Exclusive sneaker evolution, memories, etc...

[OGponson]

first off i dont consider myself a sneaker head. I came of age in the 90s and was a fan of shoes and the lifestyle of people who copped a lot of kicks. I found nt on the release of the first stu dunks. My first exclusive pair was the unc 12s with the cap and the hoodie. Over the years I’ve seen many eras and phases of things along with stuff people went crazy for but can’t give away now.
What are some of y’all’s experiences with exclusive sneakers. I think about how some of the af1 during the patent leather days (easters, chamber of fear LebRon’s) and some of the dunks from the earlier series and feel like they’re almost worthless now. What kind of losses have y’all taken from hype? What are some good memories from eras of shoes? I’m bored so decided to make a topic. I’m old now and have learned to admire those type of shoes from my screen and am not compelled to actually buy them. Og colorway 90s classics are a different story

 

[kingkoopa]

first off i dont consider myself a sneaker head. I came of age in the 90s and was a fan of shoes and the lifestyle of people who copped a lot of kicks. I found nt on the release of the first stu dunks. My first exclusive pair was the unc 12s with the cap and the hoodie. Over the years I’ve seen many eras and phases of things along with stuff people went crazy for but can’t give away now.
What are some of y’all’s experiences with exclusive sneakers. I think about how some of the af1 during the patent leather days (easters, chamber of fear LebRon’s) and some of the dunks from the earlier series and feel like they’re almost worthless now. What kind of losses have y’all taken from hype? What are some good memories from eras of shoes? I’m bored so decided to make a topic. I’m old now and have learned to admire those type of shoes from my screen and am not compelled to actually buy them. Og colorway 90s classics are a different story

Welcome to General where 99% of us is WASHED!

Sneaker game died forever once I was unable to simply buy shoes at retail.

I just don't have the energy to jump through hoops.

Im a work boot/Air Max guy now.

 

[noskey]

What are some good memories from eras of shoes?

Paying retail.

 

[Fozz]

I'm kind of surprised at the Dunk revival that's happening right now. Had a lot of SB heat in 2016 and sold them for dirt cheap.

I do miss paying retail and having somewhat of a chance to purchase a pair in your size.

 

[noskey]

I'm kind of surprised at the Dunk revival that's happening right now. Had a lot of SB heat in 2016 and sold them for dirt cheap.

I do miss paying retail and having somewhat of a chance to purchase a pair in your size.

This post reminded me that I lost a pair of UnFuturas a couple years ago while moving and now I cant buy any for less than a rack. ****ing dunk hipsters.

 

[OGponson]

Paying retail.

Bro the Barkley releases last year broke my heart

 

[MachineMan]

Being able to go to the store days after release and still cop anything you wanted

 

[OGponson]

Being able to go to the store days after release and still cop anything you wanted

I remember I copped the first raptors 7 retro like a month after they dropped. It was Christmas time too

 

[MachineMan]

I remember I copped the first raptors 7 retro like a month after they dropped. It was Christmas time too

I copped Olympic 7s og cool grey IVs and Jordan low ie blk/red way after release date by just walking in the store.

 

[wayniac211]

Been into kicks and it’s motivating marketing since Niketown opened off 6th & salmon in downtown Portland. Retros are cool but it’s always about the innovation. Shoes are a commodity.. and Nike is the rubber god

 

[supa vegetto]

Eastbay catalogs still having sizes MONTHS after release. Those catalogs were all we had at one point especially if you had the latest before anyone else at school. That thing would get passed around like a communion plate.

TBH, I just miss folks who truly appreciated sneakers as art and not just some device to acquire clout.

No disrespect to the youths but it wasn't something you based your entire personality on. I go on IG and it's just cringe.

Most folks I come across don't even know I collect. It's not something that defines me, You'll find me wearing Vans most days. I keep the heat on ice or break them out on special occasion.

I'm getting old.

 

[stuntman mike]

best recent memory is finding out that these dunks i had rotting in the closet were worth money. i probably paid a total of less than $300 for both pairs used and wore em a bunch of times and lost track of them. fast forward to april this year and i see dunks are hot again and i end up making a deal with someone to buy both pairs for $4500. that was a happy day.

 

[crazy ebw]

I'm kind of surprised at the Dunk revival that's happening right now. Had a lot of SB heat in 2016 and sold them for dirt cheap.

I do miss paying retail and having somewhat of a chance to purchase a pair in your size.

This is exactly my thoughts with the recent trend. I remember some of these TB Dunks that are going for 300+ right now sitting around in outlets in 05-09ish. I don't understand it at all, and it doesn't really bother me because I was never into dunks in the first place. It's similar to the Jordan 1 High Hype/Mid Hate going on right now.

StockX is one thing, it is what it is, but all of these "pop up" reseller shops im starting to see are disgusting. Literally a sneaker reseller shop in a mall, which is next to a Finish Line, which looks like a damn clothing store now.

A random sneaker memory that I thought about recently was being able to walk into a store the day the South Beach 8's originally dropped and nobody cared about them because the color way was deemed outlandish by a large group of people. I was excited about them, and people in my area quickly gobbled them up. I ended up selling them used for 3x what I paid along with a lot of my Nike Basketball/Jordans and getting out of the game because I started caring about comfort over anything else.

 

[stuntman mike]

TBH, I just miss folks who truly appreciated sneakers as art and not just some device to acquire clout.

 

[crazy ebw]

TBH, I just miss folks who truly appreciated sneakers as art and not just some device to acquire clout.

Theres always been folks on both sides of this coin, I just think it feels more pronounced now because of social media and the such.

 

[ineedacape]

Shoutout to champs and Nordstrom for firing my gf,when she was working she would hook me up with the employee discount, sometimes like 80 percent off of anything in the store. And I'd show up to the mall with bread not even expecting her to be working the counter, we both were getting over big time

 

[OGponson]

Been into kicks and it’s motivating marketing since Niketown opened off 6th & salmon in downtown Portland. Retros are cool but it’s always about the innovation. Shoes are a commodity.. and Nike is the rubber god

I was a strict retro guy but i always respected your type. Without you guys who kept up with the current/new tech there would be no future fire retros. Way more valuable to the culture than hypebeasts.

 

[wayniac211]

I was a strict retro guy but i always respected your type. Without you guys who kept up with the current/new tech there would be no future fire retros. Way more valuable to the culture than hypebeasts.

All luv! I got respect for these guys on here that sole swap and get creative. There’s one poster who does it on the zoom fly thread and always gets repped.
Lotta retros feel uncomfortable and tbh were garbage when they first released and still retro basura lol

 

[Deleted member 42060]

It's all messed up due to resellers, bots, social media influence, and some fake products from some people. It's been getting tough and messed up since iirc 2011/2012. Yeezy II Solars was one of the most difficult sneakers I tried to get, I even remember a bum on NT who charged money for the information about when they were gonna drop, and he was wrong and got banned . I got the II, just paid resale. It's worse trying to buy some grs these days.

 

[crazy ebw]

It's all messed up due to resellers, bots, social media influence, and some fake products from some people. It's been getting tough and messed up since iirc 2011/2012. Yeezy II Solars was one of the most difficult sneakers I tried to get, I even remember a bum on NT who charged money for the information about when they were gonna drop, and he was wrong and got banned . I got the II, just paid resale. It's worse trying to buy some grs these days.

Once the Cork Lebrons and Yeezys were coming around and bots were a part of the game, I knew I was officially washed and the sneakers I wanted wouldn't be obtainable with good ol Internet and refreshing.

 

[kickvicisous]

Reselling has always existed, just wish it wasn't as popular as it is now. Although I get it

 

[blastercombo]

Reselling has always existed, just wish it wasn't as popular as it is now. Although I get it

This isn’t true. There was a time when all the “cool shoes” now were in bargain bins

 

[blastercombo]

best recent memory is finding out that these dunks i had rotting in the closet were worth money. i probably paid a total of less than $300 for both pairs used and wore em a bunch of times and lost track of them. fast forward to april this year and i see dunks are hot again and i end up making a deal with someone to buy both pairs for $4500. that was a happy day.

LOL wow. I will never understand this

 

[Air Champa]

What I miss is just hanging out with other folks outside the store before it opened.

I realize the foolishness that sometimes goes on at launches is what gets the attention, but a lot of people are actually pretty chill. It feels kinda good to be around others of your kind, so long as they aren't acting up.

I'm sure everyone misses retail. I used to rock new kicks the day I got them, even if it was just for a trip to the grocery store. Never worried about what they might be going for in a few years.

 

[crazy ebw]

What I miss is just hanging out with other folks outside the store before it opened.

I realize the foolishness that sometimes goes on at launches is what gets the attention, but a lot of people are actually pretty chill. It feels kinda good to be around others of your kind, so long as they aren't acting up.

I'm sure everyone misses retail. I used to rock new kicks the day I got them, even if it was just for a trip to the grocery store. Never worried about what they might be going for in a few years.

Imagine actually being able to buy a pair of shoes at retail because you were 'X' number in line and not having to worry about rigged raffles by staff.