The Best Sneaker Releases of 2025 (So Far)

Nostalgia reigned supreme when it comes to the best sneakers of 2025, so far. Sure, mesh runners are still hot (and nostalgic in their own right), but that trend feels like it’s beginning to wane. The hype thus far in ‘25 has centered more around brands bringing back more accurate and interesting versions of already beloved models from the past, even if they never really went away. We saw the “big bubble” return to the Nike Air Max 95, a painstakingly remade version of the “Bred” Air Jordan 1, and a “White Cement” Air Jordan 4 praised by longtime collectors for its accuracy. Of course, there are collaborations included as well, but even those lean into the past, like Lil Yachty’s Bape-influenced AF1. As always, these rankings could shift by the end of the year based on which of these shoes have been able to maintain their status and which can’t. But for now, here’s where things stand.

Release Date: 04/18/25
Price: $220

If you only knew what goes into these lists. You’d know how long we debate these coveted 10 spots and the back-and-forth that happens just so we can hit publish—and then spark even more back-and-forth? Sure it’s just a mid-year list, but the mind-squad behind this post took days to figure out a #10 (usually the toughest spot on these lists). That said, I feel great about the Bronson “Amazonia” 990V6 cracking this year’s best, thus far. By now you know that Action knows how to play with colors that at first glance don’t belong together—and still make them sing harmoniously on a sneaker. The tan suede on the mudguard mixed with flashes of hot pink and that purplish-blue hue shouldn’t work this well—and that’s the real achievement here. My colleagues prefer the Mets/“Untitled” colorway, but I’m going on record: these are my favorite (and the best) sneakers Action has ever done. Disagree? Send your hate mail to [email protected]. —Joe La Puma

Release Date: 05/30/25
Price: $180

Aside from the obvious Los Angeles association, there doesn’t seem to be much connection between Kobe Bryant and the Dodgers other than being spotted in the crowd a few times and making an appearance at a game during the 2018 World Series. But what this Nike Kobe 6 may lack in depth of storytelling, it makes up for by simply being a great-looking shoe. The colorway is bold without being obnoxious, and the baseball details are subtle enough to not detract from the wearability. To top it off, the accompanying apparel and equipment collection made the project feel even more cohesive. Plus, it’s just plain cool to see the Kobe logo on catcher’s equipment. —Zac Dubasik

Release Date: 05/22/2025
Price: $130

Now might be a good time to circle back around with anyone who had a snarky comment about Lil Yachty’s first Nike Air Force 1 project being too boring or not spicy enough. His navy (no Boat) and white ~~Air~~ Us Force 1, which released last year, was a subdued take on early 2000s Air Force 1 exclusives for rap crews like Terror Squad and Roc-A-Fella. His second, this carnival combo of patent leather in green and yellow, stays in that same era with what feels like a tribute to the zenith of the Bapesta. There’s of course nothing subtle about the colorway, but there’s a quiet history—one wrapped up in hip-hop fashion, 21st-century sneaker culture, and the tastes of late-career Nike collaborator Nigo—to be appreciated here. —Brendan Dunne

Release Date: 05/24/25
Price: $225

Anytime a release for the “White Cement’ Air Jordan 4 comes back around, it’s bound to be considered one of the best releases of the year, and rightfully so. By many accounts, this is one of the best Air Jordan styles of all time. It was introduced in 1989 and had been retroed three times prior to this year, but none have been as close to the original design as the latest version. The brand confirmed that the shape, the fit, and even the cement speckling throughout the sneaker are as close to the OG pair as possible. Did we mention there’s “Nike Air” on the heel too? —Victor Deng

Release Date: 05/09/2025
Price: $135

I love this shoe. It’s awesome to see Nike go a little country. Especially through its SB line on a pair of Dunks. The “Tourmaline” Dunks were a bit of a controversial shoe this year. Or at least one that had people scratching their heads a bit. The shoe was originally made for Black History Month to celebrate Bill Pickett, the first African-American in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Pickett was a steer wrestler and his phrase “what’s gonna happen is gonna happen” is on a bandana that came with the shoes. The green upper is based on the idea that bulls can’t see green, and it’s painted on rodeo pens. The shoes weren’t an official collab with Pickett, as Nike supposedly couldn’t work out the details. But the shoes didn’t actually release in February for Black History Month. But as my old friend Trinidad James always used to preach, it’s cool to see Black history get taught and approached by sneaker brands in a way other than slapping kente cloth on a shoe and calling it a day. These Dunks would be awesome without the story. They’re that good. The story makes them next level, partner. —Matt Welty

Release Date: 04/30/2025
Price: $190

There’s no denying the moment Corteiz is currently having in the sneaker space, and the latest evidence of that is the “Honey Black” Nike Air Max 95 release in New York City back in April. Most fans may remember the scavenger hunt-styled rollout that the label held for its first trio of Air Max 95 collabs in 2023, which secured a spot on Complex’s Sneaker of the Year list that year. That same release procedure occurred for the “Honey Blacks” colorway, and once again, it sent fans into a frenzy. Corteiz shared coordinates on a Saturday morning that led fans on a quest to locate an in-person activation at the Harlem Prep High School. As expected, chaos ensued with fans trying to get their hands on one of the best sneaker projects of the year thus far. —Victor Deng

Release Date: 02/07/2025
Price: $250

If you’re mad that this shoe was hard to get, that’s OK. If you’re sick of Jordan Brand bringing this shoe back, that’s OK too. What’s not OK, though, is to willfully ignore that this year’s Air Jordan 1 “Bred” is a great retro of one of the most impactful Air Jordans ever. The shape is more 1985. The nylon tongue is accurate down to the chemical level. There’s no superfluous tumbled leather nonsense. It’s a retro that makes you question why you settled for so many other bastardized versions of the black and red Air Jordan 1s for so many years. —Brendan Dunne

Release Date: 02/08/2025
Price: $210

There is a case to be made for the “Black Metallic” Air Jordan 5 being ranked first on this list, and some of us tried to do just that. It’s a shoe that was anticipated when it leaked, held its hype and sold out immediately, and can still be spotted being worn everywhere months later. It has historical significance for being a shoe Michael Jordan actually played in, mass market appeal, and had enough changes from past releases, such as its contrasting edges and 3M heel logo, to feel special. Ultimately though, it’s a shoe that’s just been out too many times, and its changes were too subtle to feel like something new—even if it felt like something great. —Zac Dubasik

Release Date: 04/04/2025
Price: $180

The Nike Air Max 95 hasn’t looked this good in 30 years. The model—a top-10 Nike shoe and maybe the best Air Max ever—suffered from a natural drift away from its original form in the decades since its 1995 debut. It’s a standard process with retros: the further the timeline stretches away from the original shoe, the less faithful the recreations. Thankfully, brands have been inclined in the last 12 or so years to right that, redoing shapes to make reissues look more like they’re supposed to. The best example of that this year is the Nike Air Max 95, a sneaker that’s been tweaked with a bigger bubble and roomier toe. It’s not a painstaking recreation of the true ‘95 build, but it’s still the best version of this shoe that we’ve seen in a long time. And, of course, the “Neon” is still the best colorway. —Brendan Dunne

Release Date: 03/14/2025
Price: $225

Nigel Sylvester’s got the juice—I’ve seen it firsthand on multiple occasions. Whether he’s driving an enormous brick truck through SoHo in NYC, or hosting a Go Ride event throughout all of Manhattan or London in the same day, his people always show up in droves to support him. Up until the Air Jordan 4 “Brick by Brick,” Sylvester’s product has been strong, but this year’s pair is a clear ascension to that next level. At first glance, it might just be an all-red Air Jordan 4, but when you really dive deeper both with how the shoe looks and the story behind it, it’s incredibly easy to see why this is the sneaker of the year, so far. It’s a true love letter to New York City, and the different materials throughout the Jordan 4’s upper really make the shoe look like a brick. On top of all that, Roman Reigns wore them on an enormous episode of Monday Night Raw, Mookie Betts laced up a cleated version on Opening Day, and JLP even wore them on Sneaker Shopping. The storytelling, the actual sneaker itself, and the hype behind it are all clear indicators that Nigel Sylvester’s “Brick by Brick” AJ4 is a deserving choice for the sneaker of the year. But will we be saying the same thing six months from now, or will something else grab the crown? —Ben Felderstein

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