When CLB’s (that’s Certified Lover Boy — what, do you live under a rock?) long-awaited Nike collaboration dropped on March 3, we weren’t sure exactly how to feel — after all, for a multi-year hyped affair, the Hot Step Air Terra’s are shockingly subdued. But, just like with much of the Toronto-based OVO man’s discography, the bulbous sneaker wormed it’s way into our brains and now we can’t stop thinking about them. Inspired by ’90s and ’00 basketball style and utilizing the sole unit from Nike’s 1999’s Air Terra Humara, the Hot Step Air Terra combines new and old into a crisp white package.

Tired? The Yeezy Boost 350. Wired? The new Foam Runner from Ye’s best-selling label, which has released in a bevy of colors like “Mist” and “Stone Sage” since the beginning of 2022, along with various restocks from older drops. Part clog, part sneaker, and ultra-wearable, the Yeezy vehicle is more comfortable than you’d think, a contributing factor to why the style is perennially sold out.

Vans x Notre is a match made in heaven; both the California-based skate shoe company and the Chicago retailer exude laid-back cool in spades, which is probably why the OG Style 36 LX feels even more charming than its general release brother. Finished in four crisp colorways and sporting a handshake graphic in place of the traditional Vans stripe, these kicks are the ultimate summer chiller.

On x Loewe’s February collaboration shattered the running gear glass ceiling with a collision of form and function rarely seen in the sneaker world. We’ve already extensively covered the drop, but we’ll touch on the highlight real again: premium nylon, On Cloudtec and an out-of-this-world pattern.

Golf Wang x Converse is the gift that keeps on giving. Year after year, we’ve gotten fun, funky kicks, courtesy of one Tyler, The Creator. The most recent drop, a slippery, “Python Pink” Chuck 70 Ox, is further confirmation not only of Golf’s prowess but that this really will be the hot boy summer we were hoping for; these slithery joints, a vintage tee and some 5″ shorts will make sure of that.

This one is for the runners. The gurus at District Vision put the totality of their crunchy, performance-driven minds and souls into recreating the marathoner-endorsed FuelCell RC Elites, and the result is a murdered-out heater as good for flexing at the function as for putting in the miles. Millimeters on millimeters of cushy stack height and New Balances patented carbon-fiber plate means each step is as springy as the last.

We will be the first to admit that the universally clowned Allbirds is the last sneaker brand we thought would end up on this list. But much like other recent endeavors by the eco-conscious startup, the Adidas x Allbirds 2.94 KG CO2e is shockingly solid. Named after the minimal carbon emissions each pair is made with (the collaboration marks the first time Adidas has produced footwear under 3.0 KG of waste), the shoes feature at least 25 percent recycled materials, a bio-based midsole and ultralight textile upper, all which play nicely with the design-forward sensibilities of Adidas.

A sneakerfreak’s dream come true, The Nike Jordan Five “Jade Horizon” dresses up the fan-favorite silo in a deep, rich green that looks drop-dead gorgeous, regardless of whether they’re on your feet or in the display case.

Care about design? Too broke to afford a vintage collectors chair? The Eames x Reebok meets in the middle of that Venn diagram, with a “Dot Pattern” homage to the 1956 armchair slathered on IH-favorite Club C’s leather silo.

The Mafate Speed 2 is not a collaboration, nor is it a special edition release by Hoka One One. No, the shoe is a good ol’ general release gem, available to grab at your leisure. So why then, does it crack this elite list of coveted sneakers? Because, for our money, it’s the best-looking shoe of the year.

The 550 silo has enjoyed immense success since New Balance and streetwear darlings Aime Leon Dore brought the style back into the fold, and the “Conversations Amongst Us” release, in collaboration with revered legend Joe Freshgoods, highlighted exactly why. An eggshell colorway, in conjunction with a broader social message about the cultural conversations we should be having, is exactly the kind of innovation we want to see from the biggest sneaker of 2021.

No list would be complete without a Virgil Abloh sneaker. The designer, who tragically passed away last year, singlehandedly re-shaped the sneaker universe with his work at both OFF WHITE and Louis Vuitton. It’s fitting that one of his final posthumous kicks, the Nike x OFF WHITE Blazer Low, is also one of his best. This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.