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On The Complex Sneakers Podcast. Joe La Puma, Matt Welty, and Upscale Vandal discuss the most important sneaker news and topics every week, and give their expert opinions that can only be told authentically from Complex.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
240 Episodes
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What are the best Nike Kobe sneakers of all time? Complex recently ranked the top 24 designs from Kobe Bryant’s run of Nike signature shoes in celebration of Mamba Day. Coming off that list, the Complex Sneakers Show recruited Kobe fanatic Darryl Glover to get his reactions to the list and also talk about his history with the shoes. Is the “Grinch” Nike Kobe 6 really the best Kobe ever? Is the HTM Kobe 9 overrated? Also, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty catch up on recent sneaker news and react to Patta’s Barcelona version of the Air Max TN, the upcoming Union x Nike Field Generals, and the Huf x Nike Air Max 1 retro. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tom Sachs is on the Complex Sneakers Podcast this week to talk about his Nike Mars Yard 3.0, to unveil the brand new and upcoming Nike General Purpose Participation Shoe, address the allegations made against him at Nike in 2023, and his history in footwear and art. We even found out that Tom Sachs used to be an Air Jordan 9 guy. Elsewhere, the guys talk about the return of the "Toyko" Air Jordan 5, the return of grail-level shoes in general, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is back for its first episode since Upscale Vandal joined Joe La Puma and Matt Welty as a new host. The three guys catch up, Vandal explains why he joined the podcast and they go over the Sneaker Collaborator Power Rankings, as decided by the Complex Sneakers team. The team debates Travis Scott, Nigel Sylvester, Jae Tips, ASAP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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/privacy for more information.
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 apartment. Note that this week's episode was shot in a temporary studio—we'll be back to normal in a few weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 thing you should be mad about when it comes to Uptowns. Also on this episode, a preview of New Balance’s Grey Day celebration, a recap of the best sneakers of the year so far, and the upcoming Undefeated x Air Jordan 4. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 tariffs’ effects on Adidas sneaker prices, and even more Air Max 95 talk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 information.
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 “Neon” rollout, news about Bodega’s struggles, and a narrowly avoided April Fools’ prank. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 more information.
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 frenzied drop of the “Cool Grey” Air Jordan 9, and the F1 endorsement deal between Lewis Hamilton and Nike that never happened. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 Welty debate the merits of that kind of retro in this episode. Also in the episode: the best Air Jordan retro era ever, Stussy’s Nike Baltoros, and the leopard print Adidas Sambas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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: co hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about the hype around the “Galaxy” Foamposite retro, Undefeated’s next Spiridon, and the brazen Air Jordan train heists happening in the middle of the desert. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 Matt Welty talk about the heavy Air Jordan presence during All-Star Weekend, the return of the Tom Sachs x Nike Mars Yards, and the billion-dollar potential of Nikeskims. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 of the 2025 “Galaxy” Foamposite retro, and talk about the fate of the PlayStation x Nike Air Force 1, another grail-level bring back from Nike. This episode was recorded during Super Bowl LIX weekend in New Orleans live at the Family Style food fest, hence the new set and slightly different look. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 Dunne, and Matt Welty answer those questions on the latest episode. Also here, they discuss the “Ruby Red Slipper” version of the Wizard of Oz x Nike SB Dunk Low, the recent JJJJound New Balance 993, and Lorenz.OG’s hectic New Balance drop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 more information.
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 Welty discuss those topics on their first episode back in the new year. Also, Brendan live cops sneakers, Joe swings by JD Sports to do some buying of his own, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 Huarache release in New York, the “Legend Blue” Air Jordan 11 release, and the biggest flop sneakers of 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 DJ Clark Kent, who the panel will be named for going forward, features that infamous Yachty moment over the Concrete Boys Air Force 1s, and eventually settles on a pretty unanimous choice for sneaker of the year. Follow along with the picks, debate in the comments, and let us know how your choices differ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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