The 10 Most Slept-On Sneakers of the Last Five Years
There are more to sneakers than hyped releases, here are 10 of the most slept-on pairs from the last give years.
Image via Complex Original
Don’t believe the hype. As challenging of a task that might be, sometimes it’s the only way to preserve your sneaker sanity.
Over the years, we’ve allowed ourselves to fall into the same pattern. Minus an occasional new Kanye release, it seems like the same sneakers get recycled in different colorways and everyone continues to salivate.
When you break that trend and search elsewhere, you can find kicks that are perfect additions to your sneaker portfolio.
Our goal here was to find the underappreciated gems out there, so to see what we came up with check out the 10 Most Slept-On Sneakers of the Last Five Years.
Giancarlo King is a contributor to Complex. You can follow him on Twitter here.
Nike Zoom Revis
Released: 2012
We all know that signature sneakers and NFL players aren’t that common of a partnership.Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders did it in the ‘90s and New York Jets cornerback DarrelleRevis continued that tradition many years later.
The Nike Zoom Revis is a trainer by definition that managed to shatter boundaries with its performance and aesthetic. Even with Revis locked-in as the NFL’s top defensive back, the shoe was never an impossible cop. That made it a perfect applicant for this list of jewels.
Nike Air Tech Challenge II
Released: 2013-2015
Shout out to Andre Agassi’s radical personality and flowing ‘90s locks. Without it, we would never have been blessed with the Nike Air Tech Challenge series. The Air Tech Challenge II was rebooted a few different times over the years and still continues to do so for 2015.
Each time Air Tech’s hit shelves, they sat there like like the unpopular kid who had to eat lunch by himself. It's just messed up.
The most fascinating part about the Air Tech Challenge II reboot was that Nike decided to dress it up in a multitude of different ways. Picking out color schemes reminiscent of an episode of Wild and Crazy Kids, the Air Tech II became one of the hottest sneakers in the marketplace.
If you follow sites like Kicks Deals, you’ll randomly see deals popping up for these shoes at bottom of the barrel prices. If that’s not a slept-on shoe, someone please let me know what is.
LeBron XI "South Beach"
Released: 2014
It’s always interesting to see which colorways of LeBron James’ signature sneakers will sell-out and which ones will float around the Internet at retail price for months. In 2014, the LeBron 11 "South Beach" edition turned out to be the latter.
Usually “South Beach” versions of King James’ kicks are hot-sellers. For example, the LeBron 9 model to be given the Miami treatment is selling for over $500 bucks on sites like Flight Club. But the “South Beach” 11’s slipped past consumers. It wasn’t even drenched in an ounce of hype. Instead, you could find the shoe months after it released without any difficulty.
Considering it was equipped with a unique variety of colors and the support and cushioning system was still there—like every LeBron XI—these sneakers definitely fall into the slept-on category.
Air Jordan II "Dark Concord"
Released: 2014
As you know by now, most of the Air Jordan models to be re-released over the last five years have turned out to be quick sellers. The Air Jordan II “Dark Concord” was a different story.
There’s been a weird fascination with the Air Jordan II as a model. It’s never reached the iconic status as its predecessor and it doesn’t get nearly as much respect as the Air Jordan III. It’s fair to say that the Air Jordan II was lost in translation thanks to all of the things Tinker Hatfield did starting with the III.
What’s challenging to comprehend from a sneakerhead’s perspective is that the Air Jordan II is a beautiful, pristine sneaker. And when these kicks were given the “Concord” treatment in 2014, they didn’t pop like they should have.
The “Dark Concord” edition of the Air Jordan II brings all of the traditional elements of the shoe and serves it up with a super-clean aesthetic. Even today, the shoe is only floating around the $200 price tag at Flight Club. That’s not a huge bump in cost compared to some other Jordan 2014 sneaker releases.
Reebok Instapump Fury
Released: 2014
Reebok’s Insta Pump Fury falls into the same category as Nike’s Air Force One and adidas’ Superstar series. The shoe is special, and because of that it has stood the test of time. Zack Schlemmer of Sole Collector wrote an oral history on the Instapump, detailing how significant of a shoe it's really been—that piece is a must-read for any Reebok fanatics.
When it was re-released in 2014—in various colorways—there weren’t long lines or crippling messages on the Internet. Turns out, the Insta Pump Fury was an easy cop. It’s not really surprising considering Reebok, as a brand, has struggled to maintain its stature.
All of that jargon aside, the Instapump Fury is a classic that doesn’t deserve to be forgotten. Assuming you can peel your eyes away from the blinding light we call hype, you will see that this shoe belongs in your closet.
Filling Pieces Low Top Transformed
Released: 2015
At first glance this may be an unusual choice for a slept-on sneaker. But when you consider how much money people drop on kicks, the $275 retail price-point—as seen at Kith NYC—is more Munsters scary than Nightmare on Elm Street.
One of the biggest complaints I hear about among sneakerheads is the whole narrative about quality. When you spend good money on sneakers you expect the finest quality for your dollar. Sometimes we don’t get that with our kicks.
In that world, the Filling Pieces Low-Top Transformed sneaker is on a different plateau. Every stitch, every crease and every splash of color and slab of perforated leather looks and feels wonderful.
Certain brands sell-out right away, regardless of cost. Filling Pieces isn’t always one of those brands.
Though the run was more limited than a general release, you can still find out these Low-Top Transformed sneakers and that’s crazy considering how dope they really are.
Nike Flystepper 2K3
Released: 2014
The Nike Flystepper 2K3’s design is futuristic and relentless. Considering it’s closely reminiscent of Kanye’s Yeezy line with Nike, when the shoe first hit shelves in 2014, it didn’t take off like you’d expect it to.
Maybe it was something I call the “reverse fashion effect” that did it. By that, I’m talking about Nike challenging the world of high-end fashion instead of those brands copying the designs of Nike.
To this day you can scour the Internet and find plenty of unusual colorways and pairs of the Flystepper for retail or near-retail price. A slept-on sneaker is one that's traditionally dope but can be found in droves months after it initially dropped. The Nike Flystepper2K3 fits that bill.
Adidas Pure Boost
Released: 2014
Before the Ultra Boost was considered to be a slept-on classic, adidas’ biggest achievement came by way of its Pure Boost platform. A tonal, breathable mesh upper and tight, almost wax-like laces came together beautifully with adidas’ Boost sole.
Strictly politicking from an aesthetic perspective, the Pure Boost is really a striking shoe. It’s one of the cleanest runners around, and because of that, it looks great with a pair of joggers or denims. It's impact was so great that we even named it the best sneaker of 2014.
Given that it's a dual-purpose sneaker that’s readily available puts the Pure Boost on this list. Over time it’s become one of those shoes you have to double-up on.
Nike Air Max 1 Ultra Moire
Released: 2015
A great running shoe will never go unnoticed. Athletes tend to fall in love with those types of sneakers and like Rose proved with young Leo DiCaprio, they have a hard time letting go.
This year’s Nike Air Max 1 Ultra Moire will go down as one of the most righteous runners despite not being sought after by the masses. Not only did the sneaker look great, it also paid homage to the 2006 Nike Moire—another slept-on masterpiece.
Giving the Moire an Air Max 90 treatment created an unforgettable shoe. Despite oversaturation in the market when it comes to that particular silhouette, this shoe managed to steal the spotlight.
It’s become required wearing for all Air Max and Moire fans.
Diadora N9000
Released: 2015
Diadora hasn’t been a household name for sneakerheads in a very long time. Once considered to be a prominent Italian shoe, the brand struggled to maintain a level of relevance.Thankfully times have changed and Diadora is creating excellent silhouettes to entice the sneaker community once again.
The classic Diadora N9000 resurfaced in 2015 and man was that thing slept-on. Even today, pairs are readily available online for consumers to get their hands on. Quality is the lifeblood of Diadora. And the N9000 showcases that. The shoe resembles a cross between a vintage pair of New Balance sneakers and a Ronnie Fieg x Puma collaboration.
Keep your eyes peeled in the future, and if you can, shell out a few bucks to land the N9000. Trust us, it will be worth the loot.