On this week's episode of the Complex Sneakers Podcast, Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty discuss the upcoming Air Jordan 4 "White Cement," that re-released for the first time since 2016. The crew looks at the shoe's quality, leather, history, and more. And discusses whether or not they deserve a price tag of $225. They also discuss Lil Yachty's Air Force 1 release in NYC, Dick's Sporting Goods buying Foot Locker, and how good the Air Max 95 is this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/...
May 23, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 16Ep. 5
It happens to the best of us—we let a sneaker argument online get us in our feelings. This week, we relive a recent online drama involving our own Matt Welty and the Cincinnati sneaker store Unheardof over their “Piggy Runner” Adidas collaboration. The other cohosts, Joe La Puma and Brendan Dunne, give a progress update on the great sneaker purge of 2025. Also in this episode: “Rodeo” SB Dunks, more NIke Kobe retros, the “White Cement” Jordan 4, and Dunne going belt shopping at a random man’s ap...
May 16, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 16Ep. 4
The ‘Dirty Triple White’ Nike Air Force 1 is the most viral sneaker this year. It’s a shoe from Nike’s Dot Swoosh division that’s made to look like it’s been worn-in right out of the box. The shoe is supposed to get cleaner as you wear it, revealing a crispy white Air Force 1 underneath. Why are people so mad about it? On this episode, co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty discuss the sacred status of the white-on-white Air Force 1s, the less-talked-about black pair, and the real t...
May 09, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 16Ep. 3
We love Air Jordans—and we’ve spent a lot of time discussing the best ones—but let’s be honest, there have been some truly awful Jordan releases in the past 40 years. In this episode, co hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty pick out their least favorite Air Jordans of all time. Who is responsible for the J2K “Filbert” Jordan 7? Why do the “Plaid” Air Jordan 5s exist? And are the Dub Zeroes really that bad? Also in this episode, discussions about the latest Nike SNKRS update, the tari...
May 02, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 16Ep. 2
Nike and Hyperice are dropping a wild pair of $900 boots that they say will help you warm up and recover from physical activity. How do the Nike Hyperboots actually work? And how wearable are they as shoes? We test a pair out in this episode. Also, co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about the upcoming Nike SB Air Max 95, too-early picks for sneaker of the year, and that new shoe smell that we’re still all obsessed with. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...
Apr 25, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 16Ep. 1
There’s no debating that Michael Jordan has the best signature sneaker line ever in the Air Jordans, but who comes next? How close is Penny Hardaway to the top tier of signature shoes with designs like the Foamposite? And where do Bo Jackson and Ken Griffey’s shoes stack up? Does Carmelo Anthony deserve a spot in the tier list? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty put together a tier-list ranking of all-time Nike signature lines in this episode. Also, an update on the Air Max 95 “...
Apr 04, 2025•59 min•Season 15Ep. 10
Skateboard legend Eric Koston is on the podcast this week to talk about his history in skate sneakers, his input on the Air Jordan 4 SB, and his favorite Air Max models. Is he ready to talk about his Nike SB version of the Nike Air Max 95? Not exactly, but we did our best anyway. Elsewhere on the episode: Zadeh Kicks is guilty, Nike is down bad, Cactus Plant Flea Market is as wacky as ever, and former Swoosh CEO Mark Parker has been back in Beaverton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...
Mar 28, 2025•59 min•Season 15Ep. 9
It’s not really up for debate that the “Neon” Nike Air Max 95 is the best version of the Air Max 95 that’s ever released. But what are the other great colorways worth celebrating? How good is Atmos’ “Beast Pack”? What about insidery pairs like the Mita flip on the Sergio Lozano prototype? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty break down a ranked list of the best Air Max 95s of all time in this episode. Also, they catch up on sneaker news like the leak of the Adidas AE 2, the frenzi...
Mar 21, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 15Ep. 8
How far would Nike possibly go when it comes to bringing grail sneakers back out of the vault? Could untouchable sneakers like the “Red October” Air Yeezy 2 and the Nike Mag actually see some sort of retro? Would people line up all over again for a classic like Sean Wotherspoon’s corduroy Air Max 1/97? What about the return of Virgil Abloh’s Off-White x Nikes? In light of Nike bringing back heat like the Wu-Tang Dunks and Undefeated x Air Jordan 4s, co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt ...
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Season 15Ep. 7
ASICS’ sportstyle sneakers, including runners like the Gel 1130 and the Kayano 14, have been on a tear for the last couple of years. Where did the hype around these Y2K running sneakers come from? Who is buying all the Asics? And how did we get to a world where resellers are flipping the shoes? On this episode of the Complex Sneakers Podcast, Brian Nadav, owner of Philly sneaker boutique Lapstone & Hammer and a lifelong sneaker retailer, breaks down the ASICS momentum. Also on this episode: ...
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Season 15Ep. 6
There’s no doubt that sneaker reselling has cooled off from its peak in the early part of the 2020s. But has the bubble totally popped? Answering that question in this episode is Puneet Singh, aka Sole Supreme, a collector and reseller who owns the store Legacy in New Jersey. Singh talks about the death of the Panda Dunks, the rampant Travis Scott Air Jordan fake market, and the truth about who’s spending money in sneaker stores. Also on this episode, co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Mat...
Feb 21, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Season 15Ep. 5
The Off-White x Air Jordan 1 might feel like too sacred, special, and recent a shoe to get a retro treatment, but rumors are circulating that Jordan Brand is planning to bring the Virgil Abloh design back out as a retro at the end of this year. What’s the truth behind those rumors? And is it right to bring the shoe back so soon? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty discuss that in this episode. They also recap the controversial ‘Bred” Air Jordan 1 85 retro, do an in depth review o...
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 15Ep. 4
The biggest sneaker release of the year so far is the 2025 retro return of the original black and red “Bred” Air Jordan 1. It’s going to be an expensive shoe at $250, and a hard one to get with around 10,000 pairs floating around. How good of a job did Jordan Brand do in recreating its most seminal sneaker? Does this year’s iteration of the black and red “Banned” Jordan 1 actually feel like a premium shoe? And does anyone even care about all the little details? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunn...
Jan 31, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Season 15Ep. 3
What are the best Air Jordan 3 colorways of all time? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty debate that in their latest list rundown on this new episode. What’s the best non-original Air Jordan 3? How good is the “Cool Grey” Jordan 3? Does the “Mocha” Jordan 3 deserve a spot? Also on this episode, the panel discusses ethics around sneaker leaks, the impact on the resale market of Stadium Goods closing its New York City store, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...
Jan 17, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Season 15Ep. 2
We’re early into 2025, but there are already a handful of important sneaker release dates to look forward to. The “Galaxy” Nike Air Foamposite Ones are coming back in February. The legendary Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 is getting a legit retail release. Tom Sachs and Nike are back working together. Which will be the biggest sneakers this year? And will some of these highly anticipated pairs—like the “Banned” Air Jordan 1—not live up to expectations? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt We...
Jan 10, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 15Ep. 1
We’re still in year-end list-making mode when it comes to the best sneakers of 2024. With the dust from the ComplexCon Sneaker of the Year panel finally settled, we’re revisiting that compilation to briefly go over our final sneaker of the year selections. More than that, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about their personal favorite shoes from 2024, like Ronnie Fieg’s run of Kith Asics and the Stash x Nike Air Max 95s. Also, they discuss the Corteiz x Nike Air Trainer Hua...
Dec 20, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 14Ep. 11
What are the best sneakers of 2024? Which pairs will we remember the most that set the tone in sneakers over the last 12 months? Is the Adidas AE 1 really that good? What about Wu-Tang Dunks? Did Jae Tips make a top-10 sneaker of the year? The Complex Sneakers Show co-hosts got into these questions at the annual ComplexCon Sneaker of the Year panel last month with guests Lil Yachty and PJ Tucker. As is customary, we’re uploading the full conversation as a recap here. It starts with a tribute to ...
Dec 08, 2024•53 min•Season 14Ep. 10
The ‘Black Cement’ Air Jordan 3 is one of the biggest sneakers of the year. But how does the 2024 Jordan 3 ‘Black Cement’ compare to the 2018 ‘Black Cement’? And which one is more like the original Jordan 3 that was released in 1988? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty review the sneakers in this episode. They also recap ComplexCon, from the Travis Scott drops to Nike’s 3D-printed sneaker to the dramatic Sneaker of the Year panel. Also, some reflections on tier rankings for Air J...
Nov 22, 2024•1 hr•Season 14Ep. 9
DJ Clark Kent was a huge figure in hip-hop—he discovered Jay-Z and worked with Biggie—and an influential sneaker collector who made shoes with brands like Nike and Adidas. Clark, who died in October, was also a close friend to Complex. In this episode, co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Wetly reflect on Clark in the wake of his passing. Elsewhere in the episode, they talk about the lifespan ASICS Kayano trend, running into Michael Jordan, and all the exciting sneaker releases coming u...
Nov 08, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 14Ep. 8
The leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, the RZA, joins the Complex Sneakers Show this week to discuss the long history of the Wu-Tang x Nike Dunk High, breaking down how the shoe finally came back as a retro after all these years. RZA runs through his sneaker history, from ducking gangs with ODB in Coney Island to collecting all flavors of Havana Joes. Also in the episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about the viral New Balance loafers and the next Coreiz x Nike Air Max 95s. ...
Oct 25, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 217
Michael Vick has one of the NFL’s defining signature sneaker lines with a series of Nike shoes that matched his electric play with the Atlanta Falcons in the 2000s. Before that, he was turning heads by wearing Air Jordan 17s on the field. On this episode, he breaks down how his Nike deal happened, how he got back together with Nike, and why he wants to start his own footwear brand now. Vick touches on the influence his shoes had in Atlanta specifically, where the Nike Vick line was embraced by t...
Sep 27, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 216
Is the Staple x Nike SB Dunk Low “Pigeon” the best SB Dunk of all time? What about the legendarily rare “FLOM” SB Dunk High by Futura? And does a shoe like the “Chunky Dunky” SB by Ben & Jerry’s even deserve consideration in such a discussion? In this episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty give their takes on the best SB Dunks of all time, and respond to some of the recent feedback over the rankings. They also talk about spending big money on grails, hunting for rare sho...
Sep 20, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 215
J Balvin is four sneakers deep with Jordan Brand, and it sounds like he has more to come. In this episode, the Colombian artist discusses his relationship with Michael Jordan, his battle against sneaker bots on the Air Jordan 3, and what might be next up for his collaborations. He even touches briefly on that recent Air Jordan 4 custom he wore that Jordan was apparently not too happy about. Elsewhere in the episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about finding your true ...
Sep 06, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 214
Michael Rubin is a billionaire, entrepreneur, and close personal friend to Travis Scott. In this conversation, he talks about Travis’ sneaker business, and even dishes a bit on the ‘White Party’ version of the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low that popped up this summer. Rubin also talks about Jay-Z gifting him Louis Vuitton Air Force 1s, recounts a business meeting with Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and talks about his own history reselling sneakers in the '90s. At the top of the episode, co-hosts...
Aug 16, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 213
Who is the most powerful collaborator in sneakers right now? In this episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty run down a long list of industry heavyweights to determine who in the industry is generating the most buzz, sales, and genuinely cool sneakers. They discuss how high Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God work at Adidas puts him, everything Joe Freshgoods has contributed, and why Travis Scott is still a titan. Also in the episode, some quick catch up on Odell Beckham Jr.’s Nike l...
Aug 02, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 212
Nigel Sylvester is back with Jordan Brand, with what might be his most ambitious project ever. This time around, the BMX superstar is reworking a new take on the Air Jordan 4, the Jordan 4RM. It's a low-cut shoe with a frame that's inspired by bikes. The story behind his shoes takes root from his grandmother's driveway, where he first learned how to ride a bike. In this episode, Sylvester talks about making the shoes and shows off the green and grey colorways of the sneakers. He talks about Lil ...
Jul 23, 2024•58 min•Ep. 211
The Wu-Tang x Nike Dunks are releasing for the first time ever. The “Galaxy” Foamposites are coming back. It even looks like the Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 grails are retroing next year. Why is Nike scrambling to drop so much heat? And should the brand show any restraint when it comes to bringing sneakers back out? Should certain sneakers remain in the vault? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty discuss these questions in this latest episode, and try to situate the decisions with r...
Jul 12, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 210
What’s the most exciting new sneaker in the past year? How much do big retros like the Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue” deserve to be celebrated in 2024? What about Nina Chanel Abney’s Air Jordan 3? In this mid-year episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty discuss the best sneakers to drop now that the year is halfway over. They also preview some upcoming releases, like Nike’s Sunder Max retro and the Swarovski versions of the TN. And, an important conversation about Kendrick Lama...
Jun 28, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 209
Fabolous is a serious sneaker collector—he’s seen every era, from original Air Jordans to the wild fake shoes of the 2000s to the current retros and Travis Scott collaborations. He joins the show this week to discuss all that, along with his influential style, the heyday of throwback jerseys, filling your house with sneakers, and more. Also, the cohosts address Action Bronson’s New Balance drops, “Flu Game” Jordan 12s coming back, and Bad Bunny’s big Gazelle collab. Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...
Jun 14, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 208
Is the first ever Air Max sneaker still the best in the line? Or did the post-Tinker Hatfield designers who worked on massive shoes like the Air Max 95 and the Tn do it better? Cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty rank all the best Air Maxes in this episode, whittling them down to the best of the best. Also, they talk about LeBron James’ mysterious new shoe, Cam’ron’s Adidas diss over the Anthony Edwards spot, and the SB version of the Air Max 95. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...
Jun 07, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 207
