Who else is afraid to unDS their kicks

[jwhitkin]

For years I kept most of my sneakers locked away in the closet...I'm at the point now where I wear them every once and awhile and enjoy them. I just busted out a pair of 1999 retro IV's cement grey....after 45 minutes of wear, the glue wore out and the soles came off...

 

[sneakerfan1]

Some of the sarcasm in my post clearly went over homeboy's head. I feel kinda bad that he took it to heart to the point that he hopped on the soapbox.

In all seriousness tho, spend that bread how you want to, it's yours. If you want a shrine of shoes then more power to you. The rest of that nonsense was so incoherent and feminine that it's not even worth addressing.

 

[sunshineblotters]

I understand that some people collect sneakers.
That ALSO, it NOT being "afraid" to wear them.
But, I still don't understand the idea of being afraid to "ruin" them and then have to spend a ton to replace them.
First of all, what do you do to "ruin" them? I assume most of you have lots of sneakers, right? I don't "take care" of my sneakers at all, basically. I don't clean them unless I actually spill something on them or step in dog crap or something. I wear them deep into drunken evenings, whatever. Then they go back in their box. Yeah - they are worn, but they still look fine - most of y'all would try to call them VNDS if you were selling them.
So, how much wear do you have to give something before you need to replace it? I couldn't give a pair that amount of wear before it retros again if I tried, given the size of my collection (and I'm sure I'm not the only one here with a huge collection). So, what gives?
By the time you really NEED a new pair, they'll have retro-ed again. They're all easily replaceable.
And, frankly, (sorry if I'm getting on my high horse) - saving things like the recent Concords? pssh. Those a plastic pieces of crap. There's nothing special to them in need of being saved. If I can wear my OGs freely knowing that something like is much, much closer to irreplaceable, then you don't need to wait for your backstage meet and great with Kanye to break out your re-re-retros.

Actually this is the best opposing argument in this thread, and you truly do have a few points. I only started recollecting jordans in 2010 when they started to bring back my faves silhouettes after A 3+ year break. IDK what you would call a large collection though. Most of Niketalk prolly has a larger collection of Js than I do since I don't care to only wear jordans. They are a lot of kicks out there that I like.

But what about SB dunks, that have never reretroed a colorway in the 12ish years they have been around?

 

[prft2k10]

It's personal preference.  If you want a museum of kicks that no ones ever worn and you're willing to work and spend that hard earned $$ on kicks then do what floats your boat.  I personally wear all my kicks.  After copping I try to unds within the next moth depending on the weather.  I don't see the point in waiting in line or working all those man hours required to pay for these kicks if I'm not gonna wear em.  They seem to get yellowed, chipped, etc whether or not you wear them anyways.  Might as well enjoy them on your feet.  

Learn how to maintain, restore, repair your kicks and that may make you want to wear them more often.  Besides the way JBs been no shoe (except for PE's) are sacred anymore.  Who knows what they're gonna retro and how soon they will.  

 

[bip roberts]

Actually this is the best opposing argument in this thread, and you truly do have a few points. I only started recollecting jordans in 2010 when they started to bring back my faves silhouettes after A 3+ year break. IDK what you would call a large collection though. Most of Niketalk prolly has a larger collection of Js than I do since I don't care to only wear jordans. They are a lot of kicks out there that I like.
But what about SB dunks, that have never reretroed a colorway in the 12ish years they have been around?

Excuse the "wall of text"

I don't have a large SB dunk collection. But, I wear all my dunks.

You want to know the sneakers I truly have the hardest time rocking? Vintage AF1s. Two-piece, orange and grey box DS AF1s are the types of things that are truly rare. Orange canvas highs... now, if my pair wasn't already used when I got them, that would be a tough wear. Why? Because that is true rarity and truly close to irreplaceable. But, you have to just rip off the Band Aid and - wait for it - just do it!

The things that give me pause are the things that I need more than money to replace. I have pairs that I've hunted for years. Pairs that I've only seen a handful of for sale in 15+ years. That's tempting to just hold on to.

The funny thing is, when I wear something that's truly rare (not limited, but actually rare), most of today's sneakerheads don't even give me a second look because it's not something that's "hot.". Then I wear some run of the mill retro Jordan from like 3 years ago, and I got teeny bopper sneakerheads coming up to me on the train like I'm giving out fake IDs or something. Meanwhile, I could go to FC or hop on ebay and buy 20 pairs of that same shoe today if I wanted to.

...I don't know, I just have issues with the priorities of most of the new generation of sneakerheads.

Here's the secret though, for anybody worried about the "value" of their sneakers. None of these recent JB retros will be valuable... mostly likely ever! Forever ever? Forever ever!

You know why?

Well, for something to become truly valuable, you need 2 things to happen. There needs to a cut off in production of the item, and most of those originally produced items need to be destroyed. Well, the former is out with most JB retros because they are constantly re-retroed, so there's unlikely to be scarcity of whatever J you want to use as an example. Then, the latter won't really happen because you have so many people collecting instead of beating their shoes. So, you have constantly replenishing supply and people preserving the shoes.

The "Nike Air" retros at least have that as a distinguishing characteristic, so they are like a subset of retros. So, in that case, you have cut off production. No more Nike Air Js. You had some hoarding, but you also had a lot of people beating them. 1994 IIIs hit $29.99 in plenty of spots. People weren't preserving $30 shoes. So, there you have enough rarity to actually create value. Those dynamics will not be replicated again.

The younger generation thinking they're going to get rich off hoarding Js, will come to the same realization my generation did when we found out that each and every one of our friends also had a two inch stack of Barry Bonds, Tony Gwynn, Don Mattingly, and Mark McGwire rookie cards. They're ubiquitous. They're just baseball cards...

 

[djsaluki]

The younger generation thinking they're going to get rich off hoarding Js, will come to the same realization my generation did when we found out that each and every one of our friends also had a two inch stack of Barry Bonds, Tony Gwynn, Don Mattingly, and Mark McGwire rookie cards. They're ubiquitous. They're just baseball cards...

This makes me sad because its so true. 

 

[mazz305]

Fam, you forgot to quote my part about cost cutting above that statement. "With Nike/JB's cost cutting methods, I wouldn't be surprised if shoes used up 40% less glue or something along those lines which lead to them deteriorating quick."


There's no other Nike shoe with an icy sole that has the yellowing glue problems that the XI's have. My 2 extra pairs of SJ's from 09 look so funky, if they dropped again this year, I would off those two in a heartbeat and buy two more. Again, getting me to buy two more of the same shoe, when I thought I stocked up and was done with SJ's for life. At the end of the day, I bought 3 SJ's in 09 and I would end up buying 2 more just because I would off the others in the resale market. Total pairs bought, 5 when I would have wanted 3....

I wasn't disagreeing with you on the cost cutting part, just on the intentionally making them so they yellowed quickly. It's all just plastic & rubber really. The netting & sole on Vs yellow, The sole on VIs yellow. The mesh & Patent leather on Columbias eventually yellow. I have an OG pair of Speed Turfs & the icey sole is completely yellowed. It's gonna happen but that alone wouldn't make someone buy them again if they re-retroed. If that was the case then none of the OG & 1st retro XIs would ever sell at all & people would just go after the most recent retro. Not to mention of course there's seaglow & retrobrite both which do wonders for icey soles if it's really a problem.

 

[shoeheadjeezy]

If its a recent Jordan I wait a few months or year untill I bring them out I dont want to be walking around wearing the same shoe everybody is wearing I have more than enough to make the wait easier... If its a nike retro I bring them out when I feel like it because its not as much hype as JB releases... But I will wear the shoe eventually might take a while but they all will be worn believe that..

 

[zero23]

Fam, you forgot to quote my part about cost cutting above that statement. "With Nike/JB's cost cutting methods, I wouldn't be surprised if shoes used up 40% less glue or something along those lines which lead to them deteriorating quick."


There's no other Nike shoe with an icy sole that has the yellowing glue problems that the XI's have. My 2 extra pairs of SJ's from 09 look so funky, if they dropped again this year, I would off those two in a heartbeat and buy two more. Again, getting me to buy two more of the same shoe, when I thought I stocked up and was done with SJ's for life. At the end of the day, I bought 3 SJ's in 09 and I would end up buying 2 more just because I would off the others in the resale market. Total pairs bought, 5 when I would have wanted 3....

I wasn't disagreeing with you on the cost cutting part, just on the intentionally making them so they yellowed quickly. It's all just plastic & rubber really. The netting & sole on Vs yellow, The sole on VIs yellow. The mesh & Patent leather on Columbias eventually yellow. I have an OG pair of Speed Turfs & the icey sole is completely yellowed. It's gonna happen but that alone wouldn't make someone buy them again if they re-retroed. If that was the case then none of the OG & 1st retro XIs would ever sell at all & people would just go after the most recent retro. Not to mention of course there's seaglow & retrobrite both which do wonders for icey soles if it's really a problem.

The soles themselves will yellow and deteriorate over time. We all know that. But have you seen the yellowing glue stains from the 09, 10, and 11 Jordan XI releases? It's under the clear sole and it's only around the colored pods on the bottom. I'll try to find some pics. It's ridiculous on them. I'm OK with the whole clear sole yellowing over time. I'm not OK with the yellowing that happens with the glue within an year...

EDIT:

Here's a pic and also a shoe that was sea-glowed, but it still wouldn't get the glue stain out from around the pods. This is what I'm talking about. Not the natural yellowing of the soles. It has happened to every Xmas XI release so far, and I'm sure it will continue.

 

[sdot73]

i eventually wear all my sneakers but right now I have about 20 pairs of ds sneakers I waiting to take out for some sunny days. I wouldn't say I'm scared to unds them, but I certainly paranoid that something will happen to my south beach lebrons if i wear them out

 

[mazz305]

The soles themselves will yellow and deteriorate over time. We all know that. But have you seen the yellowing glue stains from the 09, 10, and 11 Jordan XI releases? It's under the clear sole and it's only around the colored pods on the bottom. I'll try to find some pics. It's ridiculous on them. I'm OK with the whole clear sole yellowing over time. I'm not OK with the yellowing that happens with the glue within an year...

EDIT:

Here's a pic and also a shoe that was sea-glowed, but it still wouldn't get the glue stain out from around the pods. This is what I'm talking about. Not the natural yellowing of the soles. It has happened to every Xmas XI release so far, and I'm sure it will continue.

Wow I wasn't even aware that the glue was doing that. Is this a common problem b/c neither my Concords or Space Jams have done it.

 

[zero23]

The soles themselves will yellow and deteriorate over time. We all know that. But have you seen the yellowing glue stains from the 09, 10, and 11 Jordan XI releases? It's under the clear sole and it's only around the colored pods on the bottom. I'll try to find some pics. It's ridiculous on them. I'm OK with the whole clear sole yellowing over time. I'm not OK with the yellowing that happens with the glue within an year...

EDIT:

Here's a pic and also a shoe that was sea-glowed, but it still wouldn't get the glue stain out from around the pods. This is what I'm talking about. Not the natural yellowing of the soles. It has happened to every Xmas XI release so far, and I'm sure it will continue.

Wow I wasn't even aware that the glue was doing that. Is this a common problem b/c neither my Concords or Space Jams have done it.

Yeah, I have 3 pairs of SJ's, all do that, not as bad, but look like the pairs in the seaglowed video. I have 2 pairs of Cool Greys that both do this. Concords not yet. I've seen a bunch of pairs do this, especially pairs that are for sale. It's ridiculous... 

 

[aznxmoss]

At the rate these retros are releasing, it's not worth it to keep stock. Retail prices are way too high to just let them sit in the dark.

 

[djyoung08]

I have 4 DS Jordans waiting to be worn. I usually unDS within a month of release or so... sometimes longer sometimes shorter. I always cop to rock.

 

[feelingood]

I had something similar happen to me a few weeks back. Look what happened to my OG Taxi's.. 2nd time wearing them. Now I'm bitter, I didn't get a chance to wear them.


I know it's fixable, but still..

yeah deteriation is always fixable.. but it takes that brand new , dead stock feeling away.. now a days i couldnt be more in a rush to wear all my isht.

 

[biggtt]

I had my ds pair of 04 Oly's separate on me already and now im frightened to un-ds my columbia IV's =/

 

[penalize]

Yeah, I have 3 pairs of SJ's, all do that, not as bad, but look like the pairs in the seaglowed video. I have 2 pairs of Cool Greys that both do this. Concords not yet. I've seen a bunch of pairs do this, especially pairs that are for sale. It's ridiculous... 

wow...thats crazy...that has never happened to any of my xi's....they just yellow...

 

[eyeoverstand]

I always rock my joints.... I might wait awhile but for the most part they are worn.  I do double up sometimes, depending on if I'm trying to keep a fresh pair in the stash for a rainy day.  I do buy shoes from ebay, dunkxchanges, and will trade to make extra money though.  I have been stocking Nike Boxes since 98 and it can generate a 2nd revenue just like when I hustle Comics and Toys.  But, I don't wait in-line for a pair of shoes unless I'm wearing them... Money made are off the buy low sell for a profit mindstate.

 

[blackvettegs]

 I do have a few pairs of J's that are DS, like the Doerbacher 4's, the grape V's, the Hare 7's, the Carmine VI's and even the Concorde XI's. I always used to buy two pairs of every Jordan, one to wear and one to collect, but after having some them yellow or come unglued or just crumble, I now Only buy 1 pair with the mindset of wearing. There is no point in storing them and then losing them to deterioration. At the end of the day, it doesnt matter if you store in an AC controlled room (like I do) shoes will still go bad (like the pics above with the XI's) and the sole will dry rot etc. Nothing Lasts Forever, so you might as well enjoy them "YOLO"!

Either way they are gonna re-relase them in a few years anyways. Just do it!

 

[wormdoes]

I'm not afraid to wear my shoes, but I usually wait 6 months or longer to rock a retro that just released. I hate going out with a new pair on and seeing numerous people wearing the same. Obviously, it's going to happen because of the popularity of Jordan's nowadays, but by waiting 6 months or so I feel it won't be as bad.

OP, no disrespect, but it sounds almost like you're giving up on life. There's nothing wrong with rejection. It makes you stronger and more confident. You should get out there and try and meet some girls and get some friends. Life's too short to sit around and be lonely.

 

[jpfresh704]

I give them a few months before I break them out. Try to let the hype die down and wait for everyone to beat them into the ground and then I break them out. Haven't worn a new pair of kicks on release day since I was a kid. My white/grey 15's were the last pair of kicks I rocked on a release day...

 

[marcmac360]

Glad a lot of heads here rock more of their kicks than stock. Personally I cant wait more than a day

 

[mazz305]

Can't front though this thread definitely made me come to the realization that I definitely need to start rocking all of my DS kicks.

 

[feelingood]

I can't lie.. With the detrioatiion I have seen happen due to long periods of time when storing DS kicks (for some reason all my stored worn kicks is fine, just the DS ones fall apart) .. I need to make a thread called. " Who Else is Afraid to DS their kicks"

 

[stiunit]

for me its about finding the time to wear all my kicks, i work so damn much, i really only get 2 days a week to actually wear my clothes and kicks somestimes just 1 day, thanks to that i keep clothes and shoes fresh a lot longer than most.