Sole Decade // The Top 10 Shoes of 2012

The year 2012 was a particularly strong one in the sneaker world, in the sense that it offered both hype as well as innovation.

words // Zac Dubasik

The year 2012 was a particularly strong one in the sneaker world, in the sense that it offered both hype as well as innovation. It's also notable that a handful of the shoes on this list, while introduced in 2012, had very big 2013s as well. Check out the following list to see our top 10 picks for the year as we look back on the Sole Decade.

 

10. adidas Big Sean Pro Model II "Detroit Players"

Paying tribute to his hometown, Big Sean teamed up with adidas Originals for the "Detroit Players" Pro Model 2.0. Limited to a run of 380 pairs, the "Detroit Players" were crafted with red Italian leather, and feature a debossed snakeskin pattern and gold plate details. Each pair was packaged in a red snake-printed box, and sold out immediately.

 

 

9. Nike Zoom Revis

It'd been quite a while since a non-basketball signature model grabbed the attention of the sneaker world. But that’s exactly what happened with the Zoom Revis. And thanks to a series of PEs and collaborations, its relevance lasted even longer than 2012.

 

 

8. Nike Free Inneva Woven

The innovation and craftsmanship in the construction of the Free Inneva Woven were the story behind the shoe. But when it came down to it, it just looked unlike anything we’d seen before. Combine that with supreme comfort, and it’s no surprise that we’ve seen numerous new colorways since.

 

 

7. Nike LeBron 9 Elite

The LeBron 9 wasn’t the most popular entry in the history of the line, but the Elite edition represented more than one first. For one thing, it was the first LeBron to receive the performance-upgraded Elite treatment. Much more importantly though, it was the shoe on LeBron’s feet when he won that elusive first title.

 

 

6. adidas Rose 3 "Nightmare"

Next to All-Star weekend, Christmas has become one of the League's premiere days to showcase special edition sneakers. And over the past few years, we've seen more than our share of limited edition takes on red and green-based colorways. Despite the fact these were never worn on-court thanks to Derrick's injury, it was refreshing to finally see a unique take on the Christmas theme.

 

 

5. Nike Flyknit Trainer

A new era of construction was introduced with the Flyknit Racer+ and Flyknit Trainer+. It was the training edition that really took off though, with its light weight, glove-like fit, and heel and forefoot Zoom.

 

 

4. Nike Roshe Run

In an era where bold designs, exposed technology and vibrant colorways have been dominant, the Roshe Run offered a true alternative to the norm. Its simple and functional everyday design has been remade in countless colorways and variations since, and remains popular even today.

 

 

3. Nike Foamposite One "Galaxy"

For better or worse, the “Galaxies” introduced the concept of graphics on Foamposites. While people are running away from the concept these days, they were running towards it that All-Star Weekend, when these Foams caused more than their fair share of problems at launches across the country.

 

 

2. Nike LeBron X

From aesthetic features like the reversed Swoosh, to performance features like the new visible Zoom bag, the LeBron X got almost everything right. And one of the biggest wins of all was the LeBron X on NIKEiD, which launched with some of the best options in the history of the site.

 

 

1. Nike Air Yeezy 2

Just because a shoe is wildly popular, doesn't mean it can't also be great. Just because it will send hypebeasts into an intolerable frenzy doesn't mean the shoe isn't worthy of such praise. And just because every joke-of-a-streetwear-line will do a matching tee, doesn't mean the shoe can't be a classic design.

The Yeezy 2’s combination of materials and textures made the original Yeezy instantly feel dated. It was the perfect storm of a fantastic design, and an association with the right endorsee, in the prime of their career. The crazy thing is the Red Octobers, despite not even coming out, were probably the most hyped shoe of the next year.