Just For Kicks

So, last time I talked about retro shoes. This time around we’ll talk about some newer shoes that are a little under the radar; in other words, shoes that deserve attention and may not get it on a large scale. So many new brands have gained recent subculture popularity over the past few years. The first of these brands that caught my eye was Greedy Genius. Greedy Genius really does have the best of everything as far as artistic and regional influence goes. The four founders of the brand interestingly hail from different parts of the globe: one from the US, one from Europe, one from Asia, and one from Africa. Greedy Genius goes out of its way to create a style that is uniquely for the modern generation. Their shoes use a perfect combination of colors and materials to make a nice looking sensible shoe. They also have a clothing line that poetically declares their slogan, “The Root of All Evil,” appropriate for their imagery of dollars signs and money hungry scientist, thus explaining their name. Look for Greedy Genius to keep moving up in the sneaker game. The next line of shoes is for the skaters. DC Shoes gained huge popularity when professional skater Rob Dyrdek befriended the founders of Droors Clothing line. With them, he helped create the first line of true athletic skate shoes, elevating skate shoes to the level that was generally only found in football, basketball, and baseball. In the last year, DC Shoes has put out an incredible array of footwear that not only looks good, but operates at a level one would expect from a high end athletic shoe. Unlike skate shoes before them, newer DC shoes flaunt durable visible cushioning systems as well as top notch ventilation systems. Shoes like the DC Aerotech 2 and the DC Versatile offer amazing aesthetics coupled with a feel and durability that will last through the punishment of serious skateboarding. If you are serious about skateboarding and want a shoe that can keep up with you, DC Shoes is the way to go. The next line of shoes I’m gradually, and almost reluctantly, growing fond of is Protégé. Protégé is a new brand founded by Golden State Warrior teammates Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington. The brand goes along with the same idea that Stephon Marbury had when he created Starbury shoes, and that is, provide quality basketball footwear at an affordable price. I have no personal experience with either of these shoe brands but from my understanding, they are supposed to function on the court just as well as a top of the line Jordan Brand or Nike shoe. Now from my long experience with Jordan and Nike shoes, I have to say this is a completely bogus claim. In no way are these shoes, which sell for about $39.99, better or even equal to the performance value of Jordans or Nikes. Nevertheless, the idea behind them is quite admirable. The price of most basketball shoes is astounding. Very few people can afford a signature shoe that costs anywhere from $110 to $200. The idea behind Protégé was to allow younger kids to wear the same shoes their favorite athletes wear at an affordable price. The only thing I would worry about is the materials and how quickly the shoes would deteriorate from long days on the asphalt and hardwood. I like what they are trying to do, but I’m going to stick with my Js. I also want to start sharing some of my favorite websites with people. If you want rare shoes check out www.pickyourshoes.com, they carry everything from super rare Jordans, Nikes, and Adidas, to brands like Greedy Genius and PF Flyers. Be ready with some cash however, because due to the fact that they’re the only place to find most of these rare shoes, they’re also the most expensive. Also, if you’re a Jordan guy like me, check out www.23isback.com for great info on release dates.