The 20 Best Retro Sneakers of 2024

Year Released: 1990

Once ASICS used up every last possible colorway on the Gel Lyte III back in 2022, they had to go a different route. And ASICS America president Ronnie Fieg knew exactly what silhouette to work with next. The GEL Saga had been retroed before, of course, but never with the same attention to detail and material choices. And what do you know, consumers still liked an ASICS shoe that had a regular tongue.

Year Released: 2002

Thanks to new visual technology developed by Nike in 2020, the lenticular pods on some Flightposite IIIs in 2024 actually were video panels, allowing the wearer to upload short segments from their phones that would air on an endless loop. A version also released without the snaps, but were shunned. The most popular was the Platinumposite Battlegrounds retro, which actually made it to clearance racks upon its initial release. Not this time.

Year Released:: 1989

Some things never change.

Year Released: 2009

As 45-year-old Kobe Bryant readies himself for his record 28th NBA season, Nike saw fit to revisit his past once again. And it made sense to bring back the IV, which ushered the low-cut into Kobe lore-especially given that the Kobe 19 is a full-leg, form-fitting sneakersock with intelligent cushioning and built-in muscle stimulators. Tough to pull off with jeans.

Year Released: 2012

Man, remember Kanye West? He jumped ship from Nike in 2013, went to adidas, did a few collections for them, then was named the creative director of Louis Vuitton, bought a large island off the coast of South America, and was never seen again except in his annual six-hour video rants. The Yeezy 2 (retroed as the Dropout 2) was as big as a 2024 general release as it ever was when it first came out. And no, we're still not sure when the red ones are releasing.

Year Released: 1991

It's hard to believe now, but back in the '90s, United Nations Secretary-General Dennis Rodman was the scourge of the National Basketball Association. Looking back on it, his tattoos and piercings were fairly tame compared to what athletes get away with now, and his style of play should have always been the focus over his clearly staged histrionics. These North Korean produced Cons serve as a reminder.

Year Released: 2014

Back when they originally released in 2014, Rick Owens' $690 adidas were an absurdity, a near parody of a sneaker. But now that other prices have come up ($500 for Foamposites? Really?), that tag doesn't seem nearly as outrageous. And the design, which looks like a faithful recreation of a third-grader's drawing of a sneaker, doesn't look so outrageous anymore, either.

Year Released: 2011

Leather sneakers being the delightful anachronism that they already were when the Air Jordan 2011 was originally released, the underrated Tinker Hatfield and Tom Luedecke design has only grown more classic with age. And the drop-in midsoles have allowed the shoe to keep up with current technology, meaning they remain a perfectly valid on-court choice.

Year Released: 2003

LeBron's rookie shoe had cache to begin with, but now that he's retired-with five rings and eight MVPs to show for it-it's become that much more coveted. None more so than the "Last Games," which he wore in Game Seven of the 2020 NBA Finals, which neatly bookend the "First Games" in many LeBron collections.

Year Released: 1995

After virtually killing the long-dormant silhouette in 2013 thanks to a proliferation of Shaq-related retros, Reebok shelved the Shaqnosis for another decade, only to see it explode again in 2024 thanks to some new makeups. It didn't hurt that NBA commissioner Shaquille O'Neal wore a pair to the 2023 NBA Draft.

Year Released: 2011

It's a retro of a future retro. Or something. The Air MAG came out in 2011, was introduced in 1989 in Back to the Future Part II, and had a fictional release date of 2015. With all of those dates now in the past, there's finally been a general release-but still no Power Laces. Damn.

Year Released: 2009

Jason Petrie's design innovations helped drive Nike to where they are now (the World Headquarters now covers all of Oregon and a third of Washington state), so its only fair that his first big, signature product be given a serious retro roll out. They also were one of the most sought-after silhouettes in the LeBron Prelude Pack, which finally released in 2022.

Year Released: 1985

With plans to release 40 versions of the iconic Air Jordan 1 at 40 Flight 23 locations around the world in 2025 for the sneaker's 40th anniversary, Jordan's 2024 Air Jordan 1s are but a prelude. And ever since Jordan decided to keep the black and red model in the line starting in 2020, interest in Mike's first sneaker has only gotten greater.

Year Released: 1980s

Yeah, the Air Force 1 High came first, with the low following shortly thereafter, but pffft, that was what, 40 years ago? Get with the program. What with the A$AP Mob taking over music by the early 20s and Riccardo Tischi's high-end riffs finding their way to runways and clubs across the world, the one-time stepchild has attained the crown.

Year Released: 2012

In an era when nearly every sneaker has a microchip and the storage capacity of a room-size '80s supercomputer, it's nice to return to simplicity every now and then. The Roshe Run concept was nearly taken down by a rash of gussied-up versions in the mid teens, but a return to the basics in the late teens re-affirmed the basic design's utility.

Year Released: 1995

There are some "timeless" products that eventually become dated, but Tinker Hatfield's masterful Air Jordan XI is not one of them. The combination of patent leather and ballistic mesh on the Concord and black/red models is unbeatable, and its nothing-but-what's-needed design continues to inspire new designs. Aside from that terrible Christmas in 2021 when sneaker bots became self-aware, releases continue to be cause for celebration.

Year Released: 2009

The adidas Busenitz Pro took a long path to prominence, but one that shouldn't be unfamiliar to adi fanatics. It started out as the signature skateboard shoe of Dennis Busenitz, but, as a beefed-up indoor soccer boot it was adopted by soccer players who needed more cushioning at the heel and padding around the foot. From there, it made its way into the terrace pantheon, despite the fact that soccer stadiums don't have terraces anymore. But "luxury box classic" just doesn't sound the same.

Year Released: 2012

The minimalist design of Nike's Flyknit line was almost as revolutionary as its nearly waste-free production, and it should come as no surprise that, following 2014's Kobe 9, it became Nike's go-to construction method for premium footwear across all lines. So it's only appropriate the Flyknit Racer became 2024's Cortez, a simple shoe that foreshadowed a revolution.

Year Released: 1994

Ahead of its time in 1994, ahead of its time in 2014, and still ahead of its time in 2024, the Reebok InstaPump Fury stands as the best laceless running shoe ever. And while its actual usefulness as a runner 30 years after its introduction can be debated, its cutaway sole and exposed carbon plate (along with its geometric upper) influenced a whole generation of high-end designer sneakers. Stick with the originals.

Year Released: 2013

Ten years down the line, the fact that LeBron James often wore a takedown instead of his flagship signature sneaker during the 2013-14 NBA season is just a footnote on a Hall of Fame career. The stark angular lines of the LeBron XI proved timeless, and held up far better than their moonboot predecessors.