Nike SB x Jordan IV? - 2023

From a manufacturing perspective Sometimes it’s a little more complicated than that. The process Nike was using to make shoes in 1989 has not only grown to accommodate higher production numbers, but it’s also grow to accommodate more shoes. Shoes that might use some of the same tooling and processes but are different end products like flight 13s or dub zeros. So Nike might compromise on something like shape for the Jordan 4 it it means they can make 5 other shoes come out of that same manufacturing process.

Just my two cents as a manufacturing engineer.
I think this has something to do with it, 100%. But I believe the underlying thing driving the lower-quality products (materials and molds) is the profit motive. Not just an effort to increase manufacturing capacity.

Of course being a large publicly traded company, a profit motive exists, but I have read some of Nike's public statements regarding their financials and they are extremely aggressive at setting revenue and profit targets. Above the median firm.

Moving more and more manufacturing into China seems to be part of this effort to improve margins I mean nearly all companies were doing it at the time.

One of the best examples of this is the Eggplant Foamposite. They released the same shoe, one year apart, the first model made in Taiwan, the second in mainland China. The downgrade in the shape, coloring, and mold was so apparent.

Retros took off, Nike/JB started releasing lower quality products, and consumers didn't punish them for it. So it incentivizes them to keep releasing ****, and not worrying about changes in the manufacturing process degrading their product

And this one be one thing. I would accept Nike/JB just responding to market conditions, except....

Nike/JB has used them using better materials and fixing the molds in their marketing. The whole "remaster" series was focused on this messaging. They talked like they were going to make widespread improvements, instead, we got marginal improvements. Even now, when you watch things like those SNKRS streams they will point out things they changed on models to make them "true to the OG".

I think Nike/JB knows it can do way better than they are currently doing, and they know they can. However, it is more profitable to not do so.
 
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My favorite piece of Nike tomfoolery with their "true to the OG" marketing was the Pre-Grape 5s.

JB themselves put this original sample out there for marketing...

yubno5gbubbfxxupvdy9.jpg.jpg


While showing off what they intended to release...

image-118.jpg




I believe they even had Tinker do some marketing for it

It was so brazen I was impressed.
 
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I think this has something to do with it, 100%. But I believe the underlying thing driving the lower-quality products (materials and molds) is the profit motive. Not just an effort to increase manufacturing capacity.

Of course being a large publicly traded company, a profit motive exists, but I have read some of Nike's public statements regarding their financials and they are extremely aggressive at setting revenue and profit targets. Above the median firm.

Moving more and more manufacturing into China seems to be part of this effort to improve margins I mean nearly all companies were doing it at the time.

One of the best examples of this is the Eggplant Foamposite. They released the same shoe, one year apart, the first model made in Taiwan, the second in mainland China. The downgrade in the shape, coloring, and mold was so apparent.

Retros took off, Nike/JB started releasing lower quality products, and consumers didn't punish them for it. So it incentivizes them to keep releasing ****, and not worrying about changes in the manufacturing process degrading their product

And this one be one thing. I would accept Nike/JB just responding to market conditions, except....

Nike/JB has used them using better materials and fixing the molds in their marketing. The whole "remaster" series was focused on this messaging. They talked like they were going to make widespread improvements, instead, we got marginal improvements. Even now, when you watch things like those SNKRS streams they will point out things they changed on models to make them "true to the OG".

I think Nike/JB knows it can do way better than they are currently doing, and they know they can. However, it is more profitable to not do so.

100%. You don’t make the decisions Nike makes without profit being the driving factor. And you’re right, this is 100% going to be the remastered campaign all over again. And while the marketing will make it seems like “we heard you and we’re giving you what you want” is actually “we found a way to manufacture a product we’ve been producing for 30 years the way you’ve been asking for it even cheaper and we’re going to charge you the most we’ve ever charged for it”
 
JB should suck it up and go the proto route. I would rather the brand produce og colorways with new more comfortable materials and tech than their “reimagined” gimmick.
 
JB should suck it up and go the proto route. I would rather the brand produce og colorways with new more comfortable materials and tech than their “reimagined” gimmick.
The whole Jordan 31 to whatever line is them trying to pay homage to the originals. Once we get to Jordan 61, maybe that’s when the protro line will start. 😂
 
From a manufacturing perspective Sometimes it’s a little more complicated than that. The process Nike was using to make shoes in 1989 has not only grown to accommodate higher production numbers, but it’s also grow to accommodate more shoes. Shoes that might use some of the same tooling and processes but are different end products like flight 13s or dub zeros. So Nike might compromise on something like shape for the Jordan 4 if it means they can make 5 other shoes come out of that same manufacturing process.

Just my two cents as a manufacturing engineer.
So SB shape dub zeros incoming? 🔥🔥
 
How does SNKRS calculate this?

D52D1197-17FE-4C82-A483-A192B6A56D7F.jpeg


Them Travis Scott golf shoes being ahead of these is kind of nuts. Like if somebody offered me those golf shoes in exchange for a pair of SB4s I would laugh in their face

List must be based on which shoes had the most bot entries
 
How does SNKRS calculate this?

D52D1197-17FE-4C82-A483-A192B6A56D7F.jpeg


Them Travis Scott golf shoes being ahead of these is kind of nuts. Like if somebody offered me those golf shoes in exchange for a pair of SB4s I would laugh in their face

List must be based on which shoes had the most bot entries
Probably based on number of entries.
 
I don't remember anyone liking the dub zeros back during the ezboard days.

I loved the dub zeros when they first came out. I had the chicagos and photo blues. I’m sure there were some OG purist back in 06 but I feel like we were being fed hand to mouth back then when it came to retro releases and many of the LS releases only dropped in mom and pop shops. I was happy to get some of those hybrids back then. Dubzeros, spizikes, and the melo 5.5s.
 
Makes sense.

The OG molds of tons of shoes were lost. Nike told us.
Doesn’t make sense now. You could 3D scan an OG pair and get exact dimensions and angles. Technology is advanced enough not having a mold doesn’t really excuse anything. If you can get the exact specs of any OG size it could be scaled for a FSR with OG proportions.

Nike says something and a lot of people believe it despite the evidence repeating itself for decades now.

And let’s be real, OG lasts or not, if you know what the end product should look like you can make it look like that. Recent examples show us vast differences from previous retros with some obvious differences still included
 
Doesn’t make sense now. You could 3D scan an OG pair and get exact dimensions and angles. Technology is advanced enough not having a mold doesn’t really excuse anything. If you can get the exact specs of any OG size it could be scaled for a FSR with OG proportions.

Nike says something and a lot of people believe it despite the evidence repeating itself for decades now.

And let’s be real, OG lasts or not, if you know what the end product should look like you can make it look like that. Recent examples show us vast differences from previous retros with some obvious differences still included
Yeah I know.

I was kidding. That excuse was always funny to me and I’m sure no one ever believed it.
 
It’s never a question of ability. They can do anything. It’s about whether they think it’s worth putting in the investment at the given time.
Getting the correct specs on their entire vault of shoes is an inconsequential cost. You’re talking about making that someone’s job. It ain’t that tough. They make billions a year and we’re talking about a one time investment of hundreds of thousands. It’s laughable.
 
Exactly.

I bought a GE CT scan for only $100k, that included deinstallation from some hospital and installation of it.

If I could afford, Nike could definitely afford it.
 
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