Welcome to SNX DLX, our weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the market. We’re officially in the back-to-school season and the sneaker drops are finally starting to wind down, after weeks of being spoiled with fire drops. Our wallets definitely need the break, but if you were hoping for some monetary respite, we’re not quite there yet. We’ve still got a few more weeks of summer left, which means we have plenty of must-cop drops on the horizon.
Once the summer finally comes to a close we just have the special Halloween drops to deal with, then the limited Holiday drops, and the end for year specials, and… it never ends! Either way, whatever these next few weeks bring, we’ll be here to help you separate the trash from the good stuff. This week we’ve got fresh Jordans in some throwback retro colorways, a couple of New Balance collaborations, and probably the first and only time we’ll ever talk about Birkenstocks.
Let’s dive in!
Dr. Martens x Atmos Tarik Zip Boot
Dr. Martens has been killing it this year with a handful of amazing collaborations, enlisting everyone from BAPE to JJJJound, to Black Sabbath, and Hello Kitty for some radical reimagining of their iconic boots. Their latest brings in the talents of Harajuku streetwear label Atmos for a post-apocalyptic anime-inspired rendition of the Tarik Zip boot.
Featuring a smooth leather upper with velvet and TPU detailing, this pair of Dr. Martens is all flash, meant to evoke the pulsing neon lights of a futuristic cityscape, and we could definitely see them in something like the upcoming live-action rendition of Cowboy Bebop.
The Dr. Martens x Atmos Tarik Zip Boot is out now for a retail price of $150. Pick up a pair at Atmos or the Dr. Martens webstore.
Air Jordan 1 Starfish
Nike can mess around and call this low-top Jordan colorway the “Starfish” or whatever, but every sneakerhead thinks of just one colorway when they see this combination of faded orange and black — the legendary high-top Jordan 1 Shattered Backboard. Named such after borrowing the colors of Jordan’s uniform when he made a backboard shattering dunk in 1985 at the Nike Europe tour, the Starfish lifts that same distinct combination of orange, black, and white, but the design looks radically different when draped over the low-top silhouette.
It’s not quite the Shattered Backboard of legends, but it still looks dope nonetheless and oozes end of summer vibes.
The Air Jordan 1 Starfish is set to drop on August 26th for a retail price of $130. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or hit up Flight Club to pick up a pair on the aftermarket.
Air Huarache Aquatone
How do you express your love for the OG Saved By The Bell and all-things Bay Side? With this ‘90s indebted Air Huarache Aquatone of course. Seriously, it doesn’t get more ‘90s than combining bright white, aqua, and Joker purple. The Air Huarache is one of Tinker Hatfield’s less beloved designs, but in recent years it’s been making a bit of a comeback.
Featuring soft synthetic accents over a breathable neoprene upper, the Air Huarache features bootie construction, and a heel clip that looks so dated that it’s somehow futuristic in today’s sneaker climate. Weird how fashion works that way.
The Air Huarache Aquatone is set to drop on August 27th for a retail price of $120. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Birkenstock x Stüssy Boston Clogs
Crocs took over Birkenstock’s monopoly on cringe-inducing footwear when everyone just decided one morning that Crocs were cool and not ridiculous. Now Birkenstock is fighting back with their own clog by teaming up with Stüssy for a new collaboration aimed squarely at the streetwear audience.
Utilizing Birkenstock’s Boston silhouette, this clog features a suede upper atop a cork footbed in your choice of Bone, Caramel, or Dusty Pink colorways with dual branding. They’re perfect for the clog enthusiast who wants a shoe that isn’t made of rubber or requires Jibbitz.
The Birkenstock x Stüssy Boston Clogs are set to drop on August 27th for an unannounced price. Pick up a pair at Birkenstock 1774 or the Stüssy webstore.
Concepts x New Balance 57/40
It wouldn’t be a Concepts release without, well, a concept. The Boston-based streetwear brand has made a name for itself over the last 20 plus years by supplying each of its exclusive collaborations with a deeper meaning and mythology, and this week’s collaboration with New Balance goes pretty deep.
Inspired by the 1920 silent film Headin’ Home, which documented a fictional account of Babe Ruth’s life as a professional baseball player, this collaboration utilizes New Balances 57/40 silhouette and dresses its suede and leather upper in shades of orange and off-white, a color palette that was inspired by the film’s original posters.
Why is it on a pair of New Balances and what made Concepts think to reference Babe Ruth in a sneaker that has nothing to do with baseball? Both brands are based in Boston so it must be a Curse of the Bambino thing, but concept aside, it looks pretty damn clean, so we’ll take it!
The Concepts x New Balance 57/40 is set to drop on August 27th alongside a matching apparel collection for a retail price that hasn’t been revealed yet. Pick up a pair exclusively at the Concepts webstore.
Air Jordan 4 Tour Yellow
Featuring a full-grain nubuck leather upper in Tour Yellow with bluish-grey accents atop a white PU midsole, this week’s Air Jordan 4 Tour Yellow is a retro rerelease of ‘06s Lightning colorway, which was originally released alongside a color-inverted counterpart dubbed the Thunder. Both pairs were inspired by Michael Jordan’s often forgotten Motorsports team, but Nike definitely picked the better of the two for this summer’s re-release.
The AJ4 Lightning features black netting with dark grey wings, a woven tongue, and a herringbone rubber outsole that matches the sneaker’s moody accents.
The Air Jordan 4 Tour Yellow is set to drop on August 28th for a retail price of $220. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or on the aftermarket at GOAT or Flight Club.
Casablanca x New Balance XC-72
With the racing-inspired XC-72, Paris-based streetwear label Casablanca is taking a victory lap on its now long-running New Balance link-up, which has consistently produced some of the best New Balance sneakers of all time. Yes, all time! Casablanca hasn’t had a single New Balance-branded dud, each of them is an improvement on the last.
Generally, the brand concerns itself with reimagining New Balance’s more vintage silhouettes, but this time they’re taking on the sleek XC-72, giving it the same orange, green and white colorway that first kicked off the New Balance x Casablanca collaboration, as well as a new red and yellow make-up. Both XC-72 colorways feature a white leather upper with grey suede overlays, an oversized N logo (which New Balance should make standard practice), and dual-branding on the tongue.
The Casablanca x New Balance XC-72 are set to drop on August 27th exclusively at Casablanca Paris and August 28th globally for a retail price of $150. Pick up a pair at New Balance or Casablanca.
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.