The Best Mash-Up Sneakers of All Time

The Nike Air Flow was billed as almost wearing nothing, which was revolutionary for its time. When the sneaker finally came back, it found itself in the midst of the lightweight running renaissance. To further set the model apart, Nike integrated the design from the Air Woven and put a Lunar sole on the sneaker. The outcome was something you wouldn't run in, but all the style elements were intact.

There's a guy whose sneaker collection consists solely of Foamposites and Goadomes, and he probably lives somewhere in the DMV area. Nike's idea of putting these two silhouettes together was a no-brainer. To be totally truthful, if you aren't into either of those models, the Nike Air Max Foamdome is an atrocity. It's huge, clunky, and is made to be worn with bootcut jeans. But purely from a concept and intent standpoint, these sneakerboots are a gem.

Eric Koston is a huge sneakerhead, and we're not just talking about his storied signature sneakers over the years. The guy loves the history of Nike. So when he finally got signed to the Swoosh, he had to dig in Nike's archives. The result was the Nike SB Koston 1 x Heritage, which took cues from the Air Max 90 but gave skaters something they could flip-in and flip-out in.

Penny Hardaway's legacy was completed with the release of the 1/2 Cent. The sneaker paid homage to Penny's signature models one through four, including the Foamposite One, and got its name from Lil' Penny's (his sidekick) jersey number. These weren't made to turn a quick buck, Penny truly embraced the 1/2 Cent and so did his fans. The first couple color schemes flew off the shelves, and the combination of sneakers flowed smoothly. Plus, you could ball in these if need be.

Nike Footscapes are dope and so are the Wovens, but they both have a very niche market. They are dug by slightly older dudes who find themselves somewhere between streetwear, menswear, and being a dad. Nike put both of these models together and made the Footscape Woven Chukka. Shockingly, the sneaker had a new appeal. It became a better design on all fronts and even more wearable. The Footscape was designed for runners with wider feet and the Woven just looks insane. Together, the models still look absurd, but in a good way.

The Nike AIr Max 97 was all about being smooth and futuristic, but when it was paired with the Air Max 360 sole in 2006, it took this meaning to a new level. The 360 air unit made the 97 way chunkier than it was before, and it was even given the color scheme of the popular Union 180s. It was the ultimate mash-up on all frontiers. The sneaker took inspiration from so many avenues, and it was actually a hit. It was released as a part of the "One Time Only" pack, so don't expect to see these sneakers re-released in the foreseeable future.

It's strange to think that John McEnroe actually played tennis in the Nike Air Trainer 1, but he wasn't your average tennis star, either. The sneaker grew a cult-like following of dudes on the Internet who would stockpile as many pairs of the Trainer 1 as they could. In 2010, the sneakers were put together, and they made functional sense. But they're totally a mash-up. They didn't just come in an inspired-by color scheme, but had the strap and all.

If someone tells you the Nike Air Max 90 "Infrared" is the greatest sneaker of all time, there's no real way to tell them that they're wrong. The sneaker is just as classic as any pair of Air Jordans to Nike's legacy and in 2006 it was given the new Air Max 360 technology. The Air Max 90 isn't viewed as a viable running sneaker, and the Air Max 360 bubble wasn't too comfortable, but when put together the design aesthetic was too dope and searched out by fans of runners.

If you didn't know that Eric Koston is a Los Angeles Lakers fanatic, then you don't know Koston. He once shot an ad 50-50ing a huge ledge in a Kobe Bryant uniform. He was given the chance to have a very limited release of his Eric Koston 1 sneaker with Nike SB to be made to look like a pair of Kobe VIs. You'd be crazy to skate these sneakers, but if you're planning on the Lakers winning another ring, you pray to these sneakers every night.

The Nike Air Max 90 Current Huarache is a lot for people to swallow. The name is literally a mouthful and it's a mash-up of multiple Nike runners in one model. Nike did the model right, though, and used color schemes from popular Air Max 90 releases to give runner fans a slightly more modern model that they could lace up. The upper features totally noticeable attributes from the Air Max 90 and the Huarache, but the Current/Free sole made these sneakers more flexible and ready to wear than the Huaraches or 90s ever were.

Spike Lee was given the chance of a lifetime: He was able to design his own pair of Air Jordans. Instead of creating something sompletely new, he combined the best elements from the Jordan III, IV, V, VI, IX, and XX. The sneaker was first released in 2006, and fans met the kicks with a mixed reaction. They weren't sure if these were really Air Jordans or not. It's been seven years since their release, and the Spiz'ike has affirmed itself as something credible to the Air Jordan line. Plus, how cany you deny Mars Blackmon?

The Nike Zoom Rookie is made up from the sneakers Penny wore during his first year in the league in 1993: The Air Flight One and the Go LWP, with the added touch of the Nike Air Foamposite, the sneaker he would become known for later in his career. Even though its 20 years later, these sneakers can still be balled in. But we assure you that most people were copping because they came in hot color schemes.

To be fair, the Nike Flyknit Air Max 1 hasn't even come out yet, but the prospect of putting Nike's more forward technology, Flyknit, with its original Air Max sole design is something too good to ignore. The Air Max 1 sole is so simple but it hasn't looked outdated since its inception in 1987, and with addition of the Flyknit upper, this will become the go-to sneaker for guys who don't want something so minimal.

New Balance 997s and 998s have a few things in common: they're comfortable and made from premium pigskin leather. They're also very similiar silhouettes, but Japan's United Arrows found a sweet spot in between both models and created something amazing. The sneaker became a favorite of Kanye West and anyone who loved a grey suede sneaker—pink and purple accents added the right amount of balance to an otherwise monochrome color scheme. You could stare and stare and not notice the subtle combinations that comprise the 997.5, but that's why this mash-up is so great.