The Best Retro Sneakers of 2013 (So Far)

Released: May

After 30 years of Air Force 1, one would think that everything had already been done, that even the most over-the-top makeup would elicit nothing more than a world-weary sigh. But that's the beauty of Bruce Kilgore's design-that even now, after so many variations, there is still the capability for surprise. The "Blazer Pack," which merged the Air Force 1s design with the original Nike basketball aesthetic, produced a series of suede highs and lows with white nylon tongues and orange-Swooshed tongue tags that neatly blended Nike's first decade ('72-82) of basketball footwear. The Fuschia hightop was the boldest, and best, of the bunch, although the classic green and blue varieties should not be missed either.

Released: May

Remaking something as classic the Chuck Taylor can be a daunting task but Size? clearly wasn't going to let that stop them. This spring they unveiled the Size? x Converse Chuck Taylor All Star OX pack. Judging by its popularity, the premium suede, embossed tongue patch and tonal colorways was the perfect way to remix these timeless Converse.

Released: April

Japanese brand X-Large has made a habit of choosing great materials that normally aren't thought of when it comes to sneaker designs. Their previous collab with adidas on the Superstar 80s featured a rainbow finish snakeskin and they've seemingly outdone themselves with this year's XLarge x adidas Superstar 80s "Giraffe" edition. The black-based Superstar is a classic in its own right but we can see this colorway becoming sought after for years to come.

Released: April

The Air Trainer 1 is a classic and when you throw premium materials (ostrich-skin at that) and a tasteful color combo, it's hard to deny greatness. The black and almost-but-don't-call-it-Infrared combination is almost as classic as the Trainer 1 itself, we're just used to seeing it on the Air Jordan VI. This is one you'll wish you didn't miss.

Released: April

One of the most slept on runners of the year is the Reebok GL 6000. This mid-'80s silhouette has come and gone a few times in the 25+ years of its existence but this spring Reebok Classics got the right colors and materials lined up. The GL 6000 was once one of the top of the line techincal running shoes but in today's world, that translates into a comfortable casual shoe. There are plenty of dope colorways to choose from this year already but we have to give the nod to the red and navy edition of the Reebok GL 6000.

Released: February

There is not a more classic sneaker than Converse's Chuck Taylor All Star. It's essentially the sneaker that every sneaker strives to be. Loved by millions, produced in countless colorways and always available, not to mention it fits damn near every style known to man. This year Converse paid tribute to the 1970s version of the Chuck Taylor All Star with a vintage makeover that is not only one of the best sneakers of the year, it should also be in your collection.

Released: July

Both Haro and Vans were instrumental in the birth of freestyle BMX-so instrumental that Bob Haro called his first bike the Freestyler-making this one of those rare pairings of disparate brands that made perfect sense. The result was an entire collection, complete with a casual version of Haro's team uniform and even a faithful recreation of Haro's 1984 Master complete bike in super-limited, you're-not-getting-one numbers. There were shoes too, of course, both featuring checkerboard panels, terrycloth liners, "Freestyler" script on the heels, and steel eyelets. The white/green Eras were excellent, the white/blue Sk8-His were better. Happy anniversary, Haro.

Released: June

Sometimes it's an absolute relief to see a retro runner from Nike that falls outside of either the '70s Waffle sole days or the Air Max line. Not that the Air Pegasus (which celebrates its 30th birthday this year) hasn't been retroed before, but this USA makeup was most unexpected-and most welcome. With Dream Team basketball shoes recurring on a semi-regular basis, it's nice to be reminded of another aspect of the Barcelona games.

Released: January

The Year of the Snake gave brands plenty of opportunity to get creative with their snakeskin finishes this year. A number of companies reworked retro product wrapped in scales but there was one that stood out above the rest, the Converse Pro Leather. The 1976 classic has an upscale feel to it with its upper wrapped in snakeskin finish and the dark greys and black just add to its allure.

Released: May

The Question gets the hype and the Answer IV the association with top-dog (MVP) status, but there's no doubting the place of the Answer 1 in sneaker history. Introducing DMX cushioning to hoops, the sneaker hit market with one of the finest commercials of the '90s. Everyone remembers that dribble move! The Sixers got a new color scheme to hit with AI's new shoe, and the stars aligned for the Rookie of the Year to grab super stardom by the horns. A healthy dose of well-deserved nostalgia made this release a win from within Reebok's barrage of 2013 1990s reissues.

Released: May

Over the last decade we've progressed from palpable excitement over the return of childhood footwear favorites to an acceptance of vintage designs as de facto casual footwear. The Air Trainer Max is one such shoe-a magnificent multi-sport shoe that inspires celebration of a storied (and brilliantly marketed) career. All of it is warranted. After all, Bo Jackson is the godfather of training. He crushes home runs and linebackers. HE KNOWS. What we know, in 2013, is that collaborations and perfect reissues are a little stale. With models now cycled through with greater pace, we've got to dig deeper for that special something. The Air Trainer Max Bo Pack highlights a career at both apex and decline-the shoe originally dropped the same year as Jackson's horrific hip injury-and rendered in Silver and Black (with a oh-so-trendy reflective upper) it reminds that the Raiders have the strongest color scheme in the NFL. Thanks to licensing, the best logo in the sport appears on one heel. Jackson's 34 shows on the other, a nod to the other shoe Jackson made famous, the Air Trainer SC. "BO KNOWS" reads across the straps, and everything sits above a crackled midsole that doesn't simply state "Just Do It" but suggests the breaking of boundaries is not totally impossible. The Air Trainer Max Bo Pack encapsulates the complete history of the shoe without making any apologies. For that alone, its an awesome release.

Released: June

Tyler, the Creator is a polarizing figure in a polarizing genre, the erstwhile leader of the Odd Future clique and a strong proponent of Vans classics even before he was on the payroll. This isn't anything out of the ordinary for someone born and raised in Los Angeles, especially for one who just turned 22 in March. However, unlike most Vans-wearing Angelenos his age, Tyler was tapped to come up with his own take for the Syndicate line. Befitting his own tastes, the Tyler range of Old Skools are simple, done up in bold suedes and gum soles with OFWGKTA branding on the tongue and "GOLF WANG" embroidered across the heels. The red ones are particularly choice.

Released: March

New Balance takes pride in being the only company producing sneakers in America nowadays. The company's Made in the USA label is something that is typically reserved for custom 574s, 996s and a few others but to celebrate their history they reached back into the vault to create the New Balance 990 Heritage model in late 2012. The 30th anniversary of this Made in the USA classic began with traditional grey in December but we've now seen additional colors made to vintage spec and limited to just 990 pairs. It's hard to choose between the colorways but the navy and white is about as good as it gets.

Released: May

One of the finest one-to-one reissues of the year, 1984's Boston Super OG returned with little fanfare. Don't sleep though, in both grey/blue and blue/yellow this distinctive adidas icon remains one of its generations finest runners. The sneaker is a testament to the deep archives in Herzogenaurach and the brand's continued commitment to celebrating its originals properly. There are a few updates-most notably the Corsortium fabric loop tag around the tongue-but nothing takes from the original spirit of the Boston Super OG.
In the wake of the tragedy at the Boston Marathon, adidas and select Consortium retails donated to the One Fund Boston.

Released: June

It's safe to say that Size? has been killing it lately. They've dropped a ton of exclusives and collaborations this year but the "Urban Safari Pack" might be the best of the bunch. Size? opted to rework the often overlooked Air Max Light for two ACG inspired colorways. The tan based version pays tribute to the colors of one of Nike ACG's most popular models, the Air Mowabb. The speckled midsole, tan upper and blue and orange accents have the Air Max Light looking proper for summer wear.

Released: May

If the definition of genius is making something previously unseen seem mind-blowingly obvious, then the people at mita sneakers qualify. They took adidas' heralded ZX8000 silhouette and draped it in the equally heralded livery of adidas' EQT line, merging their two finest running concepts of the '80s and '90s. The understated EQT palette of green, grey and white paradoxically makes the high-tech ZX design stand out even more than it ever did in its original colorways. The perfect merger.

Released: June

St. Alfred's got their chance to work with ASICS this year on the GEL Lyte III and seized every bit of opportunity their was. The St. Alfred's GEL Lyte III took a unique color blocking approach and a combination of grey, blue and sand to create beach inspired colorway that sold out almost instantly. Good luck getting your hands on these if you haven't already.

Released: May

Supreme collabs may have lost some of their original luster, thanks to repeated efforts as well as increased distribution thanks to their web store. But that's mostly our problem. Each release still features at least one must-have shoe, with the possible exception of the completely inexplicable Vans Lampin collection. The Tennis Classic drop in the spring may have been overlooked by some due to SB fatigue, but that would have been a mistake. The Volt pair were particularly coppable, especially when one got close enough to see the little details-the textured leather at the heel and the reflective 3M stripes down the back. Future sleeper classics.

Released: June

Fila has come back with a vengeance over the last year and they seem to be giving fans of the brand exactly what they want. From the Stackhouses to the Hills, we've seen a lot of classics return but few are more important when it comes to sneaker history than the Olympic colorway of the Fila '96. These were on the feet of Grant Hill as he joined the Dream Team as they took on the world in Atlanta for the summer Olympics. Needless to say, the Filas have been in need of a retro for quite some time.

Released: February

Hard to believe that a once eye-brow raising mash-up of vintage models now qualifies-even if it has been in near constant production-as a retro model, right? The Spiz'ike is divisive. Purists (what's left of them) still think they suck, while contrarians celebrate the design as Jordan Brand's finest moment of the last decade. Dressed in Volt, the BHM Spiz'ike bodily proclaims its place in sneaker history-irrelevant of actual theme and with deadly accuracy toward current trend for obnoxious accent and accessory. We were all surprised that these found favor on court. Perhaps we shouldn't have been though.

Released: April

Talk about delayed gratification. The Undefeated x Bape x adidas Consortium pack was set to drop back in the final months of 2012 but was delayed. When news of the release finally came in April, it seems everyone and their mother was trying to get a pair. The Campus 80s with a little tasteful camo accenting? We can see why these sold out in the blink of an eye.

Released: April

There had long been rumors of a Shaq Attaq retro, but with Shaquille O'Neal busy peddling his own low-budget line there didn't appear to be much of a chance that Shaq would be involved in the re-launch of his own sneaker. Enter Swizz Beatz. The hip-hop impresario helped get Shaq back in the fold, and both the Shaq Attaq and the Shaqnosis (not too much longer now) went from long-awaited dream to reality. And while the Shaqnosis may be more fondly remembered, it's the Shaq Attaq-with the familiar Pump and Graphlite cutaway-that got it all started.

Released: April

The greatness of the Boston Marathon was overshadowed this year by the ignorance of those responsible for the bomb that exploded at the finish line. It's truly a miracle how few deaths there were and for those that survived life will never be the same. New Balance had already created the special 990 for the 2013 Boston Marathon long before the race but after the bombing, these shoes came to represent much more and helped unite the entire US with the city of Boston. Many of the retailers selling these New Balance 990s offered the proceeds of their sales to the victims. One more reason, New Balance and the sneaker community are awesome.

Released: February

One of the finest one-to-one reissues of the year, 1984's Boston Super OG returned with little fanfare. Don't sleep though, in both grey/blue and blue/yellow this distinctive adidas icon remains one of its generations finest runners. The sneaker is a testament to the deep archives in Herzogenaurach and the brand's continued commitment to celebrating its originals properly. There are a few updates-most notably the Corsortium fabric loop tag around the tongue-but nothing takes from the original spirit of the Boston Super OG.
In the wake of the tragedy at the Boston Marathon, adidas and select Consortium retails donated to the One Fund Boston.

Released: June

Not much needs to be said about the return of the Air Jordan V "Grape" colorway. It's been since 2006 since we had a chance at these and as long as they show up true to original form, we can't complain one bit.

Released: May

Mr. Fieg's ode to his second favorite city, Miami, doesn't just celebrate a running icon, it gives the sneaker a subtle overhaul. The Kith founder has a knack for breathing new life into his favorite models, and with the ECP project Fieg added a new memory foam insole to his favorite footwear canvas, the ASICS GEL Lyte III. In Miami Beach (i.e. Dolphins) color scheme, the shoe sings. Perforated suede, nubuck, and mesh mingle on the upper, and strikes of orange hit the teal exactly where it counts. Aspiring footwear collaborators take note-the RF ASICS GEL Lyte III is an exercise in perfect colorblocking.

Released: February

The return of "Nike Air" to the tongue of Air Jordan 1s-and the departure of the Jumpman from heels of same-together with a close-to-original true high-cut silhouette may have been the best news in Air Jordandom this year, even to those who managed to get their hands on the Air Jordan III 88. After all, more than one Air Jordan 1 received this treatment. None were more eagerly awaited than the black/royals however, which hold a place of honor in both basketball and skateboarding lore, and haven't been seen since 2001. The 2013 iteration was actually better than the 2001s, a bitter pill to swallow for those who kept theirs deadstock for a decade, but wonderful news for those still waiting to get their hands on a pair.

Released: March

It's a shame that those who don't know will simply assume the SNS Reebok Question is a tribute to the Lakers, because the real story behind it is so much better. Sweden't Sneakersnstuff, already one of the best sneaker boutiques in the world, distanced themselves even further this year through a series of smart collaborations including a number of Reeboks. Their first Question utilized purple and gold suede not to pay homage to Kobe's squad, but in honor of the crocus, one of the harbingers of a long-awaited Swedish spring. Outstanding stuff.

Released: April

It's hard to call a sneaker that utilizes both BAPE camo print and red, white and blue stripes "subtle," but somehow the BAPE x adidas Originals ZX5000 pulls that off. Maybe it's the rest of the upper, finished in a drab olive, capped off perfectly by a gum outsole. Even the gold foil BAPE and UNDFTD hits on the heels don't appear too ostentatious. And while some may prefer the Campus '80s, the high-tech ZX series wins out here for being the more unlikely collab silhouette. Plus, the more you wear them, the better they look.

Released: February

What can we say about the Air Jordan III Retro 88 that hasn't already been said. This is what a retro sneaker should be. Can we get the black joints while you're at it, Jordan Brand?