As we say goodbye to 2022, the sneaker community looks back at a year full of releases, debacles, and surprises while trying to pinpoint what were the most memorable moments in our niche world of sneakers. The team here at Sole Retriever has already tackled a few top lists that cover releases from New Balance and Jordan Brand while also looking at the best collabs, worst flops, and our most anticipated sneakers for 2023, however, we wanted the community to decide the best sneakers from 2022. The poll from our final day of Kicksmas on the Sole Retriever mobile app featured plenty of releases that were surefire top 20 sneakers, though the results and rankings may surprise you.
Across the 20 different sneakers on this list, 9 came from Jordan Brand, 8 from Nike (including Nike SB and Sportswear), 2 from adidas, and 1 from New Balance. Heavy hitters like the Air Jordan 1 High “Lost & Found,” Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low “Reverse Mocha” and the Concepts x Nike SB Dunk Low “Orange Lobster” rounded out the top three sneakers in that particular order with every single sneaker from number one down to number eighteen coming from either Nike or Jordan Brand. The revival of the AJ 1 “Chicago” in vintage/aged form and its wide availability makes it no surprise it was the number one choice across the userbase that voted in this poll and the hype Travis Scott and Concepts bring to Jordan Brand and Nike respectively doesn’t raise any eyebrows for their high placement.
Some releases that ranked relatively high here but haven’t been seen throughout the entire sneaker media space include the Nike Dunk Low “Jackie Robinson” and the Why So Sad? x Nike SB Dunk Low, both touching sneakers that tell a deeper story than just a cool or iconic colorway. Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball back in the 40s is one of sport’s most iconic moments and his work in racial equality should not go unnoticed, so to tell his story via the Dunk Low was a special moment in 2022. Shining a light on mental health, John Rattray and his Why So Sad? initiative collaborated with Nike SB on the SB Dunk Low that highlights some methods Rattray utilized to deal with his own bouts of depression - exercise. On top of the deep storytelling, the box actually features a QR code that once scanned provides an array of mental health resources. While we look at sneakers at face value, digging deeper into these stories gives one a better understanding of historical moments and issues we all have dealt with or know someone who is dealing with them currently.
Down below we’ve listed the results of our Top 20 Sneakers In 2022 poll, so scan the list and see what you as a community decided were the best releases to grace the sneaker scene this year. Keep it locked to our Twitter and the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay prepared for the big year 2023 will be for sneakers and to stay up-to-date on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more.
1. Air Jordan 1 High OG “Lost & Found”
2. Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low “Reverse Mocha”
3. Concepts x Nike SB Dunk Low “Orange Lobster”
4. A Ma Maniere x Air Jordan 4 SP “Violet Ore”
5. Off-White x Nike Air Force 1 Low “Green Spark”
6. Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 Collection
7. Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low “Phantom”
8. Nike Dunk Low “Jackie Robinson”
9. Air Jordan 4 “Military Black”
10. Union LA x Nike Dunk Low “Passport” Pack
11. Why So Sad? x Nike SB Dunk Low
12. Air Jordan 1 High ‘85 “Georgetown”
13. Concepts x Nike Air Max Pack
14. Air Jordan 1 Low Zion Williamson “Voodoo”
15. Air Jordan 4 “Midnight Navy”
16. Tom Sachs x NikeCraft General Purpose Shoe
17. Air Jordan 11 “Cherry”
18. Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 993 Performance Art Pack
19. adidas Forum Low “Grinch”
20. Bad Bunny x adidas Forum Buckle Low “Blue Tint”
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
