This year’s Uproxx Gift Guides are brought to you by Sirius XM. Check out their site to find all the holiday music and content you need to get into the giving spirit.
How’s the holiday shopping going?
By now you’ve probably picked up some shiny new tech for that fitness lover in your life. You grabbed that record player for the audiophile to spin their Christmas vinyl. You’ve picked up some great bottles of booze and bar tools. Now you have to shop for the pickiest person in your family or friend circle… the sneakerhead.
Sneakerheads are very specific about what type of shoes they want. The brand loyalty is next level, with a almost-religious devotion. Buy an Adidas fan a sneaker with a swoosh on it and watch their faces instantly transform from joy to horror.
We don’t want you in that position so before you hit up our ultimate sneakerhead gift guide for 2023, do a quick scan of their social media posts. If the person you’re shopping for is a true sneakerhead they are guaranteed to have pictures of their shoes. What do you see? Pay attention to the brands and you’ll have some sense of what the sneakerhead in your life cares about.
If you’re still out of ideas, let us help you! Here is a list of great gifts any sneakerhead will be psyched over! This list is a mix of sneaker accessories and dope pairs of shoes. Once you’re done here, be sure and complete the fit and check out our streetwear gift guide. Let’s dive in!
Lace Lab Shoe Laces
Price: Varies
It seems cheap and almost too obvious to get a sneakerhead laces but you have no idea how much we think about laces! Whether we’re replacing dirty laces for a pristine set or changing up the color scheme of our sneakers by adding some contrast, there is a reason why big sneaker releases come with multiple sets. We’re absolute dorks about laces!
Lace Lab is a great one-stop shop for all things laces, whether you’re looking for flats, ropes, waxed, reflective laces, or replacement laces! Considering laces will run you around $5 give or take, you can buy a whole variety of colors and give the gift of choice!
BUY IT FOR:
Literally any sneakerhead. If they collect shoes, they think about laces to an unhealthy degree.
Private Label NYC — Sneaker Duffle Bag
Price: $160
Traveling with multiple pairs of sneakers is a real headache, but ask any sneakerhead, that’s not going to stop us from wanting to bring multiple pairs no matter how short the trip. If you’ve ever tried to bring a variety of footwear with you on a trip, you’ll be aware of just how much valuable bag real estate sneakers can take up, so rather than trying to shove it all in a bag, the easy fix is a dedicated duffle for sneakers.
I’ve yet to find a bag that serves me better than the Sneaker Duffle by Private Label NYC. The bag features adjustable dividers that allow you to carry up to four pairs of sneakers, inner pickets for extra laces and other gear, side pockets for quick access, an inner compartment that can store a 16” laptop, and a padded shoulder strap.
The bag is TSA compliant, which means the sneakerhead in your life can check their unimportant luggage and bring their coveted sneakers on the plane with them for added piece of mind.
BUY IT FOR:
The sneakerhead who spends a lot of time traveling.
The Container Store — Drop-Front Shoe Translucent Shoe Box
Price: $79.99
Once you have even three pairs of sneakers, storage becomes a real issue. Nothing looks worse than having multiple pairs of sneakers strewn around a bedroom floor, so get the sneakerhead in your life some storage so they can protect, store, and display their favorite pairs.
The Container Store has a great six-pair case that features a translucent door and comes in five different colors and three different sizes. The boxes are designed to carry sneakers and boots, so any piece in their collection should be able to fit no problem.
BUY IT FOR:
The sneakerhead who has way too many pairs of shoes.
Reshoevn8r — Signature Kit (Patented Laundry System)
Price: $47.99
There are all sorts of different sneaker cleaning kits out there, every sneakerhead needs one but they rarely want to buy a kit because for double the price, they might be able to pick up a pair of sneakers on sale.
So just buy one for the sneakerhead in your life, they’ll be forever thankful. No other kit is as fully featured as the Reshoevn8r signature kit. The kit features three different bristle brushes (soft, medium, or stiff) a pair of shoe trees to help sneakers keep their shape, a microfiber towel for wipe down, a cleaning solution that works on all sneaker fabrics, and a sneaker laundry bag for deep clean situations.
BUY IT FOR:
The sneakerhead who cares to keep their shoes looking as fresh as the day they bought them.
Jason Markk — Repel Spray
Price: $18
The key to keeping a super crispy pair of sneakers is repel spray. This orderless and colorless spray by Jason Markk will create a breathable barrier around a pair of sneakers that will repel liquids and stains. Cleaning your sneakers is important, but once stains set in it can be hard to remove them, repel spray makes it so that those damaging stains never get a chance to settle into the fabric and cause real damage.
Now the spray is PFOA-free and comes in a refillable bottle, meaning it’s better for the environment than most of the other brands on the market.
BUY IT FOR:
Sneakerheads who like to wear their most collectible pairs in the wild.
Gift Cards
Price: $25-$250
When all else fails and you’ve run out of time and ideas a gift card is always appreciated by sneakerheads. Just hit up their favorite brand’s website (or all three) and purchase a physical or e-gift card. It might feel like a lame gift, but everyone loves the power of choice and any sneakerhead is guaranteed to love this one.
BUY IT FOR:
Any sneakerhead, just make sure you get the brand right. Below we’re linking to Adidas, New Balance, and Nike in that order.
Adidas Samba
Price: $100
Right now Adidas’ most popular silhouette is a sneaker they dropped in the ‘40s. That’s not a knock on the quality of Adidas’ current output, it’s a testament to how strong of a design that Samba is.
The reason for the renewed popularity of the Samba is obvious — the sneaker looks dope, there is a colorway for everyone and a new pair will only run you $100. Sneakers can be expensive and when you spend a lot of money on shoes you start doing weird things like coming up with justifications for why you shouldn’t wear them.
That doesn’t happen with a pair of Sambas. You put them on, wear them out, and when they’re done you buy a new pair.
BUY IT FOR:
That Adidas head in your family or friend circle. Or someone who loves shoes but cares more about the rest of their fit. That’s the type of person who will know Sambas are hot right now.
Jae Tips x Saucony Grid Shadow 2 ‘What’s The Occasion? — Wear To The Party’
Price: Varies by size
Originally, I wanted to put this sneaker on our Best Sneakers Of 2023 year-end list but it just missed the cut — so I’m using this gift guide as a way to point people in the direction of this fantastic sneaker.
The Grid Shadow 2 is a collaboration between New York rapper Jae Tips and Saucony, a brand that is currently making waves in the sneaker community for offering an alternative to the big brands. The sneaker features an upper composed of double-layer mesh with premium hairy suede overlays, embroidered details throughout, and two sets of laces.
It’s a great pair of shoes that dropped at this year’s ComplexCon and immediately sold out online. Luckily, you can still purchase this sneaker on the aftermarket for a price just above retail.
BUY IT FOR:
The sneakerhead who is looking for something that isn’t Nike, Adidas, or New Balance.
Nike Zoom Vomero 5
Price: $160
Right now the fashion world is obsessed with Y2K aesthetics, and no single sneaker from Nike’s roster encapsulates that retro-futuristic vibe like the Zoom Vomero 5, which is why right now it’s one of the brand’s most popular silhouettes.
There are all sorts of colorways out there to choose from but you can never go wrong with a classic Triple Black makeup. The sneaker is available in just about every women’s and men’s size.
BUY IT FOR:
That Nike fan who is obsessed with all things early 2000’s.
Jordan 11 Retro Gratitude
Price: Varies by size
Jordan fans are by far the pickiest of all sneakerheads and yet, the easiest to shop for. They care very deeply about one type of sneaker — Jordans, and while there are over 20 different models, Jordans 1-12 are pretty much universally loved. Our pick for this gift guide is one of our top 20 sneakers of the year, The Jordan 11 Gratitude.
Here is all you need to know about the Gratitude: it’s a re-release of the Jordan 11’s most famous color scheme. Be prepared for your giftee to shed tears.
BUY IT FOR:
The sneakerhead in your life who loves Jordans.
ALD x New Balance Made in USA 996
Price: $209.99
Aimé Leon Dore is one of the best menswear brands working right now, combine that brand with New Balance, the only sneaker brand that is capable of coming for Nike’s crown and you have the ultimate cool kid collaboration.
Dropping this week, the ALD x New Balance 997 is a leather sneaker with tumbled leather overlays and an open mesh tongue that is made in the United States of America. We love its minimal yet classic design.
BUY IT FOR:
The coolest sneakerhead you know.
EDITOR’S PICK: adidas Skateboarding DIME Busenitz Vulc 2.0
Price: $90
These adidas Skateboarding x DIME collabs are always so freaking cool. In this case, well… check this shoe out, what’s not to love?
The team at DIME clearly knows that pink never goes out of style when it’s soft like this. “Hot pink” is a fad but this softer pink hue is cooler and sharper and feels timeless.
Some of the best details of this shoe aren’t visible in the image. The tongue tag is pink, the soles are pink, and the insoles are two-tone pink. Best of all the silhouette looks great. It’s a relative of the Samba by follows the shape of your foot a little more and looks great with jeans, wide-leg pants, or sweats. Plus it’s a true skate shoe, with a midsole that can stand up to serious wear.
These are my everyday shoes right now and I get a lot of comments.
BUY THEM FOR:
Someone with the confidence to rock soft pink and a lesser-known silhouette with confidence. Maybe yourself!