A Bright Start: The First Air Jordan 1 of 2021 is Wilder Than Ever

 After releasing dozens of kooky Air Jordan 1s over the last few years, Jordan Brand’s opening salvo of 2021 is of the lovingly unkempt variety. The new Air Jordan 1 High “Volt Gold” releasing in family sizing Saturday, January 9th, and available now at Stadium Goods, is exactly the kind of anything-goes vibe we all expected “JB” to drop following a year that saw Nike enlist Ben & Jerry’s and the Grateful Dead as collaborators. What strange times we’re livin’ in, man.

Like the Nike Dunk and Air Force 1, the Air Jordan 1 has long attracted attention from creatives outside of the sneaker bubble because of its blank canvas-like qualities and cultural cache. In the last few years, music artists J Balvin and Travis Scott, jewelry designers like Melody Ehsani, and many others have added their signature flair to the Jordan 1. Each as unique and popular as the next. In turn, Jordan Brand has seized the opportunity to give non-collaborative Jordan 1s the same kind of personalized feeling.

Enter the “Volt Gold.”

If you closed your eyes and tried to picture a Jordan 1 with white, black, Volt, and University Gold panels, you might think of a shoe created on Nike By You by someone with too much time on their hands, but as you can see, the discordant array of colors actually works. And there’s more to the “Volt Gold,” too. The look is balanced out by a set of vintage-inspired cream shoelaces that jives with the way people are rockin’ shoelaces these days, and it even features a reversed, orange-tinted translucent tongue tag with “Nike Air” branding on it. Can anyone say, Off-White?

Speaking of Virgil Abloh’s high fashion brand, there are other references to his past work with Jordan, specifically the Jordan 1, on the “Volt Gold.” The design displays what could be best described as “overcut” leather panels, notably on the black leather at the toe and the University Gold panel on the heel. Underfoot, a cream colored sole, like the one that appeared on “The 10,” finishes off the look.

The Air Jordan 1 High “Volt Gold” is available now at Stadium Goods in Men's and Grade School sizing.

The 10 Best Air Jordan 1s of 2020

 The Air Jordan 1 is the people’s shoe. It comes in three wearable silhouettes (low, mid, and high) and in an insane amount of colorways in all three of those options. Plus it looks decidedly at-home in today’s style zeitgeist obsessed with minimalism and keeping a clean, casual look. It’s hardly surprising that the first signature shoe of the greatest basketball player ever, Michael Jordan, is having yet another banner year in 2020.

It all boils down to this simple ideology: the Air Jordan 1 is the greatest sneaker of all-time. To prove our point, we’ve rounded up the ten best Air Jordan 1s of 2020. So without further delay, let’s get into it.

Air Jordan 1 High “Royal Toe”

The “Royal” was an original colorway of the Air Jordan 1 High when it debuted in 1985, and has since been featured across various Jordan models over the years. But it always looks most at-home when employed on the Jordan 1. The “Royal Toe” is a worthy consolation prize for the much-coveted Fragment x Air Jordan 1, and based on its great look, we predict that it would be just as big of a hit if that rare collaboration never even happened.

Women’s Air Jordan 1 High “UNC to Chicago”

With all due respect to the other sports teams that Michael Jordan has played for from his childhood to his adult life, none are more closely associated with his legacy than the North Carolina Tar Heels and Chicago Bulls. So it was only a matter of time before an Air Jordan model featured the uniform colors of both basketball teams, as the Women’s Jordan 1 High “UNC to Chicago” does so well.

Dior x Air Jordan 1 High

Dior’s upscale version of the Air Jordan 1 High and Low is the best sneaker collaboration of 2020. The first Jordan to be sourced and produced in Italy since the original Jordan 2 in 1986, the Dior-assisted colorway features the luxury fashion brand’s signature Dior Grey leather overlays, a monogram Swoosh on either side, and dual Dior and Air Jordan insignia on the tongue tag. Both the High and Low also hold another unique distinction: the first Air Jordans to retail for $2000.

Air Jordan 1 High “Dark Mocha”

Next to Virgil Abloh, no other sneaker collaborator currently has as much clout as Travis Scott. The Houston rapper’s off-the-wall Air Jordan 1 collaboration from 2019 is one of the only designs that can stand toe-to-toe with the Off-White x Jordan 1 “Chicago” as far collaborative Jordan 1s are concerned. So it’s easy to see why there was plenty of excitement surrounding the release of the Air Jordan 1 High “Dark Mocha” when you consider the popularity of the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1. Minus the inverted Swooshes found on Scott’s pair, the “Dark Mocha” is laced in the same color scheme of white, black, and a coffee bean shade of brown. It’s a quintessential Jordan 1 made for today’s lifestyle-heavy looks. And, like the Travis Scott x Jordan 1, it owes a lot of its success to the original Jordan 3 “Mocha” from 2001. Do your Googles.

Air Jordan 1 High Co.Jp “Metallic Silver”

Intentionally retro vibes are hitting in the streetwear and sneaker worlds this year. Baggy clothes and throwback sneakers have everyone dressing like they just hopped off the same time machine Jordan Brand boarded when it went back to the early 2000s for the revival of the Air Jordan 1 High Co.Jp “Metallic Silver.” Back for the first time since its original Japan-only 2001 release, the modern version of the colorway features several updates to its design that only enhance its appeal. Tonal “Nike Air” embroidery now appears on the silver tumbled leather tongue, and the overall silhouette receives a slightly higher cut and improved shape. What hasn’t changed is the fact that pairs purchased in Japan still come inside of a briefcase.

Air Jordan 1 High Co.Jp “Midnight Navy”

A second once rare Air Jordan 1 High Co.Jp returned in 2020, the “Midnight Navy” colorway. As much as we’d love to tell a tale of the its exciting product backstory, one simply doesn’t exist. Rather, the eye-pleasing design came to be simply because a color block of a white tumbled leather base with smooth Midnight Navy nubuck overlays and a silver Swoosh on either side was as timeless in 2002 and it is in 2020.

Women’s Air Jordan 1 High “Tie-Dye”

The Women’s Air Jordan 1 High received a number of strong looks in 2020, and one of the most memorable is easily this tie-dye edition sporting some cool summertime vibes. This colorway marks the first time the popular tie-dye motif has appeared on the Jordan 1.

Air Jordan 1 High “Bio Hack”

Perhaps the most random release of the Air Jordan 1 High this year was this “Bio Hack” design in a multicolor mix of colors across the leather and nubuck upper. The look has drawn many comparisons to Undefeated’s 2005 Nike Dunk High collaboration in a similar mix of colors. Why Jordan Brand dropped a Jordan 1 mimicking the Undefeated Dunk 15 years later is unclear, but when the results are this good, who cares?

Air Jordan 1 Mid “Chicago Black Toe”

A general release Air Jordan 1 Mid will never get the hype of most Jordan 1 High releases, but they certainly will move units. The “Chicago Black Toe” colorway of the mid-top has been one of Stadium Goods’ best selling sneakers of the year, so we wanted to make sure to show it some love in this list. The colorway perfectly combines the OG “Chicago” and “Black Toe” colorways of the High, and it’s easy to see why it’s been such a hit.

Air Jordan 1 High OG ‘85 “Varsity Red”

We hesitate to put this one on the list since almost nobody could actually get a pair, but the Air Jordan 1 High OG ‘85 is just too good to leave off. Looking just as it did when it debuted way back in 1985, the Air Jordan 1 ‘85 “Varsity Red” in a color block very similar to the OG “Bred” colorway features a true-to-original height, panel shapes, materials, and branding to look just like a 1985 release. Here’s hoping Jordan Brand will release more of these meticulously remastered Air Jordan 1 Highs in 2021 and beyond—in greater quantities, of course.

The 15 Best Air Jordans of 2020

 In these times of uncertainty, one of the few steady ships in 2020’s restless waters was Jordan Brand. On any given week, the line His Airness built filled up the sneaker release calendar with heat.

In February, Jordan Brand kicked off yet another promising year by paying tribute to… you guessed it… Michael Jordan. The “New Beginnings Pack” was released during NBA All-Star Weekend (which was held in Chicago of all places) and included an original colorway of the seldom-seen Nike Air Ship and an Air Jordan 1 in a color block influenced by an even rarer Player Exclusive version of the shoe Mike wore during his rookie season. Next came Virgil Abloh and Off-White’s collaborative tear-down-and-rebuild of the Air Jordan 5 to celebrate the shoe’s 30th anniversary. Jordan Brand was just getting warmed up.

In the midst of the pandemic in the spring, ESPN began airing episodes of “The Last Dance” well ahead of its planned release, and everyone gained a newfound appreciation for the late model Air Jordans that filled up episodes of the docu-series. In the spring and early summer, you couldn’t find two hotter pairs of shoes than the Air Jordan 12 and Air Jordan 13. The hype surrounding the Jordan 12 “University Yellow” and Jordan 13 “Flint” can attest.

Where did JB go from there? So many places. There are too many collaborations, new colorways, and returning “OGs” to name in the intro alone. So instead, let’s just cut to the chase. You probably want our list of the 15 Best Air Jordans of 2020, and we won’t keep you waiting any longer.

In no particular order, these are the very best Air Jordans released in 2020.

Air Jordan 12 “University Gold”

When you have a good thing, you don’t want to mess it up. Original colorways of the Air Jordan 12 like the “Flu Game” and “Cherry” are nearly perfect. So for the “University Gold” colorway of the Jordan 12 released in July, Jordan Brand simply applied the same two-tone color block and, what do you know? It was a home run. That it looks a lot like a Player Exclusive colorway worn by Gary Payton with the Los Angeles Lakers back in the day doesn’t hurt its popularity, either.

Off-White x Air Jordan 5 “Black”

When Jordan Brand wanted to fully embrace the lifestyle movement happening all around sneaker culture, it turned to Virgil Abloh to create “The 10” collection. When it came time to roll out the red carpet for the Air Jordan 5’s 30th anniversary this year, Jordan Brand once again turned to Virgil Abloh. The Windy City native has been studying the intricacies of Jordans as a designer for the last few years and wearing them to show support to his hometown hero for even longer. Ironically enough, the Air Jordan 5 was the first Jordan model purchased by Abloh as a teen way back in the day. Although unlike the “Black/Metallic” colorway Abloh likely wore into the ground in the ‘90s, his Off-White rendition of Mike’s fifth signature shoe features innovative design elements like die-cut circular patterns placed randomly on the upper and a pre-yellowed sole for an already-worn aesthetic.

Air Jordan 1 High “Dark Mocha”

We didn’t really appreciate the Air Jordan 3 “Mocha” like we should have when it came out in 2001. At the time, we, the sneaker community, wanted to wear the original Jordan colorways that Mike wore with the Bulls or the new Jordans done up in the Washington Wizards’ blue and white. Long removed from those days now, a shoe like the Air Jordan 1 High “Dark Mocha” owes some of its success to the original coffee-influenced design that paved the way for it and many other lifestyle-based Jordans to exist.

Dior x Air Jordan 1

There are Air Jordan 1 collaborations, and then there is the Dior x Jordan 1. It isn’t so much a shoe as much as it is artwork that happens to be in the form of something you could wear on your feet. It’s $2,000 retail price, a first for any Jordan model, underscores its made-in-Italy, high-fashion origins. As do the “Dior Grey” leather overlays, dual-branded Dior and Nike Air nylon tongue tag, and embroidered monogram Swoosh detailing on both sides of the upper. A regular Jordan 1, this isn’t.

Air Jordan 6 “DMP”

In the 2000s, Jordan Brand used to honor some of Michael Jordan’s greatest on-court accomplishments by releasing “Defining Moments Packs” consisting of two classic Jordan shoes in new championship inspired colorways. The idea was quietly dropped somewhere along the way, but the “DMP” collections are remembered fondly by collectors for their unique packaging, retooled colorways, and exclusivity. Few were more sought after than the gold-accented Jordan 6 and Jordan 11 tandem that celebrated the kicks Mike had on his feet during his first and fourth NBA championship victories. The Air Jordan 6 “DMP” dressed in all black with gold accents received a standalone release for the first time this year. And it looked every bit as regal as we remember the OG design being in the aughts.

Air Jordan 3 “Red Cement”

The Bulls have been wearing road red team uniforms since Jerry Sloan and Artis Gilmore were members of the team. So it’s curious as to why more original Air Jordans didn’t come in a red leather base. The Jordan 3 “Red Cement,” released by Jordan Brand in February over All-Star Weekend in Chicago, imagines what an original red-based colorway of the iconic shoe might have looked like had it been around in 1988. Dressed with a red tumbled leather upper, elephant print on the toe and heel, and an embroidered Jumpman on a cement grey leather tongue and “Nike Air” on the back, the “Red Cement” is as OG looking as any of the four pioneering Jordan 3 colorways.

Fragment x Air Jordan 3

Originally, Hiroshi Fujiwara, not Virgil Abloh, was supposed to have his own collection of Nikes and Jordans called “The 10.” That’s if you believe the rumors that have been circulating since 2017. While it’s never been confirmed by Nike, Abloh, or Fujiwara, there’s reason to believe there’s some truth to the idea. Just this year, Jordan Brand and Fujiwara’s streetwear label, fragment design, released an Air Jordan 3 that was supposedly part of the scrapped collaboration. The look is vastly different from Abloh’s vision of “The 10.” Clean white tumbled leather combines with a smooth black leather mudguard for a less-is-more approach that draws comparisons to the elegant styling of the Air Jordan 11 “Concord.” We may never get to see a fragment x Nike x Jordan Brand “The 10,” but if this Air Jordan 3 is any indication, there’s plenty of room in the sneaker universe for two “The 10” collaborations to live.

Air Jordan 5 “Fire Red - Silver Tongue”

One of the greatest original Air Jordan colorways ever worn by its model’s namesake is the Jordan 5 “Fire Red - Silver Tongue.” Flashy with the innovative performance chops to match, some of the most memorable moments of Michael’s career occurred while wearing the fierce-looking Jordan 5 “Fire Red.” On March 28, 1990, Michael scored a career-high 69 points on the Bulls’ division rival and perennial nemesis Cleveland Cavaliers while wearing the colorway. When it came time to celebrate the Air Jordan 5’s 30-year anniversary this year, there was only one logical shoe for Jordan Brand to bring back to life as a one-to-one remake that hadn’t already been its proper “true-to-original” just do: the “Fire Red - Silver Tongue.”

Union x Air Jordan 4 “Guava Ice” and “Off Noir”

While we can all agree that the Air Jordan 4 is one of the greatest sneakers of all-time, it’s not perfect. No shoe is. There isn’t a pair of sneakers on the planet that fits everyone’s foot the same—that’s why medium and wide sizing exists, after all. In terms of design, though, the Jordan 4 is a masterpiece from every angle. But even that is subjective. Union LA’s Chris Gibbs has been enamored with the silhouette since forever, but always found the height of its tongue to be too tall for his liking. So he set out to change it. The Union x Air Jordan 4  in both the “Guava Ice” and “Off Noir” features a stitched down tongue (the wearer has the ability to remove the stitches to obtain the traditional Jordan 4 look) that don’t get in the way of pants or exposed ankles. The result is a little less chafing and a whole new look for a timeless icon.

Women’s Off-White x Air Jordan 4 “Sail”

From sample to sold out, the Women’s Off-White x Air Jordan 4 “Sail” has lived an eventful life. Last year, in 2019, the cream-based monochromatic Jordan 4 appeared as merely a prop on a shelf at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s “Figures of Speech” exhibit honoring Virgil Abloh’s career. From there, well, you know what happens next. A proper retail release turned the clean, cream-colored shoe from a dream into a reality for sneakerheads.

Women’s Air Jordan 3 “Laser Orange”

Far removed from the “shrink-it-and-pink-it” era of women’s sneakers, new colorways, like the Women’s Air Jordan 3 “Laser Orange,” speak to the kind of shoes women have always wanted to wear. The Jordan 3, in particular, has become a go-to for female sneaker collectors ever since Anna Wintour and Jordan Brand teamed up in 2018. The “Laser Orange” isn’t as ambitious as Wintour and Vogue’s multicolor tweed “AWOK,” but it makes use of a timeless Jordan 3 design—tumbled leather, elephant print, and a secondary accenting color to bring the look together.

Air Jordan 11 “Jubilee”

A few of Nike and Jordan Brand models celebrated a milestone this year. As previously mentioned, the Air Jordan 5 got the red carpet treatment for its 30th anniversary—Nike had a similar rollout for its Air Max 90, which also turned 30-years-old in 2020. Another classic shoe in the Nike pantheon also had a special birthday recently, too: the Air Jordan 11. Originally released in 1995, the classy design is now 25-years-old, and Jordan Brand wasn’t going to let this accomplishment go unnoticed. Colorways like the Women’s Jordan 11 Low “Concord Sketch” and the Jordan 11 “Jubilee” bring to life early design concepts sketched by the shoe’s designer, Tinker Hatfield. The “Concord Sketch” had a moment in the summer when it was released and remains a super clean look for the Jordan 11, but the “Jubilee” is more in the way of some of the models iconic colorways like the “Space Jam” and “Bred.” Its unique “JORDAN” detailing on the side of the eyelets is supposedly how Hatfield intended for the shoe to look before he did away with it for the final product. With slightly more pairs in circulation thanks to its full family sizing release, the “Jubilee” is our pick as the year’s best Air Jordan 11 25th anniversary design.

Air Jordan 4 “Fire Red”

Patience is a virtue. Jordan Brand sure likes to test that premise. With all due respect to the retro Air Jordan 4 “Fire Red” from 2012 (and one “Mars Blackmon” and one “Laser” colorway from the mid-2000s that are based on the OG “Fire Red” look) that have been released, worn, and enjoyed by sneaker collectors, it always felt like something was missing with those shoes. A nagging feeling. The new “Fire Red” 4 absolves the sensation. Now, for the first time since the model’s original release year, 1989, a “Fire Red” colorway exists with “Nike Air” on the back. Like the remastered “Bred” before it, the updated-for-2020 “Fire Red” is as close to the original style, shape, and materials used by Nike all those years ago.

Air Jordan 1 Mid “Chicago Black Toe”

The Air Jordan 1 Mid had its biggest year ever in 2020. It’s no coincidence that the silhouette has been one of our best sellers of late, too. The Jordan 1 model is the people’s shoe, and the inclusive Jordan 1 Mid is an ever-popular choice for people just dipping their toe into the hobby of sneaker collecting and aficionados alike. Colorways like the “Disco Ball” live harmoniously with high-profile collaborations like Melody Ehsani’s watch-clad design in the Jordan 1 Mid’s world, as do looks that honor the silhouette’s heritage, like the “Chicago Black Toe.” The medley design combines the original “Chicago” and “Black Toe” colorways for a style that is both familiar and refreshing.

J Balvin x Air Jordan 1 “Colores Y Vibras”

Does J Balvin ever do anything quietly? That’s a rhetorical question, because we all know the answer is a resounding no. You won’t find the Colombian-born reggaeton superstar’s face next to the word “bashful” in the dictionary any time soon, and the word certainly can’t be used to describe his “Colores Y Vibras” take on the Air Jordan 1. An explosion of color and vibes as its nickname translated to English suggests, the look is all show with the go to match. Jagged panels in a rainbow-like assortment of colors combine with the artist’s smiley face logo on patches on the heel. Then there’s the dual branded tongue tags, the pink sole, and frayed canvas overlay on the toe. The first Air Jordan 1 designed by a person of Latin descent, J Balvin’s collaborative “Colores Y Vibras” is definitely one of the best non-original looks of the iconic shoe ever made.

What's Next? Our 2021 Sneaker Predictions

 The word “unpredictable” immediately comes to mind when thinking back to all of the wild sneaker trends that occurred in 2020. At the beginning of last January, someone of only Miss Cleo’s ilk could have forecasted that a New Balance shoe would be among the hottest NBA All-Star Weekend sneaker releases. Or that the Nike Dunk would shake off a mothball or two to become 2020’s de-facto “it” shoe.

But that was last year, and this is now.

So what’s on tap for 2021? Another Joe Freshgoods and New Balance collaboration? Original Air Jordan 6 colorways with “Nike Air” on the heel? An Off-White x Nike Air Shake NDESTRUKT to celebrate the craggy performance hoops model’s upcoming 25th anniversary? Time will tell.

With an eye to the future, let’s take a stab at predicting five sneaker stories and trends that will dominate headlines in the months ahead.

More Nike Dunks. Lots More.

We touched on it in the intro and it bears repeating—the Nike Dunk had one helluva 2020. The likes of Travis Scott, Virgil Abloh, and even Ben & Jerry’s and the Grateful Dead, for crying out loud, all lined up to put their respective spins on the shoe last year. If that wasn’t enough, usual suspects associated with the SB Dunk like StrangeLove Skateboards and Concepts released coveted colorways, as well, so there was something for every kind of Dunk connoisseur. Will the trend continue in 2021? We have no reason to think that it won’t, if the Dunk’s appearance on the Nike By You app or the six (!) Dunks releasing on January 14th are an indication. Hot take: Expect Nike to roll out the red carpet for the shoe, SB variant and regular models alike, in the near future. More Dunks on sneaker store shelves is never a bad thing.

(Image courtesy of adidas and Joshua Kissi)

Jerry Lorenzo/Fear of God x adidas + the Restart of adidas Basketball

Late in December, before everyone settled into the stupor of the holiday season, adidas shocked the sneaker and streetwear stratospheres by announcing it had reached a long-term partnership with Jerry Lorenzo and his Fear of God clothing line. Lorenzo, who had previously been under contract with Nike, revealed his alliance with the German footwear brand on his Instagram account with a dauntless photo of his newly minted Three Stripes neck tattoo. Game on. The headline of adidas’s press release reads “Adidas and Fear of God Reimagine the Future of Adidas Basketball,” and one doesn’t have to think twice about how adidas is angling its groundbreaking union with Fear of God: there will be an emphasis on revitalizing adidas’s hoops segment under Lorenzo’s creative guidance. What does that mean for adidas, Lorenzo, and Fear of God? Perhaps a Fear of God x adidas performance basketball shoe in the vein of the adidas Yeezy QNTM. Lorenzo might be tasked to add his input to James Harden’s signature line, one would have to think. Heck, could a Fear of God x adidas Crazy 8 be on the distant horizon? Stranger things have happened.

New Balance Picks Up Where it Left Off in 2020

New Balance came for all the smoke last year. Let’s run that last sentence back, and this time when you read it, let the words really sink in for a moment before proceeding. New Balance came for all the smoke last year. Wow. If that felt as good to re-read as it was for us to type out again, then here’s a virtual Stone Cold salute to the New England based brand bringing that same energy into 2021. New Balance fans have never needed a new model to stay enthusiastic. Some inventive collaborations with up-and-coming creatives, a few dozen wearable 992s, and letting Aime Leon Dore’s Teddy Santis unearth an obscure performance basketball shoe from the ‘80s were tailor-made for today’s vintage-obsessed zeitgeist, and just what the doctor ordered last year. More of the same in 2021? Hell yeah!

The Air Jordan 1 Mid Has a Moment in 2021

All signs point to the Air Jordan 1 Mid being bigger than ever in 2021. In 2019, the Jordan 1 Mid was on everyone’s radar when it was tapped by Jordan Brand as part of an expansive “Fearless” campaign, which included the release of Los Angeles based jewelry designer Melody Ehsani’s popular gold watch-clad colorway. Last year, more Jordan 1 Mids followed, including many that either directly or indirectly paid homage to some of the most storied designs in the silhouette’s history, like the “Chicago Black Toe,” one of our highest-selling models to-date. This year, we expect more of the same from Jordan Brand in regards to pumping out Air Jordan 1 Mids. Maybe even an unexpected collaboration, or two? Stay tuned.

Party Like it's ‘96

As much as Nike spent 2020 progressing sneaker technology forward, it also looked inward for inspiration by throwing year-long anniversary parties for keystone models in its collection. The Air Jordan 5 and Air Max 90 turned 30-years-old last year, while the Air Jordan 11 and Air Max 95 celebrated a quarter century of anchoring sneaker rotations. Could other sneaker brands in addition to Nike, like adidas, Reebok, and more follow suit with anniversary bashes of their own? It wouldn’t be out of the question to see many of the greatest kicks originally released in the year 1996 return in 2021 to lap up retro glory on their 25th anniversaries. Some models to keep an eye out for: the Nike Air More Uptempo, Nike Air Shake NDESTRUKT, Nike Air Max CB34, Nike Air Penny 2, Reebok Question, Reebok Kamikaze 2, Reebok Shaqnosis, and the adidas EQT Top Ten 2000. Seriously, 1996 was the greatest sneaker year ever.

Under Armour Embiid 1 Performance Review

 The Embiid 1, Joel Embiid’s first signature shoe, is a solid performer that’s outdoor ready. I think it’s overall performance will surprise people. Thanks for coming to WearTesters to read the full review before purchasing. We’ve got all the details you need to decide if the Embiid 1 is the right shoe for you.

Traction

I was expecting great things from the traction as it reminds me a lot of the Nike Kobe 5 traction pattern. Unfortunately, my experience wasn’t quite at that Kobe 9 level of grip. Granted, I set these up for failure by putting them up against what I consider to be one of the greatest tractions of all-time, but, alas, the Embiid 1 still held its own on-court.

The only area I found to be problematic was at the center of the forefoot where the pattern design is almost like a block. It was a bit too square and the grooves were a bit too thick, so there would be certain plants and push-offs where I could feel the outsole slide from under me. Luckily, the rest of the outsole was solid so while I would have an initial slip, or jerk, the rest of the outsole would catch and I’d be fine.

Outdoors was a different story. This was where I never had any problems. Just straight up great grip. Yes, the rubber has started to fray, but even the best of rubbers will do that outdoors. Especially when you take them on multiple abrasive surfaces.

Cushion

Full length Micro G and a HOVR heel puck are in place for cushion. The last time we saw Micro G and HOVR together was in the Curry Flow 8 — and I was excited as hell to try it out. Like most Curry models, the cushion left a lot to be desired, which I felt was a major letdown. The marketing of the combination of the two cushioning systems raised my anticipation and hopes to a point where if it wasn’t at least OG Clutchfit Drive level of cushion, I’d be severely disappointed. Well, we all know how that went and I was annoyed with the cushion in the Curry 7.

The Embiid 1, however, feels like a return to the good ‘ol days of Micro G where you had a super comfortable, yet stable, shoe underfoot. Perfect for a big man like Embiid, but still made for players like myself who enjoy a well-balanced ride.

So, while the Micro G still wasn’t super bouncy like the Clutchfit Drive, they were at least on par with the old Brandon Jennings models like the Black Ice and Bloodline — both really solid models in UA’s early years in the basketball category. With the cushion being as good as it is, and the traction being as good as it is, the Embiid 1 is a really solid shoe on court, especially if you hoop outdoors.

Materials

Materials are pretty basic, and somewhat standard nowadays. The primary material is mesh. There are a few thin TPU panels in high-wear areas and stress zones, but the majority is mesh. For a signature shoe, I would like to have some premium touches. Some leather or suede placed somewhere. At the top of the tongue, around the heel, at the toe…anywhere. Yes, this is a personal preference of mine, but it’s the era I grew up in. Where signatures and non-signatures alike were made with good to great materials.

Now, the mesh performed well. So, with that in mind, Under Armour did a good job. The mesh is very breathable, something lacking when using raw materials like leathers and suedes. And on top of ventilation, the mesh required no break-in time at all. They were ready to go right out the box.

So, performance wise the materials are solid. But, for a signature shoe, I need some signature touches. Storytelling isn’t a premium touch to me. Materials are the only area that can check that box for me.

Fit

I went true to size and I feel they fit perfectly. My toes are right at the edge, and for a textile-based shoe, I feel this is perfect. Some people do prefer to have a thumbs-width of space within their shoes, but I feel this leaves too much room. And when the shoe has a softer build that leaves too much room for error. Your foot can, and likely will, shift inside the shoe which would make them dangerous to wear. Usually when I see people complain about fit with a shoe made of textile it’s because they went up at least 1/2 size to achieve the thumbs-width of space instead of going with their true measured size.

Lockdown was great. From heel to forefoot I had no complaints at all. There are two lockdown wings for some midfoot containment, and they help keep your foot on the footbed where it belongs. The medial lockdown wing on my right shoe did run into some durability issues as the stitching ended up failing after some use. Funny enough, I actually preferred the stitching not be there. I felt it allowed for more flex up front without losing any of the containment they offered. It might be considered a fail to some or a hack to others. I suppose it depends on your perspective.

Support

I felt the support was solid. Under Armour has done well in the support category over the years and the UA Embiid 1 is no exception.

The base is fairly wide, but does offer a slightly rounded edge for players that may be a bit shifty. There is a midfoot shank along with a sturdy midsole build that cups the foot in the rear. Add in the lockdown wings and you have yourself a shoe supportive enough for 7 foot center, but nimble enough for a smaller under 6 foot rec player.

Overall

Overall, Under Armour did a very good job with the Embiid 1. Traction and cushion are standout features, while the lockdown wings offer that extra layer of protection to keep you snug and secure on the footbed. Materials could be a bit nicer for a signature shoe, but the performance was there. Functionally, I can’t complain too much.

If you were looking for a solid all-around shoe that can be worn by any player and position then the Embiid 1 might be what you’re looking for. If you play primarily outdoors then these would also make for a great pickup. They’re moderately priced, will likely see discounts soon, and offer the cushion and traction required to ensure you can enjoy these for longer than the typical modern day basketball shoe.

These Are the 10 Best Sneakers of 2020, as Picked by You

 

The end of a very long and weird year is in sight. Anything from hiking, to puzzles, to knitting, to infinite amounts of walks with our pets may have been among the sources of entertainment throughout stretches of the past twelve months. With all due respect to our furry friends because we absolutely love them, nothing kept us more sane or more connected to what seems like a previous lifetime than sneakers.

Throughout 2020, we bought, debated, looked at, and obsessed over shoes like we did in 2019, 2018, and so on. And that was alright. Comforting. We sneaker collectors remained as dedicated as ever to the culture that never ceases to not amaze us with Dunks that look like ice cream cartons or Air Jordan 4s that sorta don’t look like Air Jordan 4s at all. Yes, it’s that deep, and nothing is gonna convince us otherwise.

Without getting any more emotional, the time has come for us to now celebrate some of the best sneaker releases of the year. More pointedly, the Top 10 Sneakers of 2020. Here, you’ll find ten kicks that fit in the criteria described in the last paragraph.

And in an effort to make things even more interesting, we turned the voting over to you with bracket-style, head-to-head Instagram Story polls last week to determine which shoe reigns supreme as the very best of 2020. The final ranking of the ten was determined by your voting results.

These are the Top 10 Sneakers of the Year, selected by us, and you!

10. Nike Air Max 90 “Reverse Duck Camo”

You had to know Nike was planning something special for this year’s Air Max Day festivities with the Air Max 90 celebrating its 30-year anniversary in 2020. And that they did. Released alongside the debuting Air Max 2090, the Air Max 90 “Reverse Duck Camo” is a nod to a classic colorway in the Air Max pantheon: the atmos “Duck Camo” Air Max 90 from 2013. Doing exactly as its nickname implies, the “Reverse Duck Camo” flips the order of colors that originally appeared on the atmos shoe for a refreshing new design. Even though the “Reverse Duck Camo” doesn’t have any official ties to atmos, a great shoe is a great shoe no matter who designed it.

9. adidas Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN “Triple Black”

The adidas Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN “Triple Black” gets our vote for the best debut model for 2020 in Kanye West’s lineup. Originally released by adidas back in February, the fourth iteration of Kanye West’s “dad shoe” was the subject of much fanfare upon its entrance. The Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN features no sewn-on overlays in favor of reflective “700” branding across the upper (appearing backwards on the right shoe), and the same old-reliable Boost cushioning in the chunky midsole. We still don’t know what “MNVN” actually means, but we’re here for this sleek update to the 700.

8. Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 992 “No Emotions Are Emotions”

When was the last time a New Balance shoe commanded the kind of attention Joe Freshgoods’ “No Emotions Are Emotions” 992 did over the NBA All-Star Weekend’s annual sneaker mania? When was the last time New Balance even dropped something over All-Star Weekend? If you don’t have an answer, then that should clue you in to how monumental the “anatomy of a heart” colorway is and was. Not only did Joe freak the 992 like no one had before, the hype surrounding the shoe carried over onto New Balance’s other collaborations with the likes of JJJJound, WTAPS, and more. The “No Emotions Are Emotions” 992 was a coming out party for Joe and New Balance during one of the year’s biggest weekends for sneakers and sports. If that weren’t enough, we won’t soon forget the line of eager sneakerheads chomping at the bit in front of Fat Tiger Workshop waiting to get their hands on something cooked up by the native Chicagoan.

7. Air Jordan 11 “Jubilee”

Since 2009, Jordan Brand has released an annual Air Jordan 11 for the holiday season. The themes of these releases have revolved around returning retro colorways or new designs meant to salute the Air Jordan 11’s role as Michael Jordan’s signature shoe during the Chicago Bulls’ improbable ‘95-96 NBA season. Fate would have it that this year’s release, the “Jubilee,” does neither. Instead, the “Jubilee” references an original sketch drawn up by the architect of the Jordan 11, Tinker Hatfield. The “JORDAN” branding that appears on the outside of the eyelets of the “Jubilee” is supposedly how Hatfield intended the shoe to originally look, but the concept was scratched prior to production. It continues the now eleven-year-long (12 years if you count the Countdown Pack in 2008) tradition of holiday Air Jordan 11 releases we need in our collections.

6. The Grateful Dead x Nike SB Dunk Low

Only someone with insane psychic powers would have foreseen Nike SB teaming up with the Grateful Dead for three fuzzy Dunks for the ages. This Dunk is the sixth, and perhaps most eccentric, shoe on our top ten sneakers of the year list. The design is complete with fuzzy faux fur panels, charming “Dancing Bears” emblems on the tongue and insole, and a concealed stash pocket on the tongue for storage space for, well, you know. The pairing of the Grateful Dead, a classic rock group that came of age fifty years ago, and the irreverent Nike SB skate crew seems weird on paper, but it’s not. And since when does Nike SB ever do anything expected, anyway? Unequivocally, both entities boast unwavering fan bases. And we’re willing to bet more than a few people who’ve laced up a pair of SB Dunks to skate or chill in have listened to or at least vibe with the Grateful Dead and their peace-be-with-you ethos.

5. Air Jordan 4 “Fire Red”

Holding down the fifth spot on our Top 10 Sneakers of 2020 is the Air Jordan 4 “Fire Red.” Perhaps the most nostalgic shoe on this list, the “Fire Red” returned in true-to-original fashion in November. We’re talking about the original shape, materials, Nike-branded hang tag, color coordination, and shoe trees. And most importantly, it came with “Nike Air” on the heel, too. You’ll have to go all the way back to 1989 to find the last time this perfect storm of attributes underpinned an Air Jordan 4 “Fire Red.” So to say that people were hyped that they could finally get their hands on an original Jordan 4 colorway spec’d out per the way Tinker Hatfield drew it up, would be an understatement.

4. Union x Air Jordan 4

Find us a sneaker that isn’t surrounded by some form of pre-release debate and we’ll show you a shoe that no one is really checking for. Obviously people were going to debate at length over the adjusted height of the Union x Air Jordan 4’s tongue and off-the-beaten-path color block, because that’s what sneaker collectors do. A finicky bunch, that we are. When the dust settled and people actually had this masterpiece dreamed up by Chris Gibbs and company in their hands, well, all that jawing and jabbering subsided. The Union x Jordan 4 (released in “Off Noir” and “Guava Ice”) checks in at number four on our Top 10 Sneakers of 2020.

3. Off-White x Air Jordan 5 “Black”

The Off-White x Air Jordan 5 “Black” occupies the number three spot on our year-end sneaker list. The Jordan 5 was poised to have a big year—Michael Jordan’s fifth signature shoe turned 30 years old in 2020. Jordan Brand began its celebrations by tapping Virgil Abloh for his input on what a modernized version of the silhouette would look like had it been produced today. Like many of Off-White’s now-classic Jordan collaborations, the Jordan 5 in “Black” retains the spirit of the original model and welcomes nuanced details other designers wouldn’t dare touch. There’s an unfinished look to the whole thing, which is of course Abloh’s intention. He even goes so far as to place random circular cut-outs on the body of the upper. The thin film covering the holes dares the wearer to complete the removal process with an X-Acto knife for a personalized, one-of-a-kind touch.

2. Ben & Jerry’s x Nike SB Dunk Low “Chunky Dunky”

If you ever find yourself in the position of needing a shoe to show to someone why you collect sneakers as a hobby, just pull up a picture of the Ben & Jerry’s x Nike SB Dunk Low “Chunky Dunky.” It’ll be obvious that 1: your taste in style is the same as your taste in dessert and, 2: you must really be comfortable with yourself to be excited to wear two ice cream cartons that double as skateboarding shoes. Not only is the “Chunky Dunky'' one of the gnarliest Dunks yet, it’s a perfect shoe for the unpredictable times we’re living in. Nike SB has leaned on leftover pizza, picnics, and cheap beer as sources of inspiration in the past, but its never tapped Ben & Jerry’s for a hallucinatory made-up ice cream flavor. 2020 really was ridiculous.

1. Dior x Air Jordan 1 High

The Dior x Air Jordan 1 High’s $2,000 retail price and needle-in-a-haystack availability wasn’t meant to be for everyone, but that’s cool. The Italian fashion house and Jordan Brand didn’t intend for its collaborative Air Jordan 1 to be as ubiquitous as a Nike Air Force 1 “White on White.” We won’t soon be able to throw it into our collection and wear it into the ground and make memories with it, but the Dior x Jordan 1 High is less a shoe and more a work of art. It’s an acknowledgement from high fashion that streetwear paces the world of fashion and sneakers. And we’re A-OK with that.