Nike SB Dunk Low Black Gum

Well, I have to confess something. I haven’t bought a new pair of Nike SB dunks in a long time. It’s not because I don’t like them anymore, or that I quit collecting. Rather it’s because I hated the maze you had to go through in order to buy a pair. I’m in Canada, so people from outside of the United States will understand our struggle. Where certain sneakers don’t release in our region and so we end up having to buy them from an American online website (reseller sneaker price, shipping, import fees, US dollar exchange rate = a lot more than I’m willing to pay). And even the shoes that do release in Canada often sellout within minutes in limited quantities. So after taking a significant amount of L’s, I decided to just stop following the new releases and wear the sneakers that I already had. However I ran into a problem with that as well, where most of my SB collection had risen in value and so I just couldn’t bear wearing anything worth over $300 and above.

So fast forward to this year (2023) and I suddenly wanted to start wearing dunks again, after collecting Adidas sneakers that past few years. While most issues hadn’t changed as far as SB dunks selling out quickly, thankfully Nike was releasing a couple of dunks that were meant to stay constantly available at retail; the Black Gums and White Gums. There is some history towards these sneakers which I don’t care to explain, but I will say that I bought the black gums this summer. As soon as I bought them I was immediately reminded about why I fell in love with SB’s; the quality, the comfort and the style. My only complaints about this release is that the nubuck will get dirty when water touches it, and that they fit a little snug (so I recommend you go up half a size in these). Other than that, these are the perfect sneakers for anyone that wants to wear SB’s and can buy them at retail without any stress.

Nike SB: www.nikesb.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_AdUSaREog

Nike SB Dunk Reese Forbes Hunter

These Nike SB Hunters were one of my first SB dunks I owned.  I remember my friend from work had taken the day off from work and then he suddenly showed up to say hello at the end of the day.  He was going to some event and had shown up casually wearing these shoes.  My mind exploded when I saw these shoes on him because I had never seen something so beautiful as these.  I asked him where he bought them, and then I went to the same store to buy them.  What a great time period to be into sneakers, as a hot release could literally stay on the shelves for weeks before selling out and retail was under $120!

My only regret now is that they feel very tight and I should have gone up a half size when I bought them.  Or maybe I’m just getting older and fatter and my feet just swell up, lol.  Honestly though these shoes are amazing because of the mix of materials such as canvas and burlap.  And although they do seem fragile, the quality is very good because I have seen people skate in them and they held up pretty well, though they are old now (released in 2004) so I don’t recommend skating in them now, lol.

Nike SB: https://www.nikesb.com/the-vault/pink-box/hunter

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-NiQlyKd-Y

Costco Birkenstock

I bought these Birkenstock sandals on sale here in Canada for $69.  Initially I was excited because they were half the price that they usually retail for.  I bought them in a smaller size from what I usually wear (size 10, I wear 11 in sneakers).  I was excited about my sandals but once I started doing a little research on them, I found out that Costco isn’t an authorized dealer of Birkenstock.

This had me worried because I assumed that they were fakes.  It also had me questioning Costco because I’ve been a loyal member for years and have never seen them sell fake products.  But after inspecting my sandals for a while, and wearing them I came to the conclusion that they were authentic Birkenstocks.  As for them being a non-authorized dealer I figure that it’s because Costco has such a great return policy that Birkenstock (the company) wasn’t ready to honor any return policy, so Costco decided to sell them without their authorization.  Boss Move!

BIRKENSTOCK: https://www.birkenstock.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzC0YzOyje0

Nike Air Force 1 Duckboot

When the Nike Air Force 1 duckboot was first revealed, many people thought they were horrible looking.  It was also a time when many Frankenstein hybrid sneakers were releasing like Air Jordan mixed with AF1.  I didn’t like this mixture of iconic sneakers, so without much thought I also passed on the AF1 duckboot.  Luckily I went to a store one day and saw them up close, and that changed my mind.  I was amazed at their quality and their style.

To start off with it’s a winter shoe, so it’s perfect for people living in cold areas with significant snow and ice.  The soles have good traction which makes it essential for walking in slippery areas.  Next it has some really beautify leather that is nice and smooth, but will also be strong against the elements such as slush and wind.  And finally I have to admit it, when it’s cold outside; you don’t care what you’re wearing you just want your feet warm; but with these AF1 duckboot’s you get to stay warm and look good.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Sh4lv932J9Y

Nike SB Dunk Newcastle

The Nike SB Newcastle dunks are inspired by the beer Newcastle Brown Ale.  Even though beer inspired sneakers are usually very popular, these took a while to sellout.  Not many people were feeling them, and some even said the goldbox era was dead.  Thankfully their unpopularity allowed me to buy them because they didn’t sell them in my location.

The moment I received them, I was amazed by their quality.  They have the softest suede I have ever felt; almost like butter or lotion.  They also came with a lace bag still attached, one of the nice things about the goldbox era that I miss the most (I also miss the price of retail dunks too, $90 wow).

Newcastle Brown Ale: www.newcastlebrownale.co.uk

YouTube: https://youtu.be/G0z0jlnlc6g

Nike SB Money Cat Lows

The Money Cat lows were part of a three pair release which included a pair in high, mid, and low.  I only wanted the lows because they were the nicest pair in my opinion.  The Money Cat lows come in a gold colorway and has a mix of suede and metallic leather.  They were a pretty flashy sneaker at the time, but compared to today’s colorful sneakers are pretty subtle.  The sneaker is inspired by the Maneki-neko (beckoning cat) which is a porcelain statue cat that moves its paw up and down and that is supposed to bring good fortune or money to a person.  When these released, Nike also sent out some limited edition money cat statues to skate shops, but unfortunately most of them broke during shipping.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FePIDnbNoow

Adidas Stan Smith End of Leather?

Over the weekend I went to the Adidas store and an employee told me that the Stan Smith leather model will soon be discontinued and replaced by a vegan leather model.  I actually yelled, NO WAY, That’s BS!  He started laughing and agreed with me because he didn’t want leather sneakers to go away either.  While I haven’t even tried vegan leather sneakers, I’m sad that we won’t even have an option to choose anymore.  And since that day, I have talked to a few people who have worn vegan leather Stan Smiths and they seem disappointed by the quality. 

 

Thankfully I was able to get this last pair of leather Stan Smiths that day.  And hopefully this vegan leather phase only lasts a few years.  (Yes, I’m aware of the damage leather causes to this world from cattle ranches, so in a way I hope the quality of vegan leather improves over time so that it becomes the best material to use on sneakers).

Adidas: https://www.adidas.com/stan_smith

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkQt9PiQJmg

Nike SB Dunk High Brut

The Nike SB Brut high was released as part of Nike SB Gentleman’s Pack back in 2007 and was part of the black and purple box era.  These dunk’s were inspired by Brut cologne’s bottle which features a green, black and grey colorway.  They feature a mix of leather and suede, one of the softest suede’s I have ever felt.  Other features include a shiny metallic swoosh and metallic thread on the tongue.

Unfortunately these shoes weren’t very popular when they released because some collector’s complained that they weren’t as pretty as Nike SB Hulk’s; a dunk high that also came in green.  I thought that these people were crazy, but it worked out for me because I was able to buy Bruts at retail, and then find them and buy them again for under retail.  One of the best advantages you can have in collecting is to ignore what other’s are saying and just collect what you like.

Nike: www.nike.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bro7Tkb4-xA

Nike Air Max 90 Retro 2020

2020 was a great year for Air Max 90 collectors because Nike decided to release various colorways of the retro sneaker.  Obliviously the most popular was the infrared, but for me I preferred to get the royal blue version; style number is CD0881-102.  The blue color just pops and I really like how it matches a Blue Jays fitted (these 90’s could have used a little red to match even further IMO).

While Nike did a great job on these sneakers, I still have some complaints.  First off the box they come packaged in is slim and so the shoes are literally crushed inside (though I do love how the box colorway matches the shoes).  Another complaint is the quality of materials used, they feel cheap and flimsy.  It’s weird how Nike spends all this time redesigning the sneaker but ends up using flimsy materials.  Oh well what can you do; at least they’re still comfortable to wear.

Nike: www.nike.com

YouTube: https://youtu.be/iAJIetTgjlQ

Nike SB Tiffany Dunk High and Low

Probably one of the most popular sneakers of the Nike SB collection are the Tiffany dunk lows and highs.  They were first created by Nike in collaboration with a skate shop called Diamond Supply Co.  They took inspiration from the high end jewelry company Tiffany & Co.  Featuring the iconic colorway of Tiffany blue, they were then matched with faux crocodile skin (which is really black leather).  And they topped it off with a diamond logo on the tongue.

The lows first released in 2005 in low quantities, and sold out very quickly because they were extremely popular.   I wasn’t able to buy them at the time, but I was fortunate enough to buy them a few years later for a fair price.  Due to their popularity (and probably being lazy and wanting quick cash) both Nike and Diamond Supply Co. decided to collaborate again in 2014 and release the Tiffany dunk high version.  However, the quality wasn’t as great as the low so they didn’t sell out so fast.  Thankfully that made it easier for me to get a pair.  Honestly I’m a fan of both high and low versions.  These shoes definitely deserve their hype among the greats.

Diamond Supply Co.:

www.diamondsupplyco.com

Tiffany & Co.:

www.tiffany.com

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH25z-PRrHc