Awesome Shoes

Sean Yan Muk of SeansCrafts loves to make stuff out of ordinary household materials. This time out, he created a pair of impressively accurate Nike Air Force 1 sneakers out of cardboard, then wore the pair into footwear stores to check out the reactions when he asked if they had them in stock.

A very special gift for sneaker fanatics, Taschen’s 644-page coffee table book tells the storied history of famed footwear brand adidas through images. It features more than 350 pairs of shoes, including rare prototypes, one-of-a-kind originals, and iconic designs throughout the years.

“If they look weird, that’s because they’re made of trash.” Nike’s funky and sustainable Space Hippie line is made from 50% recycled materials by weight, including reground rubber, foam scraps, and Flyknit yarns made from recycled plastic bottles, t-shirts, and yarn scraps. We love how the design embraces the irregularities.

How do you improve the original duck boot? Make it warmer and more flexible by replacing the traditional rubber shell with waterproof AeroForm polyurethane so it doesn’t transfer cold. Coupled with a water-resistant, full-grain leather upper and heavy-traction soles, the LaCrosse Aero Timber Top is built for slushy, muddy tasks.

A 670-page anthology about the history of Sneaker Freaker and the world of sneaker collecting. It features the biggest sneaker moments and everything from famous to obscure sneaker brands. A special metallic red edition is available here.

Finnish brand Tarvas makes these stylish go-anywhere sneakers with leather or Cordura uppers, and thick mudguards along their bottom edge. Their lug rubber outsoles offer great multi-surface traction too. They’re available from a handful of outlets around the globe, including C’H’C’M in NYC and Tanner Goods in Portland.

These stylish everyday shoes don’t look like industrial-strength work shoes, but they are. They come in a variety of designs, and each one as han anti-puncture, skid-resistant, shock-damping sole, a water-resistant body, and a reinforced steel toe. We particularly like the Ryder in green.

For its signature OCA Low Stripe sneaker, Brazilian shoemaker Cariuma updates the classic Chuck Taylor look with premium materials like suede leather, and insole cushioning for superior comfort. The brand goes to extremes to ethically tap rubber, operate a Gold Rated tannery, use solar energy panels, and pay fair wages.

Snow and ice have met their match with Danner’s gorgeous suede hiking boot. Built for men and women, it outfits the popular Mountain 600 collection with a high top and cold-weather tech: Vibram’s Arctic Grip and Ice Trek rubber compounds for traction, plus Primaloft Gold insulation, a waterproof zipper, and a Danner Dry waterproof membrane.

No more ugly tassels and metal spikes. The embossed-leather Croco golf sneaker goes from the clubhouse to the club. Designed in England and handmade in Italy, Royal Albartross’ golf shoes feature modern style, impeccable stitching, gold details, and a kicky orange sole with rubber cleats for grip on the greens and comfort on the street.

Nike gives its ’90s inspired walking shoe a rich and rugged colorway that looks great for outdoor living. Its earthy olive drab main body is accented by a woven canvas inlay with shiny red accents, all riding atop a cushioned air pocket sole. Expect the design to hit stores and Nike.com before the end of 2019.

Chrome’s understated and comfortable workboot is designed to keep your feet dry when stormy weather hits. It’s got a full-grain leather upper, a vulcanized rubber sole, an impact-resistant footbed, and a waterproof membrane to keep the wet stuff out all day long.

You’ve spent thousands on your sneaker collection only to toss them in a closet or on a bookshelf. RCKZ are slick, stackable sneaker boxes which give them an appropriate home. Each box features triangular surfaces which break up and reflect light, while diamond-shaped cutouts ensure stable stacking.

The Q built one of the most insane custom bicycles we’ve ever seen. He replaced the standard wheels of his wide-tire bike with special rims that wear six shoes each instead of tires. It doesn’t look like the smoothest ride ever, but the shoe rubber does provide decent traction.

Following on the heels of Nike’s SpongeBob x Kyrie team-up, Timberland’s limited edition salutes 20 years of SpongeBob SquarePants. Available in black and bright blue, the boots feature a bespeckled SpongeBob, Patrick Star, and the evil Plankton, with leather uppers, PrimaLoft insulation, and rubber lug outsoles.

We’re digging the futuristic open-weave sole and layered body structure of Chinese outfit Li-Ning’s shoes, which make the sneakers look like they’ve been abducted and augmented by aliens. They feature a transluscent mesh inner trim, and cleverly incorporate leather into their uppers.

Insider visited Dr. Martens’ only shoe factory in the UK to give us a peek at how the company makes its famously tough-as-nails shoes and boots. The factory employs 50 people, who make about 100,000 pairs every year.

The classic Chuck Taylor high top already looks great in leather, but serious Converse brand fans will want to grab these sneakers, which can be laser engraved with one of two classic logos. Since they’re part of the Custom Chuck line, you can choose your own colors for virtually every part of the shoe.

Black Light Visuals shows us how they use a tank filled with water and various colors of paints to create a truly one-of-a-kind marbled shoe design. Here, they dip a pair of ordinary white Converse Chuck Taylors and turn them into a wearable work of art.

Designed for conquering varied terrain, the Air Zoom Terra Kiger 5 running shoe has a lightweight Flymesh body, a cushy Nike React foam midsole, a grippy outsole, and a ventilated upper to keep your feet dry. It looks especially awesome in its Geode Teal/Black/Bright Crimson/Aurora colorway shown here.

A performance basketball show with a bold and dynamic look. Its external diamond cage structure isn’t just aesthetic – it actually helps to stabilize the foot, while its forefoot and sole are optimized for quick starts, stops, and directional changes. Drops 7/1/19 from Nike’s Jordan Collection and at select retailers.

Native’s simple and naturally-toned shoes are the world’s first to be made entirely out of plant-based materials, including eucalyptus pulp, cork, and cotton and pineapple fiber. This makes them 100% biodegradable and free of animal products.

Nike has unveiled a Stranger Things-themed collection of shoes and apparel. The Hawkins High pack consists of special colorways of the Blazer, the Tailwind and the Cortez, while the apparel consists of a tee, hoodies, pants and a cap. They will be available 6/27/19, just in time for Season 3.

If you have lots of shoes, you know that storing them can be a hassle and take up lots of space in your home. Shoespace takes care of that problem by providing a compact and stackable storage system. Its height is adjustable to accommodate high tops and boots.

adidas‘ Home of Classics collection features nine sneakers ready to bear your experiences on their white uppers and off-white midsoles. The shoes include classics like the Stan Smith and Superstar, and retros like the Nizza and the SC Premiere.

Nike’s legendary designer Tinker Hatfield – the man behind the Air Max and most Air Jordans – created the basketball-inspired Star Series BB for Converse. The sneakers feature a mesh upper and a chunky diamond-patterned midsole. Drops 5/28/19 for $100.