March 30, 2009 by hunter.

Ahh…sunny LA. How I’ve missed you so. It’s been far too long since I’ve been back home to the SoCal coast. So many people to see, so much to do … so many sneakers to buy. No sneakerhead’s trip to LA would be complete without a visit to SportieLA. Digging through the ‘displays’ is always a treat for a hunter like myself. So why not commemorate that trip with a suitable Sneak of the Month? March 2009’s Sneak of the Month is the Reebok Ventilator “Sportie LA” edition.

This is a gorgeous ‘tech’ shoe. I’ve had my eye on this shoe for a long time, but it wasn’t until I saw it in person that I truly became enamored. It has a simple yet eye-grabbing colourway, and numerous different textures. Of course it has the ventilation section of pure mesh along the sides, so don’t wear your holey socks.

My only gripe is that the stitching on the back isn’t as ‘full’ as it could be, but most people won’t look at the shoe closely enough to notice. All in all this is a great shoe if you want to wear something with colors and design guaranteed to snap necks. Be careful out there, and rock your sneaks with pride. And to SportieLA- great job putting this Reebok Ventilator together.

Posted in Reebok, Sneak of the Month, Pics | No Comments »

January 23, 2009 by hunter.

Reebok announced job cuts of 300 workers. An odd part of the article highlights Adidas-owned Reebok’s difficulties increasing market share for US athletic footwear. From 2005-2008, Adidas and Reebok fell from a combined 18 percent to 9 percent market share! I blame their Kool Aid collection. Actually, Adidas/Reebok might fare better when you consider market share of ‘lifestyle’ footwear instead.

Brace yourselves for a bumpy 2009- a shrinking market means less revenue which means companies will take fewer risks on new sneaker designs. To paraphrase (now former) Pres. GWB- ‘Do your patriotic duty and get shopping!’

Posted in Reebok, Business, Pics, Nike, Adidas | No Comments »

October 23, 2008 by hunter.

I just made a huge mistake. In fact, its the ultimate sneaker sin. I passed on a pair of sneaks that have haunted me ever since.

I was in New Delhi and I saw a boutique selling Reebok’s new Fish Fry line designed by Manish Arora. Intrigued, I popped in and browsed through the selection. Most of the shoes are for women, but they had a few nice designs for men. The price gave me a bit of sticker shock, so I decided to mull it over and come back. How is it possible to get so distracted that you forget to buy an awesome, regionally unique sneaker!?!? Ugh! If you’re in Delhi and you see a size 12 Fish Fry, won’t you help a brother out?

Moral of the story- follow your instinct. If you find a sweet pair of kicks, DONT risk letting them pass you by. Prop open your wallet and claim your sneaks. Your feet will thank you.

Posted in Reebok, Art | No Comments »

June 18, 2008 by hunter.

Alright. This story isn’t entirely sneaker-related, but the story has some serious legs (sorry- bad pun). So you are enjoying a nice waterside stroll in British Columbia when you notice a strange object in the distance. What is it? A letter in a bottle? Nope. It’s a human foot in a sneaker.

Blech. The weird thing is that this has happened 6 times now. And another weird part is that 5 of the 6 feet have been right feet- only one lefty. But don’t worry- authorities think they know what is happening. The spot these feet are being located is close to a site where a plane crashed and sank 3 years ago. Oh, ok. That’s gross, but it kinda makes sense. But wait- there were only 4 bodies from that crash that were never recovered. And there are at least 5 separate feet (all righties). What’s going on?

In any case, you might be wondering what this has to do with sneakers. Well, the latest foot was found in a men’s size 10 Adidas. No word on the style. According to this article, the 2nd foot was discovered in a Reebok. Stories about the other 4 feet are severely lacking in shoe details, but 2 of the shoes were 12s, and one was a 10.5.

If you find a sneaker on the shore in BC, you might not want to pick it up. Otherwise, stay fresh (and dry).

Posted in Reebok, Odd, Adidas | No Comments »