The Complex Sneakers Podcast

The hosts of the Internet’s biggest sneaker shows, Sneaker Shopping and Full Size Run, come together in The Complex Sneakers Podcast. Joe La Puma, Matt Welty, and Brendan Dunne discuss the most important sneaker news and topics every week, and give their expert opinions that can only be told authentically from Complex. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

What Are the Best Nike Air Max 95s of All Time?

March 21, 2025 • 75 mins

It’s not really up for debate that the “Neon” Nike Air Max 95 is the best version of the Air Max 95 that’s ever released. But what are the other great colorways worth celebrating? How good is Atmos’ “Beast Pack”? What about insidery pairs like the Mita flip on the Sergio Lozano prototype? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty break down a ranked list of the best Air Max 95s of all time in this episode. Also, they catc...

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Is It a Mistake to Bring Back Nike's Biggest Sneaker Grails?

March 7, 2025 • 76 mins

How far would Nike possibly go when it comes to bringing grail sneakers back out of the vault? Could untouchable sneakers like the “Red October” Air Yeezy 2 and the Nike Mag actually see some sort of retro? Would people line up all over again for a classic like Sean Wotherspoon’s corduroy Air Max 1/97? What about the return of Virgil Abloh’s Off-White x Nikes? In light of Nike bringing back heat like the Wu-Tang Dunks and Undefeate...

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Why Is ASICS So Popular Right Now?

February 28, 2025 • 77 mins

ASICS’ sportstyle sneakers, including runners like the Gel 1130 and the Kayano 14, have been on a tear for the last couple of years. Where did the hype around these Y2K running sneakers come from? Who is buying all the Asics? And how did we get to a world where resellers are flipping the shoes? On this episode of the Complex Sneakers Podcast, Brian Nadav, owner of Philly sneaker boutique Lapstone & Hammer and a lifelong sneaker...

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Is Sneaker Reselling Dead?

February 21, 2025 • 71 mins

There’s no doubt that sneaker reselling has cooled off from its peak in the early part of the 2020s. But has the bubble totally popped? Answering that question in this episode is Puneet Singh, aka Sole Supreme, a collector and reseller who owns the store Legacy in New Jersey. Singh talks about the death of the Panda Dunks, the rampant Travis Scott Air Jordan fake market, and the truth about who’s spending money in sneaker stores. A...

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Is the Off-White x Air Jordan 1 Actually Coming Back?

February 14, 2025 • 65 mins

The Off-White x Air Jordan 1 might feel like too sacred, special, and recent a shoe to get a retro treatment, but rumors are circulating that Jordan Brand is planning to bring the Virgil Abloh design back out as a retro at the end of this year. What’s the truth behind those rumors? And is it right to bring the shoe back so soon? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty discuss that in this episode. They also recap the co...

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Is the 2025 Air Jordan 1 'Bred' Retro Worth $250?

January 31, 2025 • 77 mins

The biggest sneaker release of the year so far is the 2025 retro return of the original black and red “Bred” Air Jordan 1. It’s going to be an expensive shoe at $250, and a hard one to get with around 10,000 pairs floating around. How good of a job did Jordan Brand do in recreating its most seminal sneaker? Does this year’s iteration of the black and red “Banned” Jordan 1 actually feel like a premium shoe? And does anyone even care...

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Ranking the Best Air Jordan 3s of All Time

January 17, 2025 • 77 mins

What are the best Air Jordan 3 colorways of all time? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty debate that in their latest list rundown on this new episode. What’s the best non-original Air Jordan 3? How good is the “Cool Grey” Jordan 3? Does the “Mocha” Jordan 3 deserve a spot? Also on this episode, the panel discusses ethics around sneaker leaks, the impact on the resale market of Stadium Goods closing its New York Cit...

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The Biggest Sneakers Releasing in 2025

January 10, 2025 • 72 mins

We’re early into 2025, but there are already a handful of important sneaker release dates to look forward to. The “Galaxy” Nike Air Foamposite Ones are coming back in February. The legendary Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 is getting a legit retail release. Tom Sachs and Nike are back working together. Which will be the biggest sneakers this year? And will some of these highly anticipated pairs—like the “Banned” Air Jordan 1—not live up ...

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Our Favorite Sneakers of 2024

December 20, 2024 • 80 mins

We’re still in year-end list-making mode when it comes to the best sneakers of 2024. With the dust from the ComplexCon Sneaker of the Year panel finally settled, we’re revisiting that compilation to briefly go over our final sneaker of the year selections. More than that, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about their personal favorite shoes from 2024, like Ronnie Fieg’s run of Kith Asics and the Stash x Nike A...

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The Best Sneakers of 2024 | Complex Con(versations)

December 8, 2024 • 53 mins

What are the best sneakers of 2024? Which pairs will we remember the most that set the tone in sneakers over the last 12 months? Is the Adidas AE 1 really that good? What about Wu-Tang Dunks? Did Jae Tips make a top-10 sneaker of the year? The Complex Sneakers Show co-hosts got into these questions at the annual ComplexCon Sneaker of the Year panel last month with guests Lil Yachty and PJ Tucker. As is customary, we’re uploading th...

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How Good Is the ‘Black Cement’ Air Jordan 3 Retro?

November 22, 2024 • 60 mins

The ‘Black Cement’ Air Jordan 3 is one of the biggest sneakers of the year. But how does the 2024 Jordan 3 ‘Black Cement’ compare to the 2018 ‘Black Cement’? And which one is more like the original Jordan 3 that was released in 1988? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty review the sneakers in this episode. They also recap ComplexCon, from the Travis Scott drops to Nike’s 3D-printed sneaker to the dramatic Sneaker of ...

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Remembering DJ Clark Kent

November 8, 2024 • 63 mins

DJ Clark Kent was a huge figure in hip-hop—he discovered Jay-Z and worked with Biggie—and an influential sneaker collector who made shoes with brands like Nike and Adidas. Clark, who died in October, was also a close friend to Complex. In this episode, co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Wetly reflect on Clark in the wake of his passing. Elsewhere in the episode, they talk about the lifespan ASICS Kayano trend, running in...

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RZA's Difficult Decision to Retro the Wu-Tang Dunk

October 25, 2024 • 70 mins

The leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, the RZA, joins the Complex Sneakers Show this week to discuss the long history of the Wu-Tang x Nike Dunk High, breaking down how the shoe finally came back as a retro after all these years. RZA runs through his sneaker history, from ducking gangs with ODB in Coney Island to collecting all flavors of Havana Joes. Also in the episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about the v...

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Michael Vick Wants to Recreate His Nike Success on His Own

September 27, 2024 • 63 mins

Michael Vick has one of the NFL’s defining signature sneaker lines with a series of Nike shoes that matched his electric play with the Atlanta Falcons in the 2000s. Before that, he was turning heads by wearing Air Jordan 17s on the field. On this episode, he breaks down how his Nike deal happened, how he got back together with Nike, and why he wants to start his own footwear brand now. Vick touches on the influence his shoes had in...

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What’s the Best Nike SB Dunk of All Time?

September 20, 2024 • 82 mins

Is the Staple x Nike SB Dunk Low “Pigeon” the best SB Dunk of all time? What about the legendarily rare “FLOM” SB Dunk High by Futura? And does a shoe like the “Chunky Dunky” SB by Ben & Jerry’s even deserve consideration in such a discussion? In this episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty give their takes on the best SB Dunks of all time, and respond to some of the recent feedback over the rankings. They a...

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J Balvin Trolled Sneaker Resellers on His Air Jordan Release

September 6, 2024 • 73 mins

J Balvin is four sneakers deep with Jordan Brand, and it sounds like he has more to come. In this episode, the Colombian artist discusses his relationship with Michael Jordan, his battle against sneaker bots on the Air Jordan 3, and what might be next up for his collaborations. He even touches briefly on that recent Air Jordan 4 custom he wore that Jordan was apparently not too happy about. Elsewhere in the episode, cohosts Joe La ...

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Michael Rubin Reveals How Travis Scott's 'White Party' Jordan 1s Happened

August 16, 2024 • 74 mins

Michael Rubin is a billionaire, entrepreneur, and close personal friend to Travis Scott. In this conversation, he talks about Travis’ sneaker business, and even dishes a bit on the ‘White Party’ version of the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low that popped up this summer. Rubin also talks about Jay-Z gifting him Louis Vuitton Air Force 1s, recounts a business meeting with Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and talks about his own history re...

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Ranking the Best Sneaker Collaborations Right Now

August 2, 2024 • 89 mins

Who is the most powerful collaborator in sneakers right now? In this episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty run down a long list of industry heavyweights to determine who in the industry is generating the most buzz, sales, and genuinely cool sneakers. They discuss how high Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God work at Adidas puts him, everything Joe Freshgoods has contributed, and why Travis Scott is still a ti...

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Is Nigel Sylvester's AJ4 One of This Year's Best Sneakers?

July 23, 2024 • 58 mins

Nigel Sylvester is back with Jordan Brand, with what might be his most ambitious project ever. This time around, the BMX superstar is reworking a new take on the Air Jordan 4, the Jordan 4RM. It's a low-cut shoe with a frame that's inspired by bikes. The story behind his shoes takes root from his grandmother's driveway, where he first learned how to ride a bike. In this episode, Sylvester talks about making the shoes and shows...

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Why Is Nike Retroing Its Most Expensive Grail Sneakers?

July 12, 2024 • 66 mins

The Wu-Tang x Nike Dunks are releasing for the first time ever. The “Galaxy” Foamposites are coming back. It even looks like the Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 grails are retroing next year. Why is Nike scrambling to drop so much heat? And should the brand show any restraint when it comes to bringing sneakers back out? Should certain sneakers remain in the vault? Co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty discuss these question...

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