You may not realize it but the intersect between nerd culture and streetwear is real, especially when it comes to sneakers. For years now designers at major sneaker hubs like Nike, Adidas, and…
You may not realize it but the intersect between nerd culture and streetwear is real, especially when it comes to sneakers. For years now designers at major sneaker hubs like Nike, Adidas, and Puma have drawn influence from comics, manga, action movies, and everything in between to create killer shoes that pay homage to the pop culture properties they love (sometimes in subtler ways than you would realize). And that’s not even getting into the tech innovation that goes into making sneakers these days. Earlier this year Adidas dropped a shoe that utilized a sole 3D printed with oxygen. Those self-lacing shoes from Back to the Future? Those are a reality now.
We’re not saying you need to go full-on hypebeast, but with all of the utterly dope shoes coming out these days that draw from properties we love, 2018 has been a great year to expand your general nerd-dom to include sneakers. Here are some of the best releases of the year, from killer pop culture collaborations to innovative tech — and even a couple that are in a category all their own.
Photo Credit: Reebok
A few years back Reebok dropped a line of shoes inspired by Ridley Scott’s indomitable sci-fi thriller Alien. They were a huge hit so this year, to coincide with the release of The Predator, they swung for the fences again with the DMX Predator. Featuring a weird, futuristic digital camouflage colorway and a number of homages to the film franchise (the spine ornament is a gruesome but excellent touch), they’re a must-have collectible for longtime fans.
Buy it at Reebok.com
Photo Credit: Puma
Brand crossover sneakers can sometimes skew a bit on the gaudy side. That’s why Puma’s collaboration with Polaroid proved such a pleasant surprise this year. Rather than clunky silhouettes that draw from the chunky instant cameras that made Polaroid a household name, the collaboration instead features sleek, clean designs that all feature Polaroid’s signature rainbow incorporated in an understated fashion. A collab is at its most successful when you want it even if you don’t have attachment to the property it draws from, and these shoes definitely fit that bill.
Buy it at Puma
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There’s been no pop culture sneaker collab more anticipated in 2018 than the Adidas x Dragon Ball Z line. Rumors were circulating as far back as 2017 that the fashion giant would be launching a line of shoes based on the acclaimed anime. They proved to be true. Shoes drawing from Goku, Freiza, and Trunks have been released and there are plenty to come, but the standout so far has been the pair based on arguably the best DBZ villain ever: Cell. Based on the Adidas Prophere silhouette, the shoe pays perfect homage to a menacing and memorable villain. It’s a little alien and weird, but then again, why would a sneaker based on Cell be anything less?
Buy it at Adidas.com
Photo Credit: Nike
Sneaker tech has come a long way since the days of the Reebok Pump and one of the cooler innovations we saw this year came in the Air Jordan XXXIII. The shoe is lace-free, instead incorporating Nike’s FastFit system. Just give the shoe’s tab a pull and it conforms to fit your foot perfect. Pull another tab and it releases. Tech alone doesn’t make a shoe great though, so it’s a good thing the XXXIII also features one of the best Jordan designs of recent memory. The brand’s flagship sneaker is in a good place with the XXXIII and we’re in no rush to get to the XXXIV with a sneaker this dope on our hands.
B uy it at Nike.com
Photo Credit: Flight Club
Sometimes a dope colorway is all it takes. Those first few years of Air Jordans are filled with iconic silhouettes, chunky sci-fi-esque takes on basketball sneakers that are still immortal to this day. The recent Air Jordan VIII in Turbo Green (affectionately referred to as both the South Beach and the Miami Vice) is a classic sneaker in an instant-classic colorway. What more do you need?
Buy it at FlightClub.com
Photo Credit: Nike
There’s no basketball player today more game to experiment with weird, wild colorways and collaborations in their signature sneaker line than Kyrie Irving. Nothing epitomizes this more than his Cereal Pack drop earlier this summer. The story behind the collab? Kyrie likes cereal. Simple as that. Respect. Probably even more shocking is that Kix ended up with the dopest sneakers in the whole line. They’re a crisp yellow with blue accents, making for a bright, vibrant sneaker any self-respecting cereal aficionado or sneakerhead can appreciate.
Buy it at Footlocker.com
Photo Credit: Nike
The story behind this one is killer: years ago Nike produced a crazy limited PlayStation edition of the iconic Air Force 1. They only went to a select few contest winners as well as some friends and family of those involved with the making of the shoe. A few more were produced in 2009 but past that, nothing. This year that changed with the wide release of a new Air Force 1/PlayStation collab. It’s a sleek black shoe with classic PlayStation accents, the kind of subtle display of fandom that doesn’t sacrifice a sense of style for big flashy logos or obnoxious colors. No word yet on whether or not it’ll up your God of War skills yet, though.
Photo Credit: Vans
Vans’ whole Marvel line from this past summer is full of gems, from cool tees to killer shoes. The standout, however, is the Captain Marvel Sk8-Hi by a country mile. Featuring the iconic color scheme from Jamie McKelvie’s redesign of the character in 2012, it’s the perfect shoe for fans of the character. The shoes are also out in plenty of time for you to cop a pair to wear to the theater for Captain Marvel’s opening night.
Buy it at Vans.com
Photo Credit: Nike
Continuing the trend of Kyrie 4s being totally unafraid to get a little weird, Nike just recently dropped the Kyrie 4 Halloween colorway just in time for, well, you know. They’re the perfect Halloween sneaker, kind of slyly evoking the Goosebumps logo with drippy green slime dangling from the classic Nike swoosh.
