words // Luis Sanchez
Before the Black/Pink Air Yeezy released, I hadn't ever actually camped out for a pair of shoes. I might have waited half a night for big releases such as the 'Defining Moments' Air Jordan Pack, or some random SBs I wanted at the time, but never an entire night.
But when the Air Yeezy came around, I knew it was going to take some extreme measures to get my hands on a pair. I initially missed out on the Zen Grey colorway and had to get my hands on them some other way, so I knew I wasn't going to make the same mistake with the black/pink version. Once I was committed, I decided my best chance was to camp out at Mr. R Sports on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. One of the few spots offering the shoes on a first come, first served basis, I knew this was definitely my best chance at getting a pair.
I decided I'd get in line once I got word of a line actually starting, and that ended up being the Wednesday before release day. A whole three days of staying in line were ahead of me, and I still stuck to my plan and actually went and lined up. I ended up getting there literally right on time as there was only NINE pairs available, and I was ninth in line.
While I was lucky to get there right on time, there was still just one issue. I wasn't guaranteed to get a pair in my size. Throughout the entire campout I was worried about not getting my size, but still stayed positive and toughed it out for three days in line. The three day stay on Lincoln Road provided plenty of entertainment from tourists, drunks leaving the club, and even included a random visit from Ja Rule, who was definitely bummed when most of us didn't even notice him.
Before I knew it, it was Saturday morning, and I was just minutes from getting my hands on my pair of Black Air Yeezys. Still worried about not getting my size, I ended up working out a deal with one of the resellers at the front of the line. Since he was purchasing to resell, it didn't really matter what sizes he got his hands on. He ended up agreeing to grab a size 8.5, and trading me for whatever size I was able to get ahold of. Last in line, I ended up getting the last pair available which was a size 12. I quickly made the trade before it was too late as soon as I walked out, and the mission was completed. I finally had my black Yeezys in my size.
Later in the day as I was browsing the forums, I came across the only reseller photo I'd ever appreciate. It was a photo of all the pairs purchased by the reseller who helped me get my pair, with "Salty Yet?" written out in actual salt. While everyone on the forums had negative feelings towards the guy for purchasing multiple pairs to resell and his controversial photo, I was likely the one who appreciated him thanks to his assistance with getting me a pair in my size. Point being, not all resellers are bad guys! Even when it comes to Yeezys.
Have you ever had to camp out for a considerable amount of time to get a shoe? If so, what's your most memorable cam out story? Join the conversation in the comments below.
