Whether it is due to the prevalence of bots, COVID logistics issues, or the shoe is truly limited, we have all missed out on sneakers that consumed our dreams months before the drop. Sometimes, you get lucky on release day only to find the shoe isn't what you expected once it arrives. While much debate can be had on which scenario is worse, both can leave you scarred for years - left searching for a decent replacement or price in perpetuity. Such is how grails are born. While the shoes in this post may not ultimately become holy grails in my book, the circumstances surrounding how each of these escaped my clutches will haunt me for years to come. Extra Butter x Puma Clyde "Kings of New York," "Peacoat"I know, I know. These came out in 2017 and technically eluded me for nearly four years prior to the story below, but it was my 2021 interaction with this shoe that keeps me up at night. Why I Love It: In a word: velvet. I love when brands push the envelope by trying out rarely-utilized materials on otherwise classic shoes - especially when that materials is velvet (see Strangelove SBs). Soft to the touch, the way velvet reflects light made these shoes appear like they themselves were shining. The combination of the louder fabric with the simple silhouette and always-wearable navy made this a perfect way to dip my toes into (definitely intended) this opulent fabric. Considering the details that accompany a well-executed collaboration and my love for the Puma Suede, I had no reservations when buying my first pair of Clydes. Why I Missed Out: The story begins with a StockX seller accepting a low-ball bid I placed - much to my surprise. Because of my long history with the Suede (and only the Suede...), I bid on my traditional Puma size, 10.5. It was not until after I received these shoes that I learned that Walt "Clyde" Frazier had surprisingly narrow feet for top-five pick in the NBA Draft. Even in my thinnest socks, it quickly became clear these beauties were not long for my closet. I ultimately sold them (to someone who does not even know sneaker culture exists, oddly enough) for roughly what I paid for them. The most maddening part of this was thinking I had copped these for a steal, only to have the rug pulled out from under me upon delivery. How I Filled the Hole in My Heart: Always on the prowl, I stumbled upon these New Balance 991s on J. Crew's website several months after selling the Clydes. Those J. bronis wanted $265 plus tax and ship, but I was able to find a pair on eBay for significantly less - though significantly more than the Pumas they replaced. Both pair of shoes share a navy and tan color scheme but the 991s allowed me to explore my blossoming interest in New Balance sneakers. Regardless, if I find a size 11 in the Extra Butter Clydes at that same price point in the future, I won't hesitate to pull the trigger. My pair of the Navy/Sand New Balance 991s. Kith x Asics Gel Lyte V "Salmon Toe"I long ago retired the Salmon Toe Gel Lyte IIIs to the "those are insane, but I'll never own a pair" grouping of shoes - right next to the green denim Patta Air Max 1s and the Miro 7s. Years later, I was exuberant to have the opportunity to cop the now-iconic colorway on a silhouette I like even more. Why I Love It: The shoe is subtle, yet it stands out against other navy shoes. The dark blue keeps the shoe earnest, yet the salmon adds just the right amount of flair and whimsy. The entire colorway is almost obvious, yet incredibly inventive. As someone who loves navy and wears it frequently (especially navy pants), I hesitate to buy navy shoes for fear of looking like I am wearing footsy pajamas. Adding a bright, though somehow muted, tone to the toe allows me to stylishly wear my beloved navy on foot. Why I Missed Out: I herded a size 11 into my cart the moment they dropped. I was checking out within 30 seconds. They had already sold out. The bots win again. How I Filled the Hole in My Heart: I immediately placed what I consider to be a fair bid on StockX and have had several pair on my eBay watchlist for months. Part of the reason why these shoes are so incredible is because I have yet to find anything like them. One day... New Balance 993 "Indigo"Speaking of New Balance 99Xs... I am pretty sure all new fathers have to trade in their Flint 13s for these before hospitals let them take their newborns home. Why I Love It: The Flint 13s have long been one of my favorite Js. I've always found my them incredibly easy to match because the beautiful French Blue that adorns the sides works well with gray (obviously), black, and even shades of brown and tan. These 993s keep that same alluring colorway, but are even easier to wear (particularly to the office) because of their low profile. Especially after Jordan Brand retroed the Flint 13s in 2020, I was excited to wear a shoe in this colorway without seeing them on someone else's feet three times per day. Why I Missed Out: After viewing a very helpful and detailed review on YouTube, I knew I wanted these for my expanding New Balance collection. I searched tirelessly online for months and even thought about buying an unpictured pair on eBay for dramatically under retail, just to see whether eBay's new authentication services are trustworthy. After checking several New Balance brick and mortars in my area, I walked into a New Balance outlet with little hope these would have filtered down to bargain stores. Though I first thought it was a mirage, this tiny outlet store far removed from the sneaker scene had several stacks of these gorgeous 993s. For the first time in a long time, I was back to believing that the sneaker gods really do exist. The find was, of course, too good to be true. The closest size the outlet had was an 11, which left enough room for Jesus considering the width of the toe box on the 993. I bought them anyway and spent another several months attempting to find a size swap online. Eventually, I found a 10.5 on StockX and decided I had wasted enough time searching: I pulled the trigger for a considerable amount over retail. Based on the assumption that StockX would do their job properly (assumptions make an ass out of X and me...) I returned the size 11s to the outlet store. Days later, I opened my StockX package to find a pair of double extra wide 993s staring back at me. As you can imagine, this pair left enough room for Jesus, his disciples, and the Mother Mary herself. On my way to the UPS store to ship the wrongly-sized pair back to StockX, I stopped at the New Balance outlet. The 11s had already sold and the now-closest size was a 14. Sneaker gods giveth, sneaker gods taketh away. How I Filled the Hole in My Heart: I've certainly been wearing my Flint 13s more recently. Sadly, I have the 2010 release. This means they not only have seen more wear than most of my shoes, but they are also likely on borrowed time. In my experience, Jordans older than 10 years are not long for this world. I'm praying there is a boat filled with size 10.5 993s somewhere off the coast of Boston that will dock once COVID stops disrupting the supply chain, but perhaps it's time to stop hoping for too much from the sneaker gods. My well-loved pair of 2010 Jordan 13 Flints. Honorable MentionsKith x Nike Air Force 1 Kith "Hawaii"
I began my Hawaiian vacation just 11 days after the opening of Kith Honolulu. I would have gladly skipped the beach to wait in line for these. New Balance 1400 Steel Blue One day I will go to Japan with three empty suitcases and bring back all of the Made-in-America shoes that don't release stateside. This will be my first purchase.
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About the AuthorKevin Witenoff has been collecting sneakers since 2004. He is currently based out of Detroit, Michigan, USA and is down to a collection of roughly 60 pairs. He wears size 10.5. |