Each week in the Friday Faceoff, the editors of Complex will have an open debate with one of the other websites in the Complex Media Network on a timely topic. We encourage everyone to chime in with comments about our choices, whether you agree or disagree. Don't worry, we can take a sneak-diss or two.
For the first installment of our Friday Faceoff column, we challenged NiceKicks.com Founder and Editor in Chief Matt Halfhill to pick what he thinks are the best sneaker releases of the year thus far. After picking our own Top 5, we went back and forth with Nice Kicks about each others' choices. Let the battle begin...
NICE KICKS #5 PICK: Nike Air 1/2 Cent
Nice Kicks Says: Combine all of the shoes from the second best signature line and what do you get? The best hybrid yet.
Complex says: We're not mad at this choice, but the best hybrid yet? Hmm. Isn't .5 Cent Curtis's son's name? They're cool, and the Lil Penny marketing plan never fails.
COMPLEX #5 PICK: Huf x DVS Doughboy
Complex Says: Four different colorways, and Huf's stamp of approval never hurts. In a time where cool shoes are consistently over $100, these clocked in at $50.
Nice Kicks Says: I can't hate on these at all. Unique hues in canvas for $50 is a good look. On the hip-hop tip, aren't there going to be a few members of the Three 6 Mafia hating on the name? Or was that "Dope Boy Fresh"?
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NICE KICKS #4 PICK: Air Jordan 1 (Rip Stop)
Nice Kicks: The Air Jordan 1 is making more rounds than a trifey, but the solid sapphire colorup in a rip stop nylon hits the spot.
Complex says: We'll probably get some hate, but we liked the Max Orange colorway better. It's almost like the only people who cared that they weren't really "infrared" where sneaker nerds who rarely leave their house.
COMPLEX #4 PICK: Vans Silver Satin Mountain Edition
Complex Says: These were dope. A nice switch-up from the classic Sk8-His. They were kind of hard to get in the U.S, which obviously makes them better.
Nice Kicks Says: A ton of brands were going nuts for this shade of aqua and yellow, but these still are fresh. Overseas exclusives suck, but at least they came correct with a silver joint to the US.
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NICE KICKS #3 PICK: Nike Griffey Max 1
Nice Kicks Says: Nike has been holding out on some serious heat from making a return, but with the return of The Kid to Seattle comes the Griffey Max 1 in the OG Seattle colors. Note to Griffey: argue for more of your kicks to come back and retire in Seattle, not the minors nursing another injury.
Complex Says: You just like those because you did that photoshoot on a little league baseball field. These were cool, but our jeans are too tight (pausepolice) to wear them with. We'd wear these to workout in, but we haven't lifted a weight since highschool.
COMPLEX #3 PICK: Converse x UNDFTD
Complex Says: Converse showed that they're not slacking on the collab-tip. A lot of people messed with these, and hype for the follow-up is already building up.
Nice Kicks Says: Converse and UNDFTD def came correct for this collab. Gotta love the UNDFTD's military theme they flawlessly apply to every shoe they touch.
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NICE KICKS #2 PICK: Nike Foamposite Eggplant
Nice Kicks Says: Eggplant Foamposite - Was there any other shoe that had more heads salivating for the last quarter of 2008? Unbelievably comfortable and durable sneaker in purple. Yes, Houston heads needed a dose of this.
Complex says: Houston doesn't need any more doses of purple, at least when it comes to drank. These were nuts, the lines in NYC were crazy, and people were flipping the shit outta of them.
COMPLEX #2 PICK: Nylon Dunk Vandal White
Complex Says: There hasn't been a set of dunks that have been so consistently white-hot in a while. Get it? See what we did there? Ugh, it's Friday and we're slightly hungover.
Nice Kicks Says: There is something about nylon, satin, rip-stop that can just "make" a shoe. In this case, the nylon sets this apart from the rest. A great look by NSW.
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NICE KICKS #1 PICK & COMPLEX #1 PICK: Nike Air Yeezy
Nice Kicks Says: Call me a hypebeast, fine, I'll take that. The shoes have been a journey. Ever since 'Ye wore these on thecourtstage at the Grammy's, the blogs were buzzing. These kicks were one of the biggest releases of not just 2009, but of the past few years. Never has there been so many campouts nationwide and a resale market that could pay off the national debt and pull us out of a recession.
Complex Says: After doing the making of feature from our Kanye cover story, we had a bigger appreciation for these. It was the first shoe that people who were dead set against camping out, were camping out for. People who hate just don't have them, and it's no shots at anyone, but The Yeezys showed that sneaker hype is alive and well. And for that, we're not really mad. Expect everything to happen all over again for the black/pinks on 5/2.
