Welcome To SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. Is your wallet still feeling the pain from last week’s deluge of sneaker drops? That’s probably for the best because this week is a complete 180 from last’s. Our minimum for publishing SNX is five sneakers. If we can’t put together a list of five, there probably aren’t any worthwhile drops, and if there is one it deserves its own breakout article.
In the history of SNX, that has only happened one time near the end of the year, a time that is generally barren for great sneaker drops. It almost happened this week too. Luckily, we were able to put together a list of five. Are all five going to blow you away? No, but we’re confident that each sneaker in this list will have its fans. Let’s dive in and hope that things start looking up next week.
Converse Shai Weapon
Price: $140
A small list of current basketball players can lay claim to the title of “most stylish,” and while we won’t debate who best deserves that title today, a contender for the crown is definitely Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And a stylish player needs a stylish pair of shoes, enter the Converse Weapon Shai, Gilgeous-Alexander’s take on the legendary Weapon.
The Shai features a white leather upper with crinkled details at the collar in faded purple, CX foam cushioning, a grippy rubber outsole, and a slightly aged midsole. It’s elegant, refined, and classic.
The Converse Shai Weapon is out now for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair at Converse.
New Balance Made in USA 990v6 Reflection
Price: $199.99
Fans of the 990v6 rejoice! The silhouette is getting a lot of attention this week and kicking it all off is this Made in USA design in a clean “Reflection with Marblehead” colorway. This sneaker features premium construction with a mesh upper adorned with pigskin suede and synthetic overlays and reflective details throughout. The sneaker rides on a lightweight cushion-heavy ENCAP midsole.
The New Balance Made in USA 990v6 Reflection is out now for a retail price of $199.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance.
New Balance Made in USA 990v6 Castle Rock
Price: $219.99
I can’t give you a good reason for why this New Balance 990v6 in Castle Rock costs twenty dollars more than the Reflection aside from the fact that the colorway is cooler. Is that a good reason for a shoe to be more expensive? Absolutely not. But that’s the ridiculousness of the sneaker market. If that’s reason enough for you to not pick up this pair, we totally understand.
This sneaker features a mesh upper with pigskin suede and synthetic overlays over an ENCAP midsole. It hurts to admit that this pair looks better than the Reflection, but it is what it is.
The New Balance Made in USA 990v6 Castle Rock is out now for a retail price of $219.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
New Balance Made in USA 993 Shadow Grey
Price: $219.99
The 993, first released almost two decades ago, is a marriage of the 991 and 992 silhouette. It represents the next step in a long lineage of great running sneakers and with its Ndurance rubber heel, ABZORB midsole, and flexible cushioning, it carries on the tradition set out by the 99X series wonderfully.
This sneaker features a mesh upper with hairy suede overlays and a mix of brown and gray tones. My favorite detail is the embroidered type tongue logo.
The New Balance Made in USA 993 Shadow Grey is out now for a retail price of $219.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
Air Jordan 11 Low Diffused Blue
Price: $190
Closing out the week we have this Diffused Blue Jordan 11. It’s not a particularly exciting release, there is no hardcore lore tied to the release, it’s just a great sneaker in a great colorway. And sometimes, that’s all you need.
The Jordan 11 Diffused Blue features a leather upper in white, textile details, and a low-cut silhouette with a blue patent leather mudguard.
The Air Jordan 11 Low Diffused Blue is set to drop on August 17th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $190. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
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.