 or 1985? err whenever! Point is this release continued the 25th anniversary of the Back to the Future Trilogy into the future by offering the world a chance to win, by eBay auction for the MJFF, their very own pair? Sans power laces. Hopefully Nike will release that version in 3 years.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10. Snkrs Day x New Balance 1500<\/strong><\/p>\n This shoe is def in my top rotation period! The 3M on this shoe is sick!! The comfort is always there with new balance and the collab with my fav store makes this an easy move…LOOK MA NO HANDS<\/p>\n 9. Nike LeBron 9 “Cannon”<\/strong><\/p>\n My fav LeBron 9 colorway…brings back memories of all the Hurricane stuff I owned as a kid..<\/p>\n 8. Nike Air Foamposite Pro “Pine Green”<\/strong><\/p>\n Big Foam fan and this was a must cop NO QUESTIONS.<\/p>\n 7. Air Jordan 11 “Concord”<\/strong><\/p>\n What can I say about this shoe that hasn’t already been said about the gift of life? Simply Amazing.<\/p>\n 6. Nike SB Dunk Hi “Liberty”<\/strong><\/p>\n This colorway is pretty playalistic and the copper underneath is pure genius.<\/p>\n 5. Nike Air Force 1 Low “Red Suede”<\/strong><\/p>\n My first pair of AF1s and the look of them is simply BUTTER.<\/p>\n 4. Converse Chuck Taylor Low Black\/White<\/strong><\/p>\n Every day shoe when I can’t decide what to wear..gotta have the fat black laces though.<\/p>\n 3. Vans Switchback CA Dark Navy\/Cathay Spice<\/strong><\/p>\n Vans are one of my fav brands and to see this shoe have sort of a duck boot look was a must have..the blue toe box with the walnut upper is classic.<\/p>\n 2. Nike SB Dunk Low “Roller Derby”<\/strong><\/p>\n Red is my fav color..the colorway on this is sick..the insole is pretty cool too..<\/p>\n 1. New Balance 1300 <\/strong><\/p>\n Love the comfort, the materials are amazing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10. Nike LeBron 9 ?China”<\/strong><\/p>\n I love colors that pop out and this is definitely a shoe that pops out. Very eye catching. Crazy shoe to sleep on.<\/p>\n 9. Snkrs Day X New Balance 1500<\/strong><\/p>\n Everything about this shoe is great. I love the reflective tongue the most. Matt did a really great job designing this shoe. Another shoe I wish to have in my size.<\/p>\n 8. Nike SB Stefan Janoski Khaki\/Gum<\/strong><\/p>\n Love the gum sole and the khaki. If you skate or not it’s still a cool shoe to just wear.<\/p>\n 7. Nike Lebron 8 V2 Low ?Solar Red?<\/strong><\/p>\n One of my favorite Lebron 8?s. Great color with the black swoosh to top it off, wouldn?t change a detail on them.<\/p>\n 6. Air Jordan 3 White\/Cement<\/strong><\/p>\n OG and classic. Rocking these when I was two years old, fast forward to seventeen years later and they come out again. You can’t go wrong with these.<\/p>\n 5. Air Jordan 3 “Grey Flip”<\/strong><\/p>\n Great shoe to be released only in kid sizes. Surprised by the outcome in these as a lot of females really slept on these.<\/p>\n 4. Air Jordan 3 “True Blue” <\/strong><\/p>\n I really love the elephant print with the red and blue, and with this being different than any other 3 it has the elephant print also surrounding the laces.<\/p>\n 3. Air Jordan 11 “Concord”<\/strong><\/p>\n The splash of purple is what I love most about the shoe. Overall the quality is great and no doubt the people?s favorite shoe right now in December.<\/p>\n 2. Concepts x New Balance 999 “Kennedy”<\/strong><\/p>\n What I love most about this shoe is the ripstop nylon accents and nautical flags. I wish they would of made these in GS sizes.<\/p>\n 1. Air Jordan 3 Black\/Cement<\/strong><\/p>\n My top pick of 2011. Great shoe to just get up and go. ?You don?t have to be fancy with it as the shoe speaks for itself. 10. Nike Air Max 90 ?Ripstop?<\/strong><\/p>\n One of my favorite Nike shoes, in an all-black color way, with no suede, yes sir.<\/p>\n 9. Ronnie Fieg x Asics Gel Lyte III ?Leatherbacks?<\/strong><\/p>\n Like Tron? Like Techno? Then why didn?t you like\/get this shoe? My answer: ?Because the power went out.?<\/p>\n 8. Air Jordan 3 White\/Cement<\/strong><\/p>\n I personally like these more than the Black\/Cements, the only thing that hurt this shoe was it released in January instead of a summer month.<\/p>\n 7. Nike Air Huarache Free<\/strong><\/p>\n Old school meets new school, I can dig it.<\/p>\n 6. Snkrs Day x New Balance 1500<\/strong><\/p>\n The most comfortable shoe to come out this year. Argue with me, you won?t.<\/p>\n 5. Nike LeBron 9 ?China?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think these should be renamed the ?Year of Dragon? because of the flame accents around the laces and the ancient dragon on the tongue.<\/p>\n 4. Nike SB Dunk High ?Liberty?<\/strong><\/p>\n Amurrica!<\/p>\n 3. Nike SB Dunk Low ?Space Jam?<\/strong><\/p>\n Waited in South Carolina heat for 8 hours?need any more explanation?<\/p>\n 2. Air Jordan 11 ?Concord?<\/strong><\/p>\n This had to be on here, no explanation needed.<\/p>\n 1. Nike Mag<\/strong><\/p>\n It?s more than just a prop from Back to the Future 2, it?s an icon. Especially when Nike sells 1500 of these, with all the proceeds go to the Michael J. Fox Foundation. SWAG.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10. Nike Trainer SC II QS<\/strong><\/p>\n Apart from the Emerald Griffeys, this is THE retro I have been waiting for. When Bun had them in the KRIT video, I was so hype. Nike kept the retro very close to the original release, and the quality of the materials was top notch. I immediately copped both pairs.<\/p>\n 9. New Balance x Concepts 999 “Kennedy”<\/strong><\/p>\n This was one of the best collaborations I’ve seen in a long time. You can tell a lot of thought and time was put into the design and mix of materials because they immediately remind me of Cape Cod boating life and JFK. Salute to Frank the Butcher and the Concepts crew for creating such an iconic shoe.<\/p>\n 8. Snkrs Day x New Balance 1500<\/strong><\/p>\n I’m a little biased because I had the privilege of seeing some of the behind-the-scenes, but the outcome was great. Classic silhouette, and the colorway represents the NK brand perfectly. Matt did an outstanding job on these.<\/p>\n 7. WTAPS x Vans Syndicate<\/strong><\/p>\n Great set. Edgy, but refined design. Like all Vans Syndicate releases, the execution was excellent. The burgundy was a fresh choice for the Bones re-vamp.<\/p>\n 6. Missoni x Converse Chuck Taylor (Blue)<\/strong><\/p>\n Another stellar release from Converse and Missoni. They took a simple shoe and made it high fashion. The premium blue leather and blue laces really set the shoe off, and the thicker midsole is a subtle, but great complement to the overall design.<\/p>\n 5. Air Jordan 1 Hi “Banned”<\/strong><\/p>\n The “Watch the Throne” 1s. This shoe is what we down South call “goin fed”. The quality of the materials and details of the shoe were ridiculous, especially for a release that went straight to the outlets. The “Nike Air” branding on the shoe was a nice touch as well.<\/p>\n 4. Air Jordan 3 White\/Cement<\/strong><\/p>\n Just like the Black\/Cement 3, this is another classic. Perfect shoe for any and every occasion. This is my go-to.<\/p>\n 3. Air Jordan 11 “Concord”<\/strong><\/p>\n Classic in every single sense of the word. I remember when MJ wore them with the “45” jersey in the playoffs against Orlando, and I had to have them. I wasn’t surprised by the chaos caused by the 2011 drop because I grew up in Houston, and XIs always make the city go crazy.<\/p>\n 2. Air Jordan 3 Black\/Cement<\/strong><\/p>\n I didn’t really pay attention to all the complaints about the quality. To me, this shoe right here is a masterpiece. If you don’t know, you better ask somebody.<\/p>\n 1. Nike Mag<\/strong><\/p>\n I don’t have a pair, but to me, the Air Mag was hands down the most impressive release of 2011 because Nike executed the drop with surgical precision. The shoe was crazy, the marketing around the shoe was exciting, and it was for a great cause. The Michael J. Fox Foundation raised a lot of money and got a lot of exposure around the world. Cats that aren’t even into shoes were going crazy over these. Golf claps all around.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10. Snkrs Day x Adidas Campus 80’s<\/strong><\/p>\n This Snkrs Day collab is special shoe to me. It was the first Snkrs Day collaboration shoe and release party I was a part of. The branding we did on each shoe made it even more unique.<\/p>\n 9. Mighty Crown x Nike Sky Force 88 Low <\/strong><\/p>\n The 3m on these is something else! Let just a touch of light hit this Sky Force and the whole shoe pops!<\/p>\n 8. Air Jordan 3 Black\/Cement<\/strong><\/p>\n This was must have in my list as they are the cleanest 3s to me. The black with elephant print is too clean!<\/p>\n 7. Primitive X DVS Torey Pudwill Burgundy\/ White<\/strong><\/p>\n This Cali inspired shoe that Primitive did hit home for me! The Torey Pudwill signature DVS model is one of my favorite skate shoes, and Primitive being one of my favorite shops in Cali I could not leave these behind. The Cali flag on the tongue has to be my favorite feature on this shoe. Cali will always be my home away from Texas.<\/p>\n 6. Nike SB Dunk Hi “Cheech and Chong”<\/strong><\/p>\n The tear away surface with the leafy green feature underneath on this SB is my favorite aspect of this shoe. I’m a big fan of SBs and had to add these to my collection to go with my “Skunks”.<\/p>\nAllison Halfhill- Director of Operations<\/h2>\n
George Kiel- Associate Editor<\/h2>\n
Greg Grovey- Store Manager<\/h2>\n
\ncamper.<\/p>\n
\nthe opportunity to wear them a few times in Texas before the temperature hits the 100’s again.<\/p>\n
\nMarshall put there spin on it and came up with a hit.<\/p>\n
\ncolors and materials used are crazy and not to mention the 3m shines like none I’ve seen before on a pair of kicks.<\/p>\nMike Parsley- Assistant Store Manager<\/h2>\n
Alex Starks – Store Associate<\/h2>\n
Brittany Shelton – Social Media Strategist<\/h2>\n
Ardee Taganas- In House Photographer<\/h2>\n
\n
LaMarcus Martin -?Store Associate<\/h2>\n
Jasmine Majors -?Store Associate<\/h2>\n\n
\n<\/p>\nBrett Pickert- Social Media Strategist<\/h2>\n
Peter Sim- Graphic Designer and Brand Strategist<\/h2>\n
Joshua Barcenas- Online Customer Service Associate<\/h2>\n