Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. 2024’s year in sneakers is all over the place thus far, as we’ve been boomeranging between busy and slow drop weeks. But while the number of drops is all over the place, the quality has been consistently top-notch.
This week brings our shortlist drop list all year but what we have here is pretty great. In celebration of Air Max Day Nike has dropped a brand new Air Max silhouette, and a refreshing of the Royal and Volt AM-1. Elsewhere Adidas has linked up with JJJJound for an elevated luxury take on the Samba, and Teddy Santis is dropping a couple of new 990v4 colorways.
But the biggest release of the week is without a doubt the A Ma Maniére Air Ship. Let’s dive into the best sneaker drops of the week, as festival season preps for blast off and spring stays sprung.
Nike Air Max DN
Price: $130
Aix Max Day comes around every year on March 26th and brings with it coveted colorway refreshes. But this year Nike is dropping a brand new silhouette. A new silhouette isn’t always a big deal, but a new Air Max? This is like Christmas in March!
The new silhouette dubbed the “Air Max DN,” offers what Nike is calling the “next generation of innovation,” via Dynamic Air, an air unit that sports two pressurized chambers at the heel and forefoot, offering a tubed air unit that responds to the pressure of each step you take, and where you take it.
The upper is constructed of multilayered mesh, offering a breathable and lightweight fit, with matte accents, and a foam midsole. The debut release is available in five different colorways.
The Nike Air Max DN is out now for a retail price of $130. Pick up a pair at Nike or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
Nike Air Max 1 ’86 Royal and Volt
Price: $150
If you’re an OG Air Max purist and you’re not feeling the next-level design of the DN, Nike has got your back with some comfort food. The Air Max 1 ’86 Royal and Volt is a revitalized classic. The sneaker features the Big Bubble window (a design discontinued in the modern AM-1), and a classic colorway that combines Royal Blue panels over a white base with a bright contrasting Volt midsole.
I love the forward-thinking tech of the DN but I have to admit, the Air Max 1 always looks great, it’s simply one of Nike’s greatest silhouettes.
The Nike Air Max 1 ’86 Royal and Volt is out now for a retail price of $150. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Adidas Samba OG x JJJJound
Price: $250
This sneaker is polarizing. One on hand, it’s a Samba, which is going through a resurgence right now, so JJJJound choosing this sneaker for a collaboration is a no-brainer move. It’s a real people-pleaser. Until you see the price.
At $250, there are going to be a lot of people who won’t pick up this Samba out of principle. But if you’re willing to bite the bullet, what you’ll get is a supremely elevated Samba. The sneaker features a premium leather upper with suede overlays, with a leather insole, leather lining, and a classic gum sole. It’s a simple Samba but it looks great, so its hard to be mad at this.
The Adidas Samba OG x JJJJound is set to drop on March 27th at 8:00 AM PST for a retail price of $250. Pick up a pair via the Adidas CONFIRMED app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
New Balance MADE in USA 990v4 Arctic Grey/ Macadamia Nut
Price: $209.99
New Balance creative director and Aime Leon Dore label head Teddy Santis just doesn’t miss! The 990v4 is already a beloved shoe, but Santis always has a knack for picking out the best colorway and this week’s drop is going to have you seriously considering picking up both pairs because it’s easier than choosing.
The sneaker features a mixed mesh, nubuck, and suede upper in two colorways: Arctic Grey, which is cold, stealthy, and sleek, and Macadamia Nut, which is warm and spring-ready. Both sneakers ride on a black midsole. Don’t hesitate on this one, expect it to sell it fast.
The New Balance MADE in USA 990 v4 in Artic Grey and Macadamia Nut is set to drop on March 28th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $209.99. Pick up a pair via the New Balance store.
New Balance 530
Price: $99.99
Although this is a ’90s-era silhouette, there is something about this 530 drops that scratches the itch we’re all feeling for early ’00s Y2K sneaker aesthetics. The sneaker features a mesh build with synthetic overlays and an ABZORB midsole designed to stand up to miles and miles of running.
The colorway, which is a combination of white and metallic pink, looks garish in a way typical of ’00s design aesthetics. We’re loving this but we’re a bit disappointed the sneaker isn’t coming out of New Balance’s more high-end Made in USA or Made in UK line. The cheaper build ensures that this sneaker is likely to become a beater pair in your spring lineup.
The New Balance 530 is set to drop on March 29th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $99.99. Pick up a pair via the New Balance store or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
Jordan Air Ship PE x A Ma Maniére Green Stone
Price: $140
Atlanta luxury streetwear label A Ma Maniére is probably Nike’s greatest collaborator right now, so no matter what they decide to drop, it’s going to be hype. Luckily, instead of resting on its laurels and giving us another Jordan 1 or Jordan 4, the brand is tackling the Air Ship, an oft-forgotten silhouette that served as a prototype for the Jordan 1.
This Air Ship features a leather upper in Summit White with eye-catching Green Stone hairy suede overlays, a blushed tongue, and a yellowed midsole for vintage vibes. It’s a minimal design but manages to elevate the Air Ship in a way we haven’t seen before.
The Jordan Air Ship PE x A Ma Maniére Green Stone is set to drop on March 29th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.