10 Sneaker Brands We Hope Make a Comeback in 2013

Blank pixel used during image takedowns

So the story goes: Nike purchased Savier in 2001, the two brands were supposed to complement each other and be placed side-by-side in skate shops around the world. Well, it was a nice plan anyway. If you don't remember Savier, that's because they disappeared a few short years after they were acquired by Nike. Obviously, Nike SB became the catch-all for anything that mixed The Swoosh with skateboarding, and that's worked out well for pretty much anyone into sneakers or skateboarding. Savier had some dope silhouettes of their own, though — Brian Anderson and Brad Staba pro models please! — not to mention the Swoosh-less Trainer 1 inspired Tim O'Connor joints that were the epitome of rebelliousness to anyone who didn't know the cash spent was still going into Nike's bank account. Those green and yellow Brazil O'Connors... man.

Bata may be a little dated for some of 'heads nowadays but the throwbacks from the '40s, '50s and '60s are classics. Do your homework on Bata and you'll find that these sneakers were top notch back in the day. Not to mention, we can cosign any sneakers that come with that "Made in the USA" branding. And the John Wooden series of Wilson Batas — worn by Magic Johnson at Michigan State, among others — are still grails to the Where'd You Get Those? set.

The Brand With the Two Stripes? Pretty sure anyone who played varsity soccer back in the '80s wore Patricks on the pitch and off. (Can someone ask Jon Stewart?) For those who didn't want to succumb to the (considerable) allure of the far more common adidas Samba, Patricks were the in-the-know soccer shoe for those who played and those who just wanted to. No need for a major re-launch, just bring back a select few serious silhouettes (like the Missile) and let it build back up.

Turntec is an often overlooked brand but the fact is their sneakers were about as innovative as it gets. In fact, ever notice those Zoom Air inserts in the insole of your Nike SB joints? Yeah, Turntec was hooking runners up with that same kind of setup back in the mid '80s. The Turntec Roadhawk and Road Warrior runners are just a couple of the models that could easily translate into retro success. Somebody just needs to revive the company. Any takers?

Sure, the Tai Chi returned a couple of years ago but it really just didn't have that full-on appeal that And 1 had back in the day. Remember when Vince Carter won the dunk contest in them and he wasn't even an And 1 athlete? In a perfect world, 2013 would see And 1 bring back that arrogance that came with the trash-talking t-shirts of the late '90s. Don't give us any funny business, we want the Marbury, the KG 2 and even some Too Chillin's to kick back in next summer. If you're really feeling like stepping your game up, throw the Silky Smooth and Desire into the mix, too. What's good, And 1?

Diadora may still be keeping soccer players around the world laced, but their archives are loaded with '80s and '90s court and running gems that are deserving of a comeback. The B560 hoops sneaker and DX6000 and DXI 8100 are court trainers that could easily have your footwear competing with multi-sport athletes. Diadora also has the Borg series of tennis shoes, which is nothing short of legendary (Europe knows, even if the U.S. don't). Who wouldn't want to add a little Made in Italy quality to their sneaker game? And the Maverick tennis shoe should be a year-round staple.

Lotto is another brand that has found a niche in the soccer market making cleated footwear. However, during the '80s and '90s, they had a solid run of trainers. They even ventured into basketball sneakers and had some dope high-tops back in the day with silhouettes like the Ciuff and SYN models. We could even see the Rumble making a comeback and sitting on the shelves next to some other retro basketball models.

éS is arguably one of the best skate shoe brands of all time. They may not have the years of experience that Vans has, but they had some of the best skate shoes through the late '90s. Beginning in 1995, they grabbed the attention of skaters around the world, thanks to a team that included Sal Barbier and Eric Koston, who were like the skate video version of Jordan and Pippen through the late '90s. éS sneakers like the SAL 23, SLB and the Koston pro models are about as must-have as oxygen if you consider yourself a true sneaker connoisseur. With that said, we hope this "hiatus" éS began in late 2011 truly is just a break and they come back with a vengeance in 2013.

Not only did Avia kill it in the '80s on the basketball court with neon colors on the Transport and the cantilever-outsoled 800 line (including the super-high 880), the Arc Court, 910 and 911 even had players like Clyde Drexler lacing up Avias during the '90s. Not to mention the they also had a ton of dope runners that would make for nice retros — the 2070 is just the tip of the iceberg. Avia bringing back classic styles would give us some serious forgotten gems to look forward to for 2013. Remember, before they wore Nikes, Dream Teamers John Stockton and Scottie Pippen rocked Avia.

Etonic may be known for being your grandfather's sneaker of choice, but don't knock Gramps' ability to pick 'em. During the late '80s and early '90s Etonic had a handful of silhouettes that we'd be happy to see retro. Etonic may still make a small line of running shoes but their focus on bowling shoes and golf shoes has left them little to be excited about for sneakerheads. The Stability line of runners would be a perfect place to start, the ER1500 and K1200 specifically. The Etonic line of court shoes was no slouch back in the day either, which means 2013 would be a good time to bust out some heritage releases.