10 Reasons For Sneakerheads to Give Thanks This Year

When is a sellout not really a sellout? Apparently always, at least when it comes to sneakers. We are now living in the sneaker restock era, where you can bet that almost every shoe will come back out again at some point. It’s still no fun to miss out on those exclusive releases, but even if you do, rest assured you’ll have another chance (or 10 more chances) somewhere down the road.

There was a time in the not-so-distant past that it was Nike or nothing when it came to brands that the vast majority of sneakerheads cared about. Now there are lineups for Asics collaborations, Adidas restocks sell out in seconds, and even Under Armour had some juice going for a minute. Nike still has the market share game on lock, but for sneakerheads, there are more options than ever—and that’s a positive thing for us all.

We said things sneakerheads should be thankful for—not resellers. Back in the day, smartphone apps, raffles, and campouts weren’t required to simply secure a general release Air Jordan (especially a non-OG colorway). We haven’t made it to the point where that’s always possible yet, but through a combination of increased supply and decreased demand, it’s not that uncommon anymore to be able to simply walk into your local sneaker spot and grab the sneaker you want—assuming you still want it with a lack of surrounding hype.

When sneakerheads band together, they can have a powerful voice. Through social media they leave little doubt when expressing opinions on the topics of the day. As evidence, look no further than their reactions forcing New Balance to backtrack on ill-advised comments following a contentious election.

Sneakerheads have asked for original details for years, and we’re finally getting them. Jordan Brand’s Remastered program has largely been a success when it comes to original colorways, and even shoes like the Air Force 1 are looking more OG than ever. Sure, there are still some clunkers, but retro accuracy is as good as it’s ever been across the board.

Sneaker technology is at an all-time high. No, we’re not talking about expensive gimmicks—we’ve always had those to be “thankful” for. But real strides are being made in sneaker production that can have a major impact on the future of the industry. The incorporation of innovations like 3D printing and biofabrics, like those seen in Adidas' Futurecraft program, may not tie themselves, but they do offer a much better look at the actual future of the industry.

Does this new wave of sneaker release platforms work perfectly? No. Are you still getting the door shut on of most of the things you want? Probably. Nike+ and Adidas Confirmed may have their faults, but are they at least a step in the right direction toward making sneaker releases safer and more fair? Definitely.

The Air Jordan 28 rang up at an extraordinary $250 price tag. The 29? $225. The 30 was down to $200. One or two times can be written off as an anomaly, but with the $185 Air Jordan 31, it’s starting to look like a trend. Couple that with news of the LeBron line dropping to $175 from its present $200 price point, and it appears that someone is paying attention to the fact that sneakerheads have not been pulling their wallets out for these high-dollar basketball releases.

If you love sneakers, there’s never been more information to consume than there is now. Release dates, leaked images, and design concepts are readily available on Twitter, Instagram, and blogs. You can experience events vicariously through Snapchat. You can even use these same platforms, in turn, to wheel and deal your own sneakers. There is a downside in the sense that these same elements also have driven hype to unprecedented levels, but there’s no longer an excuse to not be up on the latest sneaker happenings.

Mad that you missed out on the latest Supreme collab restock? We’re not saying that doesn’t suck, but next time you are upset about sneaker release, it might be a good opportunity to step back and appreciate how good you actually have it. The smartphone you learned about it on? The bank account that was going to pay for it? The closet full of sneakers that you already have? There will be another launch that you do score on, but in the meantime, be sure to give thanks and appreciate being in a position in life where sneakers can matter so much. Because at the end of the day, they're just rubber and glue.