10 Reasons The Sneaker Game Is Better Than It's Ever Been

The everyday struggle of trying to get the hottest kicks in the street has been exhausting in 2012 but spare us with the complaints and claims that the game done changed for the worse—it’s never been better. The ability to get the latest news and connects all around the world is easier than ever, and the end-of-year “best of” lists are going to be damn near impossible due to the amount of heat dropping right now. We decided to dissect the present sneaker culture so you can count your blessings and keep the crying off our timelines—check out 10 Reasons The Sneaker Game Is Better Than It's Ever Been. Agree? Disagree? Tell us why in the comments.

You can argue all you want, but the '90s was the greatest era of the sneaker. That said, they decade was limited in terms of options and colorways. If you wanted to hoop in Pennys, you hoped your school colors were black/blue/white or you were clashing your kicks like crazy with your red and yellow jerseys. Fast forward a decade and take a look at LeBron’s last few signature models—enough colorways to keep everyone laced at every level and color combo. And if that wasn’t enough a lot of sneakers are releasing in highs, mids, and lows at the same damn time. It’s not just basketball anymore—this is becoming a trend with lifestyle, running, and tennis sneakers as well. Seriously, whatever you need—it’s out there.

Ronnie Fieg's having another limited ASICS release at KITH in NYC but you live in Bismarck, North Dakota—no problem, chief. New Supremes hitting? Can't get to Fairfax for that UNDFTD collab? It's all good. It's not just the big boys like Foot Locker and Eastbay that provide convenient online shopping these days. If you've got a neighborhood spot that is on point we can’t fault you wanting to support, but online shopping has never been faster or easier. Most places ship out orders in two business days and with gas prices the way they are, the shipping and handling charge isn’t a bad look. And worse comes to worse, there's always eBay.

We can’t front, the retro releases in 2012 have been very impressive—as usual. But in case you missed it, there is a war going on in the streets and thanks to sneaker companies stepping up their efforts drastically it has pushed the best of the best from everyone. Shoes are getting lighter, designs are flyer, and innovation to performance sneakers is almost at the auto-laced McFly level. Quit sleeping on that new-new, because in a decade you’ll be paying four times retail for retro drops of the kicks you missed out on today.

Barbershop and water cooler word-of-mouth used to be the main way you were going to find when new shit was dropping or even worse, stalking your local sneaker spot Swimfan style. Those in the know might have struggled with obscure Japanese websites (Nike Park, anyone?). Now any novice can jump on the few dozen reputable sites that keep us posted with hi-res pictures, release dates, and humorous features (we try) to keep you well versed and entertained. And things don't stop with the big boys, either.

Social media is keeping millions of people with similar interests connected—sneakerheads are no different. Miss out on the latest must-haves, which is basically every Saturday? If you’re engaging with the right people, just a flick of your finger will reveal information about restocks and reputable re-sellers. And there's no need to wait until the first day of school to floss. Knowing the right people and having a little luck is just as good as a win on your own when you need a pair of the upcoming Reebok Answer IVs.

Hard to imagine though it may be, there was a time in the not-so-distant past when you could only buy sneakers from your own era. There was no such things as "retro" sneakers, unless you counted Converse All-Stars, and finding last year's models meant digging in dusty basements. Now, the whole of sneaker history is on display every time you walk into Foot Locker. Sure it can be overwhelming, but that's a good problem to have.

Jay and ‘Ye might have been a bit premature with their claim of being on an elite level of custom shit—with DIY programs from every company from New Balance to Vans and from adidas to Nike, anyone can get their unique blend of color and materials on new and timeless models alike. And if that's not enough, there exists a vast array of talented sneaker customizers who will make you your own pair of “Infrared” adidas x Jeremy Scott Wings so you can truly break necks. You don’t have to make it to the League and get some player exclusives to have one-of-one kicks. Why be the 150,000th person with “Concords” on when you can cook up your own classics?

Like paying less than retail? How about a site that is dedicated strictly to helping you find the best deals on kicks? Kicks Deals has instantly become the go-to spot for all sneaker fans and proved that with patience and persistence you can get your favorite shoes either below retail or without getting gouged by re-sellers. And with so many releases dropping all the time, just about everything goes on sale eventually. It's just a matter of finding it. You're welcome.

The next time your girl is mad you just dropped a buck fifty on a pair of kicks instead of on her, remind her that sneaker companies and personalities have been going above and beyond with their charitable efforts the past few years and your purchase is helping, too. Okay, maybe she isn't that naïve, but at the end of the day the big boys want to see their bank accounts grow just as much as the next person—the difference is they are making a real impact on the lives of less fortunate people as well. Michael J. Fox's Nike MAG endeavor was the most prominent, but there's also been the Doernbecher initiative as well as Lance Armstrong's ever-expanding LIVESTRONG line. Charities make money, we get more dope kicks, everybody wins.