Nigel Sylvester’s Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Better With Time” Rides Into This Week’s Best Footwear Drops

This week marks us reaching the midpoint of August, much like flipping a coin to its other side. The summer heat continues unabated, but it hasn’t deterred footwear brands from staying active. Brands such as New Balance, Crocs, PUMA, SATISFY, Nike, Jordan Brand, and adidas are all set to release significant drops this week. Let’s first glance at the headlines that grabbed attention in the past seven days before we delve into what’s coming up.

In our footwear category, we recently showcased a round-up of the TopMob team’s top-pick shoes from the year 2025 (thus far). Meanwhile, in our regular news updates, the 30th anniversary of Nike Air Max 95 is still ongoing, featuring sneak peeks at collaborations like Yu-Gi-Oh! x .SWOOSH x Nike Air Max 95 and Jay Chou PHANTACI x Nike Air Max 95. Additionally, we had a glimpse of upcoming designs from Martine Rose x Nike Shox MR4 and Zellerfeld’s Nike Air Max 1000.

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Moving on to basketball footwear news, here’s a preview of the Nike Kobe 3 Protro, accompanied by tidings that Caitlin Clark’s Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Rookie of the Year” PE will be launched next year. On the Jordan Brand side, we got our first glimpses at the Air Jordan 3 “El Vuelo” with a Mexico theme, an upcoming collaboration between A Ma Maniére and the Air Jordan 6, and the Jordan City Boot.

In other news from the world of sneakers: VK Design Works by VERDY is hinting at a partnership with Dover Street Market and New Balance on the 991v2 model. Additionally, the American athletic apparel company unveiled a “Triple Black” edition of its ABZORB 1000 sneaker. Meanwhile, James Harden showcased the adidas Harden Vol. 10 during his trip to China, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander announced the launch date for his first signature shoe, the Converse SHAI 001.

With the latest news from the world of footwear fresh in your mind, let’s explore this week’s top releases. Kick things off with the new colorway of New Balance’s 204L model, which follows closely behind its initial release. Don’t forget to visit HBX to snag the styles that are currently on sale!

New Balance 204L “Timberwolf”

Launch Date: August 13
Launch Cost: $110 USD
Where to Purchase: New Balance
Why You Should Consider Buying: Last year, New Balance’s 1906L “sneaker loafer” was a success, and the new 204L model is shaping up to follow suit. First introduced by Kith last month, it subsequently debuted in-line in a “Mushroom” brown. This week, a second “Timberwolf” pair is set to release. Similar to its predecessor, this low-profile sneaker features suede on the upper, with a light gray hue throughout the entire shoe.

Salehe Bembury x Crocs Pollex Cypress “Tetra”

Launch Date: 14th August
Purchase Price: $130 USD
Where to Find: BeASpunge store
Reason to Buy: Salehe Bembury is a dynamic figure in the world of footwear, consistently expanding his collaborations and delivering quality work for established partners. For Crocs, he’s returning with the second version of the Pollex Cypress boot, which was initially released in 2024. This “Tetra” edition features a brown sculpted sole, a rubber top in “Espresso” color, and an upper layer made of blue canvas.

Skepta x PUMA Skope Forever “Triple Black”

As a die-hard fan, I’m excited to share that on August 14th, Skepta’s collaboration with PUMA will hit the shelves for $160 USD! This limited edition “Triple Black” Skope Forever sneaker was unveiled at the Big Smoke Festival and is now available worldwide. The shoe features an all-black design, except for the green PUMA wordmark on the lateral midfoot’s stitched tag and the chrome co-branding at the tongue. Don’t miss out on copping this must-have sneaker!

The Whitaker Group x New Balance MADE in USA 990v4 & 998 “Willful Bias”

Launch Date: August 14
Launch Price: $220 USD
Where to Purchase: New Balance’s collection with The Whitaker Group is available again.
Why You Might Want to Buy: If you missed out on the previous launch, here’s another opportunity. New Balance has collaborated once more with The Whitaker Group, offering a second chance at their latest project. This time, New Balance’s MADE in USA division has contributed the 990v4 and 998 sneakers to the collaboration, which has been themed as “Willful Bias”. Both pairs showcase a premium mix of materials, with “Jade Green” serving as a prominent accent color.

SATISFY TheROCKER

Launch Date: August 14
Retail Price: $290 USD
Where Can You Purchase: SATISFY
Reasons to Buy: Parisian running brand SATISFY is launching its first in-house sneaker this week. Previews of the shoe have been released since last November, along with details about its key technical features. The shoe features a Vibram TuneLug outsole and bouncy Euforia Super Foam, while Rippy 66 Monomesh reinforces the lightweight upper. The debut collection comes in three colorways: “Falcon,” “Shadow,” and “Antique White.” Each colorway provides a clean, versatile look suitable for running across various terrains.

Nike Air Foamposite One “Cough Drop”

Launch Date: August 15
Launch Price: $230 USD
Where to Purchase: SNKRS
Why You Might Want to Buy: This week, Nike is taking a trip down memory lane with the reintroduction of the Air Foamposite One in its “Cough Drop” design from 2007. The revamped shoe boasts a predominantly black colorway with vibrant red accents appearing on the Swoosh at the forefoot, pull tabs, heel branding, and the rubber sole.

Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Better With Time”

Launch Date: August 16th
Launch Price: $165 USD
Where to Purchase: SNKRS
Why You Should Consider Buying: Nigel Sylvester has emerged as one of Jordan Brand’s most intriguing collaborators, with his Bike Air series capturing the spotlight. After releasing a shoe-of-the-year contender, the Air Jordan 4 “Brick By Brick,” in March, Sylvester is back with another project, this time focusing on the original low-top version of the Air Jordan 1. The “Better With Time” colorway showcases an aged look, with a black leather base and yellowed Swooshes that match the midsole, laces, and tongue. Additional accents include red detailing on the “Bike Air” tongue branding and the pre-dirtied outsole.

Air Jordan 12 “French Blue”

Launch Date: August 16
Purchase Price: $205 USD
Where it’s Available: SNKRS
Why You Might Want to Buy: This week, Nike is re-releasing a classic from the past – the Air Jordan 12 “French Blue”. The colorway was last seen in stores back in 2016 and now it’s making a comeback. Just like its earlier versions, the shoe features a textured blue mudguard on the side that matches the sole, while the upper is white with silver accents, replicating the original color scheme from years ago.

Oasis x adidas Achille SPZL “Liam Gallagher” & Marathon SPZL “Noel Gallagher”

Launch Date: August 16
Initial Cost: To Be Determined
Where to Purchase: adidas
Why You Might Want to Buy: Oasis enthusiasts have been thrilled by the band’s recent revival, with their reunion tour and a variety of collaborations keeping fans entertained. One collaboration partner of the group is adidas, who are releasing two special designs this week – an Achille SPZL dedicated to Liam Gallagher and a Marathon SPZL honoring Noel Gallagher. Both shoes display their portraits on the co-branded tongue tags and come in color schemes of brown and blue respectively.

Awake NY x Air Jordan 5

Launch Date: August 17
Launch Price: $210 USD
Where to Purchase: Awake NY
Why You Might Want to Buy: After months of anticipation, the Air Jordan 5 by Awake NY is finally going on sale. We’ve been following this project since last year and have provided updates as new details were unveiled about these unique sneakers. The two colorways available are “Arctic Pink” and “Racer Blue”. Key features include the letter ‘A’ on the midfoot, Nike Air branding on the heel, a ‘NY’ callout at the right shoe’s lateral heel, co-branding on the tongue, and an icy outsole.

2025-08-12 20:26