The Best New Sneaker Designs of 2021 (So Far)
From additions to the Yeezy line with the 450, to Zion Williamson and Kevin Durant signatures, these are the best new sneaker designs of the year, so far.
Stop right there. Hold your complaints, please. Before you become incensed at this list, at least take a moment to understand what it is. You made it past the headline—great job. Now listen for just a second. This is not a list breaking down the best sneakers of the year so far—that’s coming soon. This is a more exclusive list focusing strictly on the best new sneaker designs of 2021 so far, the silhouettes and models that released for the first time this year.
No, your favorite Jordan collaboration isn’t on here—that’s because it’s based on a model from 1988. No, that Nike SB Dunk you really liked is not on here—that’s because Nike SB Dunks have been out for almost 20 years.
As sneaker hobbyists, we are so often focused on the old rather than the new. Rarely do genuinely new models pierce the din of retro hype in an interesting way that creates sustained conversation. And so, the ones that do should be celebrated. Thank you for reading. These are the best new sneaker designs of 2021 so far.
11.
Stop right there. Hold your complaints, please. Before you become incensed at this list, at least take a moment to understand what it is. You made it past the headline—great job. Now listen for just a second. This is not a list breaking down the best sneakers of the year so far—that’s coming soon. This is a more exclusive list focusing strictly on the best new sneaker designs of 2021 so far, the silhouettes and models that released for the first time this year.
No, your favorite Jordan collaboration isn’t on here—that’s because it’s based on a model from 1988. No, that Nike SB Dunk you really liked is not on here—that’s because Nike SB Dunks have been out for almost 20 years.
As sneaker hobbyists, we are so often focused on the old rather than the new. Rarely do genuinely new models pierce the din of retro hype in an interesting way that creates sustained conversation. And so, the ones that do should be celebrated. Thank you for reading. These are the best new sneaker designs of 2021 so far.
10.Reebok Zig 3D Storm Hydro
Release Date: May 7
Price: $180
By far the most controversial pick among staff, the Reebok Zig 3D Storm Hydro is polarizing, but that’s part of what makes it good. It’s not another knitted shoe or a reimagining of a ‘70s nylon runner. It doesn’t have a high-profile collaboration and it’s not reselling for much over retail. And truth be told, none of those factors really matter here. What the Zig 3D Storm Hydro does right is zag when the others zig. It’s so different from everything our brains are trained to think is “hot” that it works without going too far off the rails and completely losing the plot. It makes for an impressive achievement from Reebok, which has been consistently delivering strong releases but stalled a bit on innovation as Adidas preps the brand for sale. The Zig 3D Storm Hydro is proof that Reebok is still doing interesting things and is worthy of attention outside of its familiar classics. —Riley Jones
9.Nike Waffle One
Release Date: March 4
Price: $120
It would be understandable to write off the Waffle One as simply being Nike’s attempt at a Sacai LD Waffle for the masses—its resemblance to the highly successful collab is surely no coincidence. But for context, Nike’s Waffle Trainer and Racer, the models that both of these updated silhouettes rely heavily on for inspiration, came out in the 1970s—so it’s not like either is an entirely original design. It would also discount the fact that the Waffle One is noteworthy in its own right. In fact, its streamlined proportions and more subtle branding make it arguably the more wearable of the duo. It was James Whitner’s The Whitaker Group x Nike Waffle One that provided the model with a true standout moment in 2021, courtesy of a collaborative sneaker that featured a premium look, was limited to 500 pairs, and helped raise money for people affected by Houston’s devastating winter storm this past February. —Zac Dubasik
8.New Balance 57/40
Release Date: June 6
Price: $150
One of the biggest New Balance stories of 2020, aside from the brand riding a string of successful collaborations, was the creation of the 327 sneaker, an all-new shoe that garnered mainstream success as well as limited collaborations with the likes of Casablanca. New Balance is known to rest on its laurels when it comes to lifestyle design somewhat, only making slight variations to its grey running shoes as the years go on. This year, though, the brand decided to strike while the iron was hot and release the 57/40, a brand-new take on the 574 that doesn’t look identical to its predecessor. The upper bears a resemblance, but the chunky midsole is day and night from the 574, which was originally a takedown version of the 576 designed by Steven Smith. The 57/40 gained attention through a collaboration with Los Angeles streetwear brand Bricks & Wood, which gave the shoe a buttery green upper, white midsole, and pink outsole. The color combination hit and the shoes sold out instantly. Not a bad start. —Matt Welty
7.Nike KD 14
Release Date: June 5
Price: $150
Ten years ago, performance basketball was in a much different place than it is now. The way that people lust for Travis Scott’s latest collabs or new Dunk colorways today is how people were treating KDs, LeBrons, and Kobes. And few were as popular in 2011 as Kevin Durant’s KD 4s. Two teams, one decade, and two Finals championships later, Durant is still with Nike and still one of the best players on the planet. For the KD 14, it seems like Nike wanted to channel the line’s heyday.
The midfoot strap popularized on the 4 has returned for this year’s installment. Perhaps in an effort to penetrate the lifestyle market again, the medial portion of the strap is strikingly similar to the cage of the Air Presto. On the performance side of things, the upper sits atop a full-length, low-to-the-ground Zoom Air Strobel cushioning setup ideal for Durant’s play style. Nike is also taking advantage of Durant’s teammate Kyrie Irving being a Nike signature athlete. Earlier this year, it released a mashup “Ky-D” 14 that placed the color way of the “Dream” Kyrie 1 across its upper. With the Brooklyn Nets looking like a decent contender to win a title this year, Nike may even be able to have more fun celebrating the feat with special colorways in the near future. Will performance basketball ever get back to where it was in the lifestyle market? Who knows? But the KD 14 is a step in the right direction. —Mike DeStefano
6.Nike ACG Mountain Fly Low
Release Date: February 11
Price: $180
Outdoor-inspired sneakers have become a big trend in recent years, but it’s nothing new for Nike ACG, which has been making the great outdoors cool since the early ‘90s. As its name implies, the Nike ACG Mountain Fly Low is a low-top version of 2020’s ACG Mountain Fly. Some of us argued this should disqualify it from a “new design” list, but the consensus was that the shoe was different enough to merit inclusion. It does use the same React cushioning and sticky rubber combination underfoot (which was co-opted by Tom Sachs on an unreleased Mars Yard sample) and features a reflective grid pattern on the upper reminiscent of the high-top, but that’s where the similarities end. The Mountain Fly Low introduces a new lacing system on an upper that isn’t quite as restrictive thanks to the removal of the original’s sock collar and bootie fit. You do lose the Gore-Tex treatment, but that’s a fair trade-off for a shoe that can be worn easier during the warmer seasons. Mix in a bunch of great colorways (including the stealthy Haven exclusive that introduced the model) and you’ve got a sneaker that’s faithful to the ACG lineage while pushing things forward at the same time. —Riley Jones
5.Jordan Zion 1
Release Date: May 26
Price: $120
Only a select few NBA players get the opportunity to have their name on a sneaker. Even fewer will get a shoe from one of the major sneaker brands. Whittle it down to Nike or Jordan Brand? That’s rarified air, literally. Zion Williamson is certain to be an NBA star and he received his first signature sneaker this year. It’s only fitting that Williamson got his own shoe: He literally stepped onto the scene at Duke University while blowing out a pair of Nike PGs. His new Jordan sneaker, the Zion 1, has been awaited since he signed with the brand as a rookie in 2019—until now he’s been wearing the Jordan 34 and 35 for the past few seasons. The sneaker has full-length Air, Zoom Air, and plenty of support in the upper. The colorways of the shoe have been inspired by his life, with themes tied to his younger brother and the small town in South Carolina where he played basketball in middle school. They look pretty good, too. Expect Zion to be a big star whose signature line grows with him. —Matt Welty
4.Nike ZoomX VaporFly Next% 2
Release Date: February 28
Price: $250
Yes, the name of the sneaker really is that long. Cumbersome though it may be, the byzantine string of tech callouts and athletic adjectives is warranted considering just how much this shoe has going on. The, ahem, Nike ZoomX VaporFly Next% 2 is the latest running sneaker in the lineage of Nike’s Breaking2 family, a line that started in May 2017 with the brand’s bold attempt to orchestrate a sub-two-hour marathon time. Many sneakers and attempts later (including one successful non-record time of 1:59:40 from Nike-sponsored marathon master Eliud Kipchoge) have led to this, a bouncy new iteration of Nike’s elite running shoe that now comes with new reinforcements at the forefoot and padding around the tongue. It’s not quite as aggressive (or expensive) as the top-tier Air Zoom AlphaFly Next%, but the VaporFly is nonetheless a leader when it comes to performance footwear that offers measurable benefits for the user. —Brendan Dunne
3.Nike Cosmic Unity
Release Date: February 26
Price: $150
Nike’s Cosmic Unity, an on-court basketball silhouette, launched this past February after first being spotted on the feet of Anthony Davis in December. Its arrival marked the first Nike performance sneaker under its “Move to Zero” banner, an initiative aimed at increasing sustainability and reducing waste and carbon emissions to zero. The shoes are made using a minimum of 25 percent recycled content by weight, which includes Crater Foam in the midsole and an upper composed of recycled cable yarn. On the performance side, the sneaker utilizes a full-length Zoom Air Strobel unit, a now-common cushioning element from Nike Basketball that’s been popularized in Kevin Durant’s signature line. In addition to the added responsiveness it provides, the construction adds to the shoe’s overarching goals by also removing binding materials. The theme is not only captured in the materials, but also the visual design—its circular patterns represent the initiative on a symbolic level. That integration of sustainability into a true performance product is an important step in Nike’s mission, because it captures the essence of the brand’s athlete-focused innovation rather than relegating it to niche casual products. That, combined with the fact it actually looked cool in a variety of colorways, made the Cosmic Unity a standout new model in 2021. —Zac Dubasik
2.Nike Go FlyEase
Release Date: February 15
Price: $120
The Nike Go FlyEase is an immediately captivating sneaker. It’s one of those pop culture kind of sneakers, and we mean that in the best way possible. Its “hands-free” design, which allows the wearer to slip it on and off through a unique combination of a bi-stable hinge and a midsole tensioner, makes sense as soon as you see the GIF of the shoe in action. It is maybe the best realization yet of the promise of auto-lacing shoes first imagined for Back to the Future Part II in the 1980s. As pleasant as the actual object is though, it has been somewhat controversial.
Disabled people have critiqued Nike’s rollout of the Go FlyEase, pointing out that its exclusivity meant that the shoe would have a hard time making its way onto the feet of those who could really benefit from its laceless design. Some took issue with the inclusive design approach in the press release that they felt minimized the shoe’s benefits for people with disabilities. That kind of reception spurs larger conversations about the ways in which sneaker distribution systems break down when it comes to hype footwear, and that will certainly affect a shoe’s status. But those issues aside, in a vacuum, nobody can deny that the Go FlyEase is a fun, smart, and forward-thinking product. —Brendan Dunne
1.Adidas Yeezy 450
Release Date: March 6
Price: $200
Kanye West is polarizing. His Adidas Yeezys are incredibly popular. If you know nothing else about him, you likely are aware of these two things at the very least. So, it really should come as no surprise that any time he debuts a new silhouette from his Yeezy line, it gets a mixed reaction. The latest case of this came this past March with the debut of the 450, a sock-like low top with an elastic ankle collar and an unorthodox sole that looks like a mutant claw is clutching your foot in its grasp. Some people think it looks like you stepped into a dumpling and scoffed at its lack of casual wearability. Other people love its innovative shape and immediately bought into the idea. And it’s Yeezy, so plenty of big names wore it, from his ex-wife Kim Kardashian to pop star Justin Bieber, which is always helpful. Whatever side you are on, West should be commended for pushing the envelope. In a footwear world so dependent on retro models from the ‘80s and ‘90s, Ye is committed to starting something new. It’s the same approach he has always taken to music, and that seemed to work out pretty well. —Mike DeStefano