Year: 2013
Listing Price: $137
Size: 12

Honoring one of the country’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, Philadelphia-based sneaker boutique UBIQ linked up with New Balance in 2013 to craft this one of a kind CM1600 aptly dubbed “The Benjamin.” Patriotic red, white and blue permeates throughout the premium suede upper and is accented by tan leather panels. The speckled midsole and gum sole round out these historically-inspired kicks. UBIQ has been at the forefront of sneaker culture in Philadelphia for well over a decade and “The Benjamin” is one of its most successful collaborations. A perfect piece of sneaker nostalgia from our country’s first capital.

Year: 2012
Listing Price: $180
Size: 12

When Boston’s favorite sneaker boutique Concepts took on New Balance’s 999 model, it wanted to pay homage to the Navy SEALs, most notably their OTB Abyss II Boot. With that tactical boot in mind, it made sense for Concepts and New Balance to use some of the toughest, most durable materials they could find. They injected the 999 with stain-resistant microfiber suede, ballistic mesh and breathable nylon, so it could withstand all types of weather just like its inspiration. Even the “N” logo on the side is made of a strong rubber material. There are two other really cool design notes: the perforated Morse code encryption on the tongue and the map design lining the footbed.

Year: 2019
Listing Price: $225
Size: 8.5

“No Bad Days,” the collaboration between Bodega and New Balance, was the necessary next step after its initial “No Days Off” release, which dropped earlier in 2019. According to Bodega, “No Bad Days'' is “about pushing through the natural impulses to stand still in favor of making every day a productive one.” While its ethos is pure, its design is much more experimental. There are pieces of leather neoprene and mesh along the upper along with suede and TPU accents. Both dual ABZORB and Encap midsole tech are contained within the rubber outsole. On top of all that, you have bright yellows and teals accenting browns, greys and blacks throughout the upper. A little bit of everything in this gem from last year.

Year: 2013
Listing Price: $137
Size: 9.5

No, the “Shoe About Nothing,” an excellent aqua and burgundy collaboration between Stockholm-based Sneakersnstuff and Reebok, has nothing to do with Seinfeld. The nickname was given to the sneaker upon its release in 2013 because there was simply nothing more to it than its awesome colorway. The companies agreed they wanted the design to speak for itself–no clever marketing necessary. It proved to be a successful follow-up to the “Crocus” Question, a Lakers-flavored Mid released in the same month as the “Shoe About Nothing.” It’s decked in a premium suede upper and features the “SNS” logo on the outstretched mint tongue, while a smaller “SNS” logo can be found on the back heel, imprinted on the burgundy outsole.

Year: 2012
Listing Price: $837
Size: 10

As we are firmly riding the crescendo of the Nike Dunk wave at the moment, it’s only right we feature this simple classic from 2012, the “Gorge Green” Dunk High. While these were never a part of the infamous “Be True To Your School” Nike Dunk campaign, and weren’t released during the Dunk apexes of the mid ‘80s and late ‘90s, these “Gorge Green” Highs definitely give off some OG vibes. The leather upper is a perfectly broken-in “Sail” color while the overlays sport a rich dark green finish. These were originally released alongside five other colorways and like most Dunks, had a modest retail price ($85).

Year: 1999
Listing Price: $648
Size: 9.5

While this limited edition beast from 1999 isn’t officially a “Georgetown” colorway, it may as well be. Georgetown University and its basketball team have been synonymous with Nike Basketball since the mid ‘80s when the team was outfitted with Dunks and Terminators. Georgetown’s legendary basketball coach John Thompson was one of the strongest representatives for Nike at the collegiate level, along with some other Big East Conference powerhouses (more on that in a moment). This “Zen Grey/Obsidian” Dunk is a home run from a classic era of Dunks in the late ’90s but also serves as a subtle reminder that the Dunk has been legendary for a long time, both on and off the basketball court.

Year: 2004
Listing Price: $250
Size: 12

Speaking of other classic Big East Conference powerhouses, Syracuse was one of the other schools who helped bring about a passionate interest in Nike Dunks. While the high-top orange and white Dunk was the one that represented the school in the famous “Be True To Your School” campaign, this orange and blue low would’ve fit in just perfectly alongside Virgil Abloh’s recent Dunk releases. In a predominantly bright orange with dark blue paneling, this Dunk remains one of the rarest in the catalog. It’s also a nice complement to the orange and white lows (which just dropped in Australia) if you were lucky enough to snag a pair.

Year: 2006
Listing Price: $393
Size: 11

Back in 2006 Nike released its “Urban Samurai Pack,” which included unique takes on the Air Force 1, Air Force 3, Air Trainer SC and Dunk High, which is highlighted in this listing. Each is completely distinctive and varies wildly in terms of colors, textures and patterns. This Dunk High sports a bright green Swoosh over patterned panels, purple lined overlays and eyelets, with bold orange laces. There’s also a piece of unique branding on the tongue to signify the “Urban Samurai” collection.

Year: 2014
Listing Price: $203
Size: 11.5

Patta single handedly resurrected [Diadora](https://www.grailed.com/designers/diadora’s N9000 model, one worn almost exclusively by track and field athletes in the 1980s, through a series of collaborations in 2014. This iteration from the Amsterdam-based brand is an homage to Italy, which also happens to be where it was crafted. Included is a slew of upper-echelon materials, including premium leather, breathable nylon and pigskin suede. While the upper is almost completely composed in grey, the unmistakable red, white and green of the Italian flag can be found on the tongue and below the laces. The gum sole rounds out this premium Italian standout.

Year: 2015
Listing Price: $210
Size: 8

To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the blockbuster film Jaws, New Jersey-based sneaker boutique Packer Shoes, Sneaker Freaker and Puma linked up for this shark-inspired take on the Puma Blaze of Glory model, appropriately nicknamed “Bloodbath.” The shoe is meant to look like a blood-soaked body of water, from the dark red shades of the upper engulfing the bright teal of the laces. It is capped off with a gum sole and is accompanied by Trinomic technology. This was a part of Puma’s “Shark Attack” series, which saw all different types of shark-related Pumas hit the market. However, the “Bloodbath” remains the most menacing of the bunch, and it comes with extra laces (including matching dark red ones, in case it wasn’t “bloody” enough) and Sneaker Freaker-branded insoles.