Here at Uproxx, we’ll never lie to you about sneakers. We’re never going to hype up a shoe or a collaboration that we aren’t legitimately psyched over, so it’s with a heavy heart that we say 2024 was the weakest year for sneakers this decade thus far. That’s not to say there weren’t dope drops, of course, there were, but the first three years of this decade were a sort of golden age for sneakerheads. Whether you were a collector, re-seller, or just someone who loves dope design, the last three years gave us releases that we’ll surely look back on 10 years and deem “legendary.”
2024 though? It’s been rough, and while we liked a lot of the sneakers that released, maybe only a small handful will be deemed legendary. But there is a silver lining to all of this. It may not be a good year for re-sellers, but for the people who actually like to wear their shoes until the sole comes off? It’s never been easier to pick up some of the most hyped releases of the year for just a bit above — and in some lucky cases below — retail.
To help close this year in sneakers, and welcome 2025 with open arms, we’re shouting out the 20 best sneakers that dropped in 2024. The crop featured below was truly the best of the best (in a weak year). Let’s dive in.
20. Nike SB Dunk Low x Futura Laboratories
Anytime Nike teams up with the legendary New York graffiti artist Futura, we pay attention, so when this sneaker dropped back in April, we already had a feeling this would make our year-end list.
This SB Dunk, designed by Futura Laboratories, features an unbleached canvas upper with swirling psychedelic overlays, high-end embroidered details, and Futura’s signature at the heel. It leans less on Futura’s street graffiti style, and more on the sort of contemporary art Futura is currently showing in galleries.
Find the SB Dunk x Futura Laboratories at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
19. Kith x Asics GT-2160 Venom vs Spiderman
This year, to celebrate Marvel’s 85th anniversary, Kith teamed up with Marvel and Asics for five sneakers inspired by iconic Marvel characters, and our favorite of the five was easily the Venom-inspired GT-2160. Generally, cartoon-inspired sneakers just to hit, they’re more of a novelty than anything else, but the Venom vs Spiderman just looks so damn dope that we can’t deny it.
The sneaker features a mesh upper with a gradient print in blue, with some black leather Asics tiger stripes across the silhouette (the other sneaker in the pack predictably looks like Spiderman). Aside from the comic book drawing on the insoles, from afar you’d never know that this sneaker was a Marvel tie-in, and that’s what makes it such an effective design.
Find the Kith x Asics GT-2160 Venom at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
18. Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 1000 White
We’d say New Balance owes Aimé Leon Dore a considerable debt because part of the reason the brand is so popular right now is because of a few effective collaborations, but NB went ahead and made ALD’s founder, Teddy Santis, its creative director so, consider the debt paid!
This year the brand linked up with New Balance for a new take on the 1000 silhouette. The sneaker sported a perforated leather upper, mesh underlays, and a squeaky-clean colorway that combined tones of off-white and grey.
It’s minimalistic, super fresh, and elegant.
Find the Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 1000 White at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
17. Bad Bunny x Adidas Gazellle Indoor San Juan
The San Juan is my all-time favorite Adidas Bad Bunny collaboration. Generally, Benito’s Adidas collabs tend to go hard on the psychedelic design aspects, but the San Juan feels understated and refined. It’s classy, with a bright blue suede upper, grey and white accents, a translucent gum sole, and gold foil branding.
If this refined approach is an indication of Benito’s new aesthetic for his just-announced album, consider us all ears!
Find the Bad Bunny x Adidas Gazelle Indoor San Juan at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
16. Nike SHOX R4 Black
This year’s Nike SHOX R4 did something I never thought was possible — they made the gimmicky as f*ck SHOX design look classy. As someone who grew up in the ‘00s, I’m a bit torn on the Y2K resurgence in modern streetwear. You could make the argument that modern streetwear looks tired, borrowing a look that has been done before and died out for a reason. Yet, I think this new approach to the futuristic aesthetic of the new millennium looks better than it ever has.
Case in point, the Nike SHOX R4 Black. This sneaker features an all-black synthetic leather upper with laser perforations and those iconic compression springs that made the SHOX a love-it-or-hate-it design. 20 years ago, I thought this was the ugliest shoe ever. Now, it has fully one me over.
Find the Nike SHOX R4 Black at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
15. Nike Jumpman Jack TR Sail and Dark Mocha
With the fall of Yeezy, Travis Scott has inherited the crown of the most exciting rapper-sneaker collaborator, but something that has been missing from Travis Scott’s Nike link-ups has been the lack of originality. At the end of the day, as cool as a Travis Scott sneaker looks, most of what works about it is the fact that the rapper is making colorways of some of the best sneaker designs of all time. Making a Jordan 1 look dope isn’t an impressive feat.
So we’re happy that La Flame finally has his very own signature sneaker, with an original design in the Jumpman Jack, even if it’s not our favorite Travis Scott sneaker of the year.
Here is to the future of the Jumpman Jack!
Find the Nike Jumpman Jack TR Sail and Dark Mocha at aftermarket sites like GOAT, Flight Club and StockX.
14. Jordan 4 RM SP Nigel Sylvester Grandma’s Driveway
It’s rare that someone can f*ck with a Jordan silhouette and get away with it, and yet pro-BMX athlete Nigel Sylvester did it this year to great success! The Jordan 4 RM SP Nigel Sylvester alters the shape and construction of the AJ-4, ditching the usual upper build for a durable suede one, with a rubber caging system and a swapped heel logo that reads “Bike.”
It’s radical enough that it almost looks like an entirely different silhouette, and yet, it’s still one of our favorite Jordan 4s of the year. The sneaker is inspired by the driveway where Sylvester cut his BMX-teeth, and gets its color from his grandmother’s green fence. The sneaker feels personal, and that always makes for great design collaborations.
Find the Jordan 4 RM Sp Nigel Sylvester Grandma’s Driveway at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
13. Action Bronson x New Balance 1906R Rosewater
Action Bronson is one of New Balance’s most consistent collaborators, and this year the pair gave us the 1906R Rosewater, which is our absolute favorite Action Bronson NB to date. What we love about this sneaker is its loud and brash multi-tone colorway. It mimics Bronson’s personality and vibe, which is always something we look for in an artist-sneaker collaboration.
Our favorite detail is the translucent mesh shroud that mutes the color-rich design, which gives the bold tones a sort of pastel quality.
Find the Action Bronson x New Balance 1906R Rosewater at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
12. Travis Scott x Jordan 1 Retro Low OG Sp Medium Olive
2024 brought a lot of Travis Scott sneakers, and we struggled to include only two, so if you were a fan of the Velvet Brown and you’re wondering why it’s not on this list, just know that this pair took its spot. Easily the most hyped Travis Scott sneaker of the year, the Medium Olive features an incredibly simple design.
It takes the Jordan 1 silhouette and dresses it in black suede with white leather overlays atop an aged midsole and slaps an oversized backward Swoosh in a warm olive tone on it. There are no gimmicks (aside from the swoosh), no needless extras, just a Jordan one in a dope color combo.
Travis Scott link-ups don’t tend to be the most radical designs, but the rapper has a clear and identifiable aesthetic, and sometimes that’s all it takes.
Find the Travis Scott x Jordan 1 Retro Low OG SP Medium Olive at aftermarket sites like GOAT, Flight Club and StockX.
11. Kids Of Immigrants x Nike Air Max Sunder Sun Down
Another sneaker that snuck in towards the end of the year, this collaboration between Nike and Kids of Immigrants was part of a two-sneaker collection inspired by the hues of sunrise and sunset. Our favorite of the two was without a doubt the Sun Down.
The sneaker features a zipper-equipped textile shroud overlaid with a TPU cage and a blue-to-violet gradient that screams “the future,” by way of the 1980s. What we’re trying to say is this sneaker reminds us of Tron in the best way possible.
Find the Kids of Immigrants x Nike Air Max Sunder Sun Down at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
10. Jae Tips x Saucony Matrix “No Shoes In The House” Burgundy
The only Saucony release to make our year-end list, this collaboration between high-performance running brand Saucony and musician and designer Jae Tips outfits the usually tech-focused sneaker in some plush design details.
The sneaker features a wool upper in burgundy with beige suede overlays, a bit of mesh at the tongue, and a pastel pink midsole. It takes Saucony and makes the brand, you know, fun. For that we give all the credit to Jae Tips, who has quickly become the brand’s best outside collaborator.
Find the Jae Tips x Saucony Matrix “No Shoes In The House” at aftermarket sites like GOAT or StockX.
9. Jordan 4 Retro Military Blue
We’re aware that there are a lot of sneakerheads out there that feel like this re-release didn’t quite hit the mark, and while yes, we agree that the tones of blue and grey aren’t a perfect match for the 2012 re-release, it’s still a dope sneaker! When this colorway first dropped in 1989, as one of the silhouette’s debuts, it looked closer to this rendition than the 2012 remake, so if you’re all about authenticity, the 2024 Military Blue delivers!
The sneaker features a grey leather upper with a slight blue hue and Military Blue accents on the heel, midsole, lace cage, and behind the cage net. It’s nit as bright as the 2012 retro, but it’s a damn good-looking sneaker, that can’t be denied.
Find the Jordan 4 Retro Military Blue at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
8. Nike Kobe 6 Protro Italian Camo
2024 brought the return of the Kobe Protro and Nike and the Kobe Estate did not hold back. It felt like every month this year, we got at least two new Kobe Protros, so this list was bound to have at least one of them on it. Our pick is the Kobe 6 Protro Italian Camo.
The sneaker sports a snakeskin-inspired upper in a unique camouflage colorway with crimson red accents and a Zoom Air-equipped forefoot. It’s precise, sleek, yet threatening, a perfect mirror of Kobe’s legendary play styles. We’re confident in saying this is the coolest a Kobe sneaker has ever looked!
Find the Nike Kobe 6 Protro Italian Camo at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
7. Stash x Nike Air Max 95 Black and Harbor Blue
Dropping in the last month of the year, Nike decided to slip in one more noteworthy drop — the Nike Air Max 95 Black and Harbor Blue, a collaboration with the New York graffiti artist Stash and quite possibly one of the greatest colorways to ever grace the silhouette.
Graffiti artist team-ups are nothing new from Nike (see the Futura Laboratories Dunk), but what sets the Stash Air Max apart is just how understated it us. The sneaker doesn’t have a loud and attention-calling design that resembles a NYC wall, instead, what we have here is a harmonious mix of blue and black tones with a speckled midsole.
If it wasn’t in the name, you’d never know this was a collaboration with a graffiti artist, and that’s precisely why it’s one of the silhouette’s best-ever looks.
Find the Stash x Nike Air Max 95 Black and Harbor Blue at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
6. Jordan 3 Retro OG Black Cement
I mean do we really even need to say anything about this sneaker? It’s iconic. The Black Cement isn’t just the best Jordan 3 colorway of all time, but it’s in the top five of the best sneakers ever released. So yeah, the return of this classic design made our year-end list. We even entertained the idea of giving this sneaker the top spot, but ultimately, we decided to make room for some new blood.
Find the Jordan 3 Retro OG Black Cement at aftermarket sites like GOAT, Flight Club and StockX.
5. A Ma Maniére x Jordan 4 Retro W.Y.W.S.
This year, Atlanta-based brand (and greatest current Jordan collaborator) A Ma Maniére dropped its “While You Were Sleeping” collection, and truthfully, we considered including every sneaker drop under that banner on this list. It’s, in our opinion, the greatest Nike collaboration since Virgil Abloh’s “The Ten.”
The crowd favorite from the drop was easily the Jordan 4. The sneaker features A Ma Maniére’s typical elevated design approach, giving the sneaker a plush Fossil Stone leather upper with suede overlays, quilted lining, and the brand’s “A” logo on the left tongue tag. If you called this the best sneaker of the year, we wouldn’t argue with you — but clearly, it’s not our personal favorite. It is undeniably one of the best Jordan 4s of the whole decade so far though.
Find the A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 4 W.Y.W.S. at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
4. Adidas AE 1 Low Nick’s Gift
The Anthony Edwards signature sneaker is probably the best design to come out of Adidas in some time, so we always knew this sneaker was going to land in our year-end lists. It was really more a question of which colorway deserved the spot, and for us its the Nick’s Gift.
Named for and inspired by Edwards’ best fried Nick Maddox, aka Slick, Nick’s Gift features a bright icy blue, mildly iridescent upper over a black base. It’s a simple two-color design that really highlights the sneaker’s futuristic details.
Find the Adidas AE 1 Low Nick’s Gift at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
3. Vomero 5 PRM Designed By Japan
The Vomero 5 Designed By Japan is easily the best the silhouette has ever looked. The design is a departure from the usual Vomero 5 build, instead of the synthetic upper and plastic details we have a full-grain leather build, suede panels, and an oversized Swoosh.
Hopefully, Nike lifts some of the ideas presented here and adopts them into the stock Vomero 5 design, because now that we’ve seen the sneaker in this form, we can’t go back.
Find the Vomero 5 PRM Designed by Japan at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
2. Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 1000 When Things Were Pure Pink Mink
Anytime beloved Chicago designer Joe Freshgoods drops a sneaker collaboration, we pay attention, especially if that collaboration is with New Balance, a brand that owes some of its current popularity to Freshgoods. The “When Things Were Pure,” collection consisted of two sneaker colorways, our favorite being the Pink Mink.
Back in April, when this sneaker first dropped, we predicted that the 1000 silhouette — which was pulled out of the New Balance vault for this release — would be the new 550 in terms of popularity, and now eight months later, we stand by that. This is currently New Balance’s dopest silhouette, and we have Freshgoods to thank for that.
This sneaker features an open mesh upper with iridescent leather overlays, embroidered details at the heel, reflective 3M foxing, and lace webbing. According to Joe Freshgoods, the sneaker is named for the early days of the ’00s, when basement parties were the “epicenter of culture” and rap books served as “our textbooks.” You can always count on Freshgoods to come to design with a dope concept in mind.
Find the Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 1000 When Things Were Pure Pink Mink at aftermarket sites like GOAT and StockX.
1. A Ma Maniére x Air Max 95 W.Y.W.S.
Here it is, our pick for the best sneaker of 2024! It’s kind of a controversial choice, or at the very least it’s not the most obvious one, but there isn’t a single sneaker that dropped in 2024 that I wanted more than this one. So I’m taking that as a sign, even though it doesn’t have the hype of something like the Black Cement.
This sneaker takes a grip of famous Nike colors, including Light and Dark Violet Ore, Burgundy Ash, Atmosphere Grey, and Gunsmoke, and uses them as a gradient across the 95’s iconic rib-influenced design. Rounding out the design are elevated details like the leather-lined collar and rounded laces, the sort of level-ups we’ve come to expect from Nike’s greatest collaborator, A Ma Maniére.
We’ve said it before and we’lll say it again: The A Ma Maniére WYWS collection is the best thing to happen to Nike since Virgil Abloh.
Find the A Ma Maniére Air Max 95 WYWS at aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.