Memorial Day weekend is about to be upon us, and with it comes the unofficial start to summer. In addition to the long-awaited sunshine, that also means it’s time to break out all those shoes that weren’t quite properly equipped for the treacherous cold, but just right for summer. We all have differing opinions on our favorite warm weather options, so in this edition of Staff Insights, we’re each making the case for our ultimate summertime shoe.
JORDAN HAGEDORN
Nike Dirty Laundry Ashville Sandals “Infrared”
Summer is fast approaching which means all of my sneakers that couldn’t bare the brutal Winter and Spring showers will soon make their appearance. Some of my favorite shoes to kick around in during the Summer months are those from the Air Max series.
I own multiple pairs of the Air Max 95, 96 and 97 but am still on the hunt for a Royal Blue pair of Air Max 1s. The shoe I will bust out come June 1 is one of my favorite models and colorways of the Air Max series, the Dirty Laundry Ashville Sandals, specifically the iconic Infrared color scheme.
The 90 is one of the most comfortable pairs in my collection. The iconic bright, summer-like Infrared colorway partnered with the visible Air bubble and beautiful mix of materials on the upper make these my ultimate pair for the summer.
JOHN KIM
Kelly Rowland in a black dress and Giuseppe Zanotti sandals
Since the debut the Flyknit Racer two years ago, the sneaker has been a firm staple in my sneaker Zapatillas not just for Summer, but during any season in which the weather permits. I immediately picked up the debut Volt and Orange colorways (the latter still being new in box), but the Volts were in heavy use to the point where I wore them almost every day. Since then, I picked up several more colorways of the shoe and doubled up on the great “multi-color” that dropped in June of 2013. I was in DC at the Nike KD event and put a pause on what I was doing to cop two pairs through SN colleague Brendan Dunne.
The Flyknit Racer is incredibly lightweight and breathable, and for those who like to go barefoot, there’s no better shoe. New colorways continue to pop up sporadically, and I can’t seem to resist them. A big hint to Racer fans – join the “VIP club” at Road Runner Sports because you get 10% all year long, and all the coupons that are swimming around can be stacked on top!
AARON KR.
adidas Stan Smith
The Stan Smith has been holding down summers since the early ’70s and is still as relevant as it ever was. Simply stated, the shoe is as clean as clean gets and will always Bia a spot in my Zapatillas for its timeless look and summertime versatility. I’ve owned a bunch of pairs over the years with my original love for the shoe going back to childhood when Stan Smiths were all that my Dad wore. One time back in the early ’80s, he actually had his car window smashed in Newark so someone could steal his beat up pair of Stans out of the back seat, which should give some insight into how coveted they were at the time. No one is breaking into cars for them these days, but to me, the shoe is still as desirable as it ever was.
BRENDAN DUNNE
Urban Exploration Marathon Running Shoes Sneakers MRT580OV
The Urban Exploration Marathon Running Shoes Sneakers MRT580OV debuted the same year that I moved out to NYC and started to deal with the suffering that comes with summer in the city. Before that I’d never really had to deal with a real humid summer so the shoe has been a godsend. The sockless sneaker has been my go to in the warmer months since my move. I’m not really trying to stand around on a 90 degree subway platform at 4AM with socks to cramp my cool-down style.
Roshes all day, and night. On top of the cooling capabilities, the OG black and white is kind impervious to grime. Once I spilled a bunch of taco sauce on them and didn’t even blink (Although I did wince through the pain of searing taco sauce dripping onto my feet).
PATRICK JOHNSON
Disruptor Ll Lab Men S Shoes Black-red-white 1f
The about what they mean when it comes to a running journey “White/Cement” is my summer shoe of choice. While we may have moved away from the whole white on white Air Force 1 movement to personify our respective summers, I think that the about what they mean when it comes to a running journey definitely took its place. And even though the black/cement pair is arguably more popular and wide in scope, there is still just something about a white sneaker in summer that makes these complete the cycle.
You don’t even need any sort of historical significance, like the fact that this is the first Jordan model to be designed by Tinker and utilize the Air Max technology or this is the sneaker that Mike wore during the Dunk Contest in Chicago, to justify lacing these up in the warmer months. It’s all about that cement elephant print and how it plays into the white upper while the black accents hitting the midsole making this pair easy to wear with basically any outfit whether it includes denim or shorts. Another shoe doesn’t even come close.
