Nike iD LeBron 9 "USF Dons" Video

Just thought I'd share a video of one of my Nike iDs. Watch in 1080p for HD quality. Thanks for watching.

So I Copped The Corks...Sue Me

A day after writing my post about how most sneakerheads should set their sights on some less in demand kicks during the weekend of the Corks dropping, I got a really great shot at copping the Corks for retail. I found out about a local boutique that was in fact getting them, but telling the public that "they weren't sure". 

This made the spot extremely low-key and for a short campout. Once there were enough people in line to account for every pair, the shop decided to just hand out size tickets and end the camping prematurely because they didn't want to attract a crowd for a release like this one. It was a major come up and more proof that sneaker karma is real. You don't help out others expecting a hookup. Just put that good sneaker energy into the world and good things will come when you least expect them. Just off that I feel a debt to the sneaker universe that I will pay forward when the opportunity presents itself.

I'm a pretty big fan of this shoe. Nike Sportswear did a great job with the crafting of the shoe. I have yet to see a glue stain or any signs of poor construction that we've become accustomed to with some Nike/Jordan products. The laser detailing and cloth material that binds the upper to the midsole are my favorite features on the shoe. The leather laces are dope, but a pain in the ass as far as lacing/wearing the shoe go.

Overall I'm a big fan of the shoe, but I would not have copped for more than retail price. I think the market for these should end up in the $500-600 range and that is more than they are worth to me personally. I look forward to rocking them and I'm not concerned about them falling apart because I'm pretty sure these will last longer than the midsoles on any of the recent Jordan 3 and 4 retros. I personally think the concerns about these creasing/falling apart are overstated and usually come from people who don't have a pair and are looking for a reason to bash the shoe. Is this a shoe for everyday wear? Absolutely not. But they should hold up fine if you take care of your shoes.

In conclusion, very nice shoe but don't break the bank and drop more than $600 on them, Be patient and they will be available at a fair price.

LeBron X iD: Substance Beyond Southbeach

The LeBron X iD might be the most popular model on Nike iD right now for one reason and one reason only; The ability to create a South Beach LeBron X.

The first wave of LeBron X iDs are starting to pop up online and I'd guess that at least 60% of the photos I've seen are of South Beach inspired colorways. People can order whatever they like, but as a huge fan of Nike iDs, people all ordering a colorway we might see later is lame to me. Nike iDs are meant to be an expression of individuality, so to see a whole bunch of people with the same iDs makes me really question where sneaker culture is headed.

It's a shame that the South Beach colorway has gotten so much hype because it has overshadowed the fact that the LeBron X iD has some excellent options that lend themselves to some really great colorways.

I've been tinkering with plenty of colorways inspired by past LeBrons, other classic sneakers, and other random inspirations. Here's what I came up with:

LeBron X iD "Red Carpet"

LeBron X iD "Entourage"

LeBron X iD "Hardwood Classics/Knicks"

LeBron X iD "Space Jam"

LeBron X iD "Miami Hurricanes"

LeBron X iD "Mardi Gras"

As you can see, I've wasted plenty of time and I still haven't been able to pull the trigger. However, a fellow sneakerhead who I know through a sneaker related Facebook group did order and received his pair this week. Here are some pics of his iDs:

These beauties were made by the homie Sergio Ortiz. He was inspired by a pair of Nike Air Trainers that he was wearing when he designed them, as well as the Miami Nights LeBron 9. He said that he was very happy with the product. He mentioned that the quality was on point and that his only complaint would be the speckles on the midsole. Apparently the finish on the speckles is not glossy and has a sloppier look, as if they actually slashed paint on them. 

Sergio also mentioned that the turnaround time from order to delivery was only four weeks, which is pretty good when it comes to Nike iDs. 

If you have any questions for Sergio or simply wanna give him props for the dope iDs, you can hit him up on Instagram at eeks323, or on twitter: @urewacktoo .

Much thanks to Sergio for sharing his iDs. I'm strongly considering ordering one of the designs that I posted so feel free to hit me on twitter @juicemanji and let me know what you think, or better yet hit me with any of your Nike iD creations. I love seeing other folks iDs, so never hesitate to hit me up.

Thanks for reading and I appreciate the support.

Shouts to the Kicks-RX fam and $FU.

Juicemanji's Top 15 Releases of 2012 So Far

So now that 2012 is halfway over and many of the year's major sneaker releases have come and gone, I thought I'd share with you what I believe to be the 15 best shoes of the year so far. This post is based strictly on my opinion. I personally think a great shoe combines style, quality, comfort, good pricing, and attainability.

15. Nike Lunar Flow Woven QS

This shoe was the first shoe featured on my weekly "Quality Cop" post. The woven upper on this shoe makes it very wearable, but far from plain. The classic Air Flow upper sits on a lunarlon platform, making this shoe exceptionally comfortable. Despite being a quickstrike, these can still be copped in several boutiques as well as some Nike stores. With a price tag of $135 retail, this shoe is a pretty solid value given the quality of the materials. This is just an all around dope shoe.

14. Ronnie Fieg x New Balance 999 "Steel Blue"

I've never been crazy about Ronnie Fieg's work because I've always thought that plenty of sneakerheads could come up with equally dope designs if given a dope silhouette and premium materials. However, most 'heads don't have the hustle to even be in the position to collab with Asics, New Balance, Sebago, etc. But I do love this shoe. The 999 is one of my favorite NB models and I like how Fieg was able to capture the spirit of the 1300 and recreate it with premium materials on the 999. While the colorway is very simple, less is more in this case. So with that said, salute to Mr. Fieg. 

13. Air Jordan 2012 Deluxe "Jordan Brand Classic East"

The Air Jordan 2012 has been slept on by most sneakerheads. Whether it's the high price point ($180-$223), or the unconventional look, most sneaker lovers have found an excuse to not cop this shoe and I'm okay with that. I love this shoe and was able to cop for half price. The quality on these puts Jordan retros to shame. It's upsetting that JB puts so much quality and innovation into the Jordan signature line, but they cut every corner possible with the retro line. In any case, I'm happy with the way these came out. Incredibly comfy, loud, different, and easily copped. I fucks with it.

12. LeBron 9 Elite "Miami Vice"

I'm a big fan of the LeBron 9 Elite. The silhouette is my favorite of the three LeBron 9 styles. This colorway was destined to cause a shit show in the sneaker world. Since the success of the "South Beach" LeBron 8, pink and teal have found their way onto other shoes, custom sneakers, and anything even remotely related to kicks. Hats off to Nike Basketball for designing a worthy sequel to the "South Beach" 8 despite the fact that the colorway has been played out for months. I personally like the shoe very much, but I didn't feel like it was worth the $250 price tag and the trouble. Luckily, I was able to cop at a House of Hoops restock a couple weeks after the initial release. Patience and networking go a long way towards getting the tough releases on a consistent basis.

11. Nike SB Dunk Low Premium "Premier/Petoskey"

This Nike SB collab with Premier Skateshop in Michigan is my favorite SB of the year. I really enjoyed seeing university blue and an icy blue sole, two features usually reserved for Jordans, on an SB dunk low. The upper features a stone-like pebbled leather meant to resemble the petoskey stone found in Lake Michigan. In my opinion, Quickstrike SBs will always be one of the best values when it comes to sneakers due to their dope concepts, quality materials, and reasonable price points. This shoe can still be had for a decent price. I highly recommend copping a pair.

10. Air Jordan IV White/Cement

When one of the greatest Jordans ever retros for the first time since 1999, you don't whine about the quality. Just cop and be happy, or pass and shut the entire fuck up so those who copped their first pair can enjoy without your trollin' ass bringing down the vibe, brother.

9. New Balance MT 580 x Burn Rubber "White Collar"

The Burn Rubber "Workforce Pack" featured two MT 580s, one of which was this "White Collar" colorway. High quality, black suede and light grey mesh make up the upper. The sock liner is made of the same material as a white dress shirt to maintain the theme, while khaki highlights set off the white collar look. I look for any excuse to cop from independent shops and boutiques like Burn Rubber and they make it very easy when they're putting out collabs of this quality.

8. Nike Air Foamposite One "Galaxy"

I've been a huge fan of the Foamposite since the OG released in 1997. I loved that Nike abandoned the lazy blue and red theme of past All Star weekends and went big with the Galaxy pack. I also can't be mad at Nike taking the opportunity to pay tribute to one of their most successful signature athletes ever, Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. This shoe manages to apply design innovation to an all time classic. You can't ask for much more than that. 

While I did not attempt to cop the shoe during All Star Weekend, I managed to win a pair in a raffle with a group of sneakerhead friends and I couldn't be happier about it. I was beside myself for winning the raffle, but even more honored to be associated with such a dope group of sneakerheads. While this isn't my favorite shoe of 2012, this was my favorite pickup due to the sentimental value. Shouts to the Kicks-RX fam.

7. Nike Air More Uptempo "Olympic"

The Nike Air More Uptempo was an instant classic when it released in 1995 and the Olympic colorway, which debuted in 1996, is easily the most coveted colorway of this shoe. Scottie Pippen wore these in the Olympics while playing for Team USA's second Dream Team. The full length air unit along with the dope ass "AIR" design make this shoe unforgettable to lovers and haters alike. I hope Pippen gets some royalties off this shoe to help with his financial struggles. Broke ass Scottie.

6. Nike Air Safari NRG

The Nike Air Safari is back on the 25th anniversary of it's 1987 release. This is one of the most intriguing shoes ever. A runner with premium leather and a never before seen "safari" print. The shoe's boldness was fitting and ahead of its time all at once. As a longtime Safari admirer who has never owned a pair, I'm fucking ecstatic over this release. I can't wait to cop mine, so I can be on my "God's Must Be Crazy" flow. Shouts to 23Penny.

5. Nike Air Yeezy 2 NRG

If the disgusting hype for this shoe wasn't so overwhelming, the Yeezy 2 would absolutely be in my top 3. I think this shoe is awesome. I actually like it as much, if not more than I like the original Yeezy. I just can't get over the pain in the ass it was to get a pair, the bullshit ass prices, and the way this release was the nail in the coffin to many OG sneakerheads. I really wish Nike would have made these more available, but whatever. On to the next one. I'm sure I'll make a trade for them once the value drops a bit in a year or so. In any case, great shoe, bad energy surrounding it.

4. New Balance MT 580 x Burn Rubber "Blue Collar"

The other half of Burn Rubber's "Workforce Pack", the Blue Collar MT 580 is my favorite New Balance drop of the year. Gum sole, premium navy blue suede, and plenty of 3M make this shoe UNFUCKWITABLE. Not to mention the sock liner that is made of a fabric similar to a mechanic's shirt. Burn Rubber really got their creative flex on with this pack. I can't say enough about their efforts on this collab. Salute.

3. Air Jordan XII "Playoffs"

This is my favorite shoe of all time. I wore this shoe to my 6th grade graduation. While these are not as well crafted as the 2004 retro, I ain't complaining. I'm just glad I was able to cop my all time favorite shoe. However, if these still had the metal lace eyelets on top, they might be number one on my list. The chromed out plastic was a huge disappointment for me. Despite that, I still love this shoe.

2. Nike Roshe Run

Simple, stylish, affordable, and incredibly comfortable. The Roshe Run is everything a great shoe should be. These are the most comfortable shoe I own. I can't say enough about this shoe. Nike Sportswear killed it with this shoe. Instant classic. #TeamRoshe.

1. Nike Zoom Kobe 7 "Invisibility Cloak"

While the Kobe 7 is far from my favorite silhouette of the year, this colorway is undeniable. We've seen  shoes that were slightly iridescent before (Eggplant Foams, Pine Foams, etc) but never quite like this. Photos don't do this shoe justice. If you ask most 'heads who failed to cop these, they'll let you know how much they regret passing. This will be remembered as the greatest Kobe 7 colorway and one of the better Kobe releases ever. I also must mention how comfortable the Kobe 7 is. It's form fitting without being too tight. It was a tough call, but I had to pick the Invisibility Cloaks as my favorite shoe of 2012 so far.