NEW BALANCE 1400 "BLACK/ORANGE"

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE J-CREW 1400'S

NIKE DUNK HIGH "J-PACK"

Today we have the black/red dunk that is very similar to one of the original Air Jordan 1 colorways.  This dunk high (like the grey and blue versions) sports a textured swoosh as the standout feature.
YEAR OF RELEASE:  2012
STYLE CODE:  317982 051
MATERIALS:  Leather with a textured swoosh
COMES WITH:  Red flat laces
STREET VALUE:  $85.  I got my pair from premierskateboarding.com!

NEW BALANCE 1400 "BLACK/ORANGE"

Today I'm sporting some Black and Orange 1400's I got from J-Crew (I believe this colorway is one of their exclusive releases).  These appear deceptively simple, but sport that 3M Orange on the logo to really set them apart, not to mention they are Made in the USA!
YEAR OF RELEASE:  2012
STYLE CODE:  M1400BKK
MATERIALS:  Suede uppers with a 3M logo
COMES WITH:  Made in USA tag, grey laces
STREET VALUE:  $130

AIR JORDAN III "BLACK CEMENT"

Learn more about the Black Cement III's

AIR JORDAN III "BLACK CEMENT"

Here, we have the latest release of this colorway in this model, the last retro having been the better half of a countdown package in 2008.  The main differences between this version and previous iterations include the shade of red being darker, the cut being skinnier and higher, as well as the black part of the midsole being shinier.
YEAR OF RELEASE: 2011
STYLE CODE: 136064 010
MATERIALS: The black portions have a mix of tumbled and smooth leather, with the elephant print being a suede/nubuck material.
COMES WITH:  These come with black laces, a card explaining the shoe's technology, and a box partially covered in elephant/cement print.
STREET VALUE: $250

LEBRON IX "BLACK HISTORY MONTH"

Similar to Christmas, All-Star Weekend, and now Easter, certain Nike shoes typically get a special edition during February for Black History Month.  Here we get what appears to be a very straightforward colorway, with the exception of the hints of color on the interior and sole.  This is a bit of a change up from the previous years' gold-infused colorway.
YEAR OF RELEASE:  2012
STYLE CODE: 530962 001
MATERIALS: Shiny leather, flywire and a carbon fiber-ish woven material.
COMES WITH:  These come with black laces and special BHM lacelocks.
STREET VALUE: $225.

ERIK KOSTON SB "BLACK/WHITE"

Probably the most basic colorway there is of the EKSB, these still have a bit of flare with the off white swoosh.  I can't say enough about how comfortable and light these shoes are!  I definitely look forward to more nice colorways of this shoe!

WDYWT - AIR FORCE 1 "BLACK ICE"

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WDYWT - DUNK LOW SB "HAWAII"

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AIR JORDAN III "BLACK CEMENT"

Another very popular OG colorway of the AJ3, the Black Cements have been released multiple times.  Here we have the pair from the countdown package.  One notable difference of the CDP III's is the jumpman logo on the back instead of Nike Air.   The insoles are also different (earlier releases did not say 2008 on them).
YEAR OF RELEASE:  2008
STYLE CODE:  340254 061
MATERIALS: The shoe is leather all over except above the midsole which has suede/nubuck elephant print around the toebox and rear.
COMES WITH:  My pair was used so it just came with a replacement box and black laces.  New pairs came in a special larger box in order to accommodate the pair of XX's also included in the pack.
STREET VALUE: $200-300

A LOOK BACK - AIR FORCE 1 "BLACK ICE"

After so many nice, sunny days here on the central California coast, the forecast again calls for rain.  When issues like this arise, there's nothing better than a pair of black on black AF1's that won't get ruined by a little water.  Did I make a good wet weather choice?  Check out the pics below and my original review here.

SNEAKER REVIEW - DUNK LOW SB "HAWAII"

These shoes are inspired by Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes.  The colors are supposed to represent magma and the black rock left behind after an volcanic explosion.  They feature a special design on the insole, a Hawaiian flag on the upper rear and a small map on the outer lower rear of the shoe.

SNEAKER REVIEW - AIR TOTAL MAX UPTEMPO "BRED"

A new colorway on a sneaker that released over 10 years ago, the bred (black+red) uptempos aren't exactly a hit with collectors but get major points for being a clean colorway with decent materials.  The original uptempos released in the late 90s and these stay pretty true in terms of materials, only featuring a slightly smaller air unit. Reggie Miller, David Robinson and a young Vince Carter all are supposedly among the players to rock this model in a game.

INFO - AIR FORCE 1 "BLACK ICE"

These dropped this year and at first glance might be mistaken for the Space Jam themed AF1's that also came out around the same time, but these have no patent leather on them. Like most simply-colored AF1s, these might not be huge with collectors now, but may be appreciated for their wearability and versatility later on.  They get their name from the dark yet clear sole.