ASICS GT II Red/White – UK BBOY Championships 2011
So here we are, just 2 weeks before the 2011 UK BBOY Championships World Final at Brixton Academy and we wanted to show you the key sneaker for this years event….ASICS GT II Red/White!
ASICS have come to the fore over the last 3 years in the international BBOY scene with the popularity of the ASICS GT II, Gel Lyte III and Aaron. All of these sneakers have true performance heritage, dope retro styling and great colour pops. The Gel Technology really helps dancers stay comfortable when they’ve got a long day battling ahead.
You’ll see from the below images that the ASICS GT II is a sweet looking silhouette. It’s got classic lines, and handles the colours really well. The tapered toe works really nicely, and they never look flat, or crease in the wrong place. They hold their shape, and still look fresh after 50 wears!
ASICS GT II Red/White – HN416 2301
Nike Huarache B-Baller (2012)
Nike are bringing back the legendary Huarache in Spring 2012 (January), but in Summer 2012 (March) they are bringing us the Nike Huarache B-Baller!
As you can see from the images, this re-issue of the Huarache is far from the original style as the sole unit is the “Free Sole” and not the standard Huarache sole unit we remember from 1991.
Nike did drop a hightop Huarache in 1993 called the Air Huarache Trainer. This new B-Baller does have a very similar external skeleton, but doesn’t have the velcro strap. The new B-Baller has a much cleaner look in my opinion, which I really like.
Both colourways work really well, especially the Green/Grey….they even have a little of the Nike Mag going on. They look fresh!
We will be stocking both colourways from March 2012, so be sure to hit our NIKE PAGE to see whats new!
It’s a Jungle Out There
It’s a Jungle Out There
I spotted this guy early one Saturday morning in Sydney on the back of a massive night, which in his own words was ‘a bit of a bender’.
When things get wild though, this man is well equipped in his Nike Dunk Low Premiums from the Animal/Safari pack. A 2007 release, the shoes offer an interesting blend of patterns and textures that stand out from the pack (pun intended).
I will be honest with you, he was still drunk so I wasn’t really able to get much info from him other than he has about 30 pairs of shoes. You may think my job is easy, but trust me, it’s a jungle out there!
Impulse Buy
Jodie runs a market stall in Sydney, and on Sundays can be found at the highly popular Bondi markets selling an array of affordable womenswear.
She spends her time between New York and Sydney, and has found sneakers to be the perfect shoe for work as they offer the comfort, support and style required when spending all day on your feet.
She picked up these red Supergas as an impulse buy from a neighbouring store one day when she was caught short at a market and needed some sneakers. These were the nearest shoes she could find, and Superga have gone on to become her favourite brand due to their combination of style, quality and affordable pricepoint.
Making His Mark
Mark is a skater who makes his ‘mark’ on every skate park in Sydney, and also lets every skate park make a ‘mark’ on him too.
From sliding, grinding, flipping and (occasionally) falling he gets a permanent reminder of each skate ramp imbedded into the front of his shoes, and as you can see, these well worn Adidas Skateboard shoes have seen plenty of action.
The adage of I Dig Your Sole Man is that people’s footwear always reveals a story about their owner. However, in Mark’s case they don’t reveal just a story but also a catalogue of every skate park he’s visits (the Blue paint is from Bondi, White from Clovelly, and brown from Homebush – all different parks from around Sydney).
DJ DSK – SoleHeaven Triple Banger
September & October are all about the ‘SoleHeaven Triple Banger!’
The Triple Banger is essentially 3 BBOY events we’re involved with in the UK….Round 1 was on September 9th @ The Cut in Newcastle Upon Tyne. We got together with our good buddies at REIGN for their 1st birthday celebrations. We flew in hip-hop & breaks DJ DSK from China for a special 2hr turntablistic set of the highest quality!
No Jokes….DSK is amazing, loads of samples, Juggling and scratching. The capacity club couldn’t believe their ears, it was off the hook!
Download the live set here…
SoleHeaven Presents – DJ DSK live @ Reign 2011 (The Cut, Newcastle) by SoleHeaven.com
Check out the video!
On September 17th we headed to Cardiff for the ‘Breakin The Bay’ Annual Hip Hop Festival with BBOY Slammo for the Battlecry Jam.
Hella won ‘New Kids on The Block’
Lunaticks Crew won ‘ 2on2 BBoy Combat’
Mouse won ‘Bones 2 the Stones’
Check out the pictures HERE
Props to everyone involved, and shouts to Freeze, Soopa J, Mouse, Slammo, Hektic, DJ DSK, Lunaticks, Sofly, Foggy, Ling, Jaffa & Mystro
The 3rd and final round of the ‘SoleHeaven Triple Banger’ takes us to the UK BBoy Champs – World Finals at Brixton Academy on October 16th. We’re on board to make sure you’ve got the freshest sneakers!
If you need tickets or any info hit the UK BBoy Championship WEBSITE
Visit DJ DSK Website
Frankie Reppin’ State Side
BBoy Frankie Perez is SoleHeaven’s state-side ambassador, and he’s been battling hard!
Check out the video of Frankie and his crew Supreme Beingz taking the victory from Repstyle at Urban Movement 2011!
Frankie is wearing a SoleHeaven Tee with Purple logo’s and a superfly pair of Nike Air Max Lights!
Nike ‘No Sew’ Tech
Over the last few seasons Nike keep on pushing the fundamentals of sneaker manufacture with technologies like Hyperfuse, Vac tech and now No-Sew!
So far they have only introduced these techiques to the Nike Air Max 1, Nike Air Max 90 and Nike Air Force 1, but they are extending this olive branch to the much loved and slightly misguided Nike Air Max 95.
When I say misguided I mean that when this was released in 1995 it was the most amazing sneaker ever produced. The body like rib cage and the visible air under the toes were a revelation. The Air Max 95 was hot property for several years then It got a bit lost, it’s repuation suffered and things went a bit down hill for this revolutionary silhouette…..but thats about to change.
2012 is a big for Nike and great to see them re-ignite this landmark sneaker with this ‘No-Sew’ tech.
The previous Nike Air Max 95′s had uppers constructed from gradient shades of grey felt, but this is now a super thin rubber composite and gives a super clean finish and smooth lines.
Personally, I’ve got a soft spot for this sneaker and my fingers are crossed that it starts to regain some of it’s integrity.
We will be stocking both of these colourways when they are released in Summer 2012.
Hit us with your comments.
Kobe & Lebron hit the Nike Air Force 1
As everyone knows 2012 is a big year for Nike (40th Anniversary), plus theres the EURO 2012 Football Champs, and the Olympics so there’s a lot of product stories to shoe-horn in.
One of the main stories is Kobe & Lebron James coming to London as part of the U.S. Olympic Basketball team. To celebrate this fact they have let the two of them loose on the Nike Air Force 1!
This could have ended in disaster, but Kobe & Lebron have been designing colourways for several years, and they’re getting pretty good at it!
And this is what Lebron James came up with….
Overall, these premium Air Force 1′s look pretty dope, my favourite would be the Kobe because the surface print looks really nice. Lebron has clearly taken influence from Supra, the upper is like a waxed full grain leather they would use for a Supra Skytop.
What do you think?
Our experience of the Supra Skytop III
We’re chuffed because the long awaited Supra Skytop III has final landed on our shelves!
To start with we’ve got three colourways, and they are the TUF White, Black Nubuck and Grey Suede…..Red & Blue Suede will follow later in the season.
Right, so what are people saying this this hyped release?
The feedback we’re getting is nothing but good, all our customers have been extremely complimentary and have been snapping them up in big numbers.
It’s priced around £100 depending on the upper, but the extra comfort with the heel capsule, and the general build quality, people are more than willing to pay a premium price.
Regarding the looks people have picked out where Chad Muska might have gained his inspirations and that is in the direction of the Air Jordan 11 (Toebox), Air Jordan 6 Retro (Heel Pull), Nike Presto (Eyestay Ribs) and the Jordan 5 Retro (Top Eyelet).
I’m actually rockin’ the Black Nubuck and the fit is slighly narrower than a standard Supra Skytop, but the comfort is on another level. It’s so good!
The only questions left to answer how well they wear, will they handle the hectic city lives we all lead, or will they grow old disgracefully. We will be revisiting the Supra Skytop III in November to see whats happened!
If you see other sneakers within the Skytop III design, be sure to leave a comment.
See the whole FA11 Supra Range
ThePETEBOX is back after a summer of festivals
ThePETEBOX has has a massive summer of festivals and parties, but his voice is holding strong and he really turned on the magic for V Festival this year.
Please keep your peepers on ThePETEBOX’s activities over the next few weeks because he’s releasing a series of video’s and he’ll be rocking some of the freshest Supra’s on the market!
Follow him on FACEBOOK
See our Supra Range Here
Basketball’s Next Generation
Every once in a while in Basketball a player comes along that changes the game. Whether it’s the way they can take over a game at any given moment, fly through the air with the greatest of ease and finish above the rim or make their teammates better by performing a spectacular play. Just look back at Magic Johnson, a player that could play every position. Michael Jordan, who defied the laws of gravity and now Lebron James, a player who at the age of 14 was a man among boys and now regularly tears defenders apart. (If you haven’t already seen the documentary ‘More than a Game’ I suggest you do and you’ll know what I mean when I say man amongst boys!)
In the sneaker game brands look to innovate and create the next generation of product like players look to advance their game on the Basketball court. For example, check out the latest APL shoes that are supposed to add inches to your vertical leap, the NBA has put a ban on these as they’re seen as performance enhancing. What next? Springs underfoot? Oh no, I forgot Nike has already done that and look what Vince did…
As players become quicker, more athletic and less prone to injury, Basketball shoes are becoming lighter yet more supportive. For the first time ever SoleHeaven is now stocking these cutting edge performance Basketball boots, so whether you’re a baller or a sneaker head looking for your latest fix then check out some of them below.
We’ll start with the revolutionary Hyperdunk basketball shoe. Launched at the 2008 Olympics this shoe was the lightest Basketball shoe at the time at 13 ounces, near 20% lighter than any other Basketball shoe at the time. Inspiration from the supportive cables on suspension bridges came in the form of ‘Flywire’ offering support across the midfoot and heel. The shoe was worn by both Forwards and Guards at the time and is now supported by the ‘Blake Show’ aka Blake Griffin, the LA Clipper who leaps tall buildings in a singe bound, well not actually buildings but cars…just check out the footage from last years All Star Game for proof!
Here’s another game-changer. The Kobe IV, the first Basketball shoe worn by Kobe Bryant to go against the rule that Basketball players need ankle support. Hey, if Kobe can wear them for the last 3 seasons without injury then what’s this high top business been all about? With Nike’s responsive Zoom Air cushioning in the heel and Flywire midsole locking the foot down, preventing any foot sliding inside the shoe, this is one of the lightest Basketball shoes ever made at 10 ounces and perfect for those super quick 1-2 guards. Just ask Great Britain’s starting Point Guard Ode Odegboye.
If anyone managed to actually watch the GB Basketball team play at the London Prepares 2012 Basketball tournament on the BBC Red Button service then you would’ve noticed both the Kobe IV and the Hyperdunk were being worn by many of the GB and France players.
One standout player for GB during the tournament was Joel Freeland, at only 24 years of age he has been working on his low post game out in Spain and showed viewers exactly why the Portland Trailblazers drafted him back in 2008. On his feet he was supporting SoleHeaven’s new Nike Hyperfuse, a shoe that has the breathability of a mesh running shoe and overall support of a basketball shoe.
The shoe itself has 3 types of material ‘fused’ together by a hot plate to form a complete one piece upper, this gives designers the flexibility to insert breathable zones and supportive overlays exactly where the athlete needs them without any added weight to the shoe.
Basketball shoes are already pushing the boundaries of innovation so let’s be honest, how much lighter, stronger, more responsive can a basketball shoe go? If the NBA has banned players from wearing certain shoes then what’s next, socks being worn as shoes? Who knows, we might one day see Marty McFly’s auto-laced Nikes being worn by the next Lebron James or Kobe Bryant…whoever they may be?
Until next time.
KB – Veteran Baller/Sneaker lover