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Whether you like it or not, Nike isn’t going to stop digging into its archives, opening up the vault, and re-releasing grails to the masses. It kind of started with the Air Max 90 “Bacon” in 2021 and we’ve seen it continue with legendary sneakers like the Undefeated 4s, the “Galaxy” Foams, and the Wu-Tang Dunks just to name a few. I’m sure there are plenty of gatekeepers out there that absolutely hate this, but the way I look at it, I actually own a pair of Undefeated 4s—the ultimate grail shoe that only existed in my mind as a “one day when I win the lottery, I’ll go to Flight Club and buy every shoe I ever wanted” fantasy.
When it first started, it felt like certain shoes were still untouchable and had no chance of returning, but the shark has just about been fully jumped at this point and almost anything seems possible. So we got our heads together and put together a list of 10 sneakers we want to see return in the near future. This list is full of opinions and thoughts you’re not going to agree with, so please tell us why we’re wrong and what you want to see make a comeback instead. —Ben Felderstein
The Best Nike Air Foamposite Ones of All Time, Ranked
The Best Jordan Trunners of All Time, Ranked
Year: 2012
Remember how big of a deal the Nike Flyknit Trainer was in the early 2010s? It was introduced to the world at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, where athletes who graced the podium wore a neon yellow “Medal Stand” iteration of the shoe. A similar version was released to the public sans the “USA” branding, but that pair just doesn’t do the “Medal Stand” pair justice. —Victor Deng
Year: Unreleased
There aren’t many Jordan Brand athletes who have a deeper PE catalog than Ray Allen. As a resident Boston Celtics fan, his green and gold Jordan 11 sits at the top of the list of exclusive colorways I would want to see hit retail. The style was made to commemorate his NBA title with the Celtics in 2008 and was worn by Allen throughout his tenure with the team. This iteration also appeared in 2018 when Jordan Brand gifted Allen an exclusive Jordan pack to celebrate his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. The Jordan 11 was part of a mismatched set that came with a matching Jordan 9, which was how he wore them on-court numerous times in his career. We get that this is a special sneaker for Allen, but please make it happen Jordan Brand. —Victor Deng
Year: 2005
Nike’s Chamber of Fear campaign was one of the most memorable from LeBron’s early days in the NBA. Along with the ads and similarly themed Zoom LeBron 2s, Nike dropped a series of Air Force 1s at events in cities across the country, with Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, New York, and San Francisco each getting their own exclusive colorways. The sneakers referenced the obstacles of complacency, self doubt, haters, temptation, and hype, and utilized elements like patent leather and suede, along with graphics from the ad campaign. While we’d like to see them all return, the all-nubuck “Fearless Warrior” was the rarest of them all. It was limited to just 523 pairs and never had a full retail launch. There’ve been a handful of other LeBron AF1s over the years, but none have been as memorable or important to the sneaker history of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. —Zac Dubasik
Year: 2012
24 years is a long time in any context, but that’s how long it has been since the “Ginger” Jordan 16s were released. The silhouette can be hit-or-miss depending on who you ask, but there’s no denying the fanfare associated with the yellow suede “Ginger” colorway. There was a leather sample version of the shoe that appeared in 2012, but the release never materialized. Given that 2026 will be the 25th anniversary of the original drop, there’s no better time to pull them out of the vault. —Victor Deng
Year: 2006
Like many of the shoes on this list, the PlayStation x Nike Air Force 1 from 2006 was a sneaker that many fans during that era only saw through a computer screen. There were reportedly only 150 pairs produced, and it is still considered a “grail” by many to this day. Who can forget the iconic photo of the late Kobe Bryant, who was exhilarated seeing the sneaker in hand? While Nike did release a new jewel version of the PlayStation Air Force 1 in ’18, the design just didn’t hit the same as the original version. With Nike’s recent trend of bringing back its grail shoes, we don’t think too many people would be mad if the original PlayStation Air Force 1s returned. —Victor Deng
Year: 2005
If you know anything about me (I do not expect any of you to know anything about me), then you know that the Air Jordan 5 “Laser” is my favorite sneaker of all time. I realize this is an incredibly hot take, and it’s something that I take a lot of heat for from other people in this office. So while you’re not gonna find the 5s on this list, you are going to find my personal consolation prize that I’m certain the majority of you will say is a better shoe anyway, “Laser” 4s. There have been multiple iterations of the “Laser” 4s at this point, but give me one of the two OGs from 2005, the “Fire Red” version or the “Black” pair in an ideal world. Or just say fuck it and drop ‘em both. —Ben Felderstein
Year: 2003
From an era before every collab needed convoluted storytelling that may or may not even be relevant to the sneaker or partner, the “Viotech” Atmos x Nike Air Max 1 just simply looked cool. And it still does. The sneaker originally released in 2003 in Japan. The color scheme, almost more ACG than anything related to Air Max, along with the material combination, felt special enough to know you were looking at something out of the ordinary, but not so loud as to be unwearable. This collab still lists for big money on the resale market, but actually wearing a pair would be a gamble at best—if not guaranteed to crumble. Given the time that’s passed, and its state of wearability, it’s time for another shot at a shoe so few had a chance to appreciate in the first place. (We’d also settle for the complimentary Air Max 95.) —Zac Dubasik
Year: Unreleased
When it comes to Travis Scott’s bevy of unreleased Air Jordan 4s, none are as exciting as this purple suede pair made exclusively for the rapper’s friends and family members. Unlike the majority of Travis Scott collabs that have hit retail, this Jordan 4 is equipped with a loud purple hue on the upper instead of the traditional earth-toned makeups fans are accustomed to seeing. Jordan Brand tried to replicate Travis’ pair by introducing the “Canyon Purple” Air Jordan 4 featuring a similar purple suede upper, but it just doesn’t come close. With that being said, releasing this pair is a sure-fire layup for Jordan Brand. —Victor Deng
Year: Unreleased
The “Freddy Kreuger” Nike SB Dunk Low is one of those shoes that doesn’t exist for us regular people. It’s really only for the Travis Scotts or the PJ Tuckers of the world. We all know the story of this release getting scrapped due to threat of litigation for its unofficial connection to the Friday the 13 series, and the attempt to “destroy” the full inventory. Of course, a few pairs survived the destruction and made it into the market, making these one of the most elusive SB Dunks of all time. If Nike tried to give these Dunks a proper release, it’s hard to imagine that New Line Cinema would feel any different about them this time around without proper involvement. But hey, this list is all about dreaming big, so why not? If they do drop, I suggest that Nike takes it up a notch further and makes two versions. One, more widely available iteration that looks normal and then a few uber-limited pairs that come equipped with oil stains. —Ben Felderstein
Year: 2016
Kobe Bryant’s sneaker free agency has to be one of the most underrated eras of his entire career. Due to the terms of his buyout from Adidas, Kobe wasn’t able to sign to another brand until 2003, meaning that without a contract in place he could lace up anything he wanted in the 2002-03 season. We got him in a Lakers-colored Reebok Question, we got him guarding MJ in a pair of “True Blue” 3s during an All-Star Game, and we even got Kobe wearing Jordan 8s. In 2016 Jordan Brand paid homage to this forgotten era by way of the Air Jordan 3/8 “Kobe” pack. The two-pack never formally released and only made its way into the hands of friends and family, but quickly became one of the most grail-level creations of the 2010s. Sure, Jordan could (and has) released Lakers-colored versions of these silhouettes, but a proper two-pack retro would immediately become a sneaker of the year contender. In an era where nothing seems off limits, I’m gonna need Nike/Jordan to consider giving these a proper drop. —Ben Felderstein
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