Breaking Down New Air Jordan Spiz'ike '3M' Shoes
First introduced to the public all the way back in October, the Jordan brand will finally satiate "sneakerheads" everywhere and release the new Spiz'ike "3M" shoes on March 2.
Debuted back in 2006 as a dual project from Michael Jordan and Spike Lee, the Spiz'ikes were meant to honor the director's relationship with the brand, which dates back all the way to a little guy named Mars Blackmon.
Combining different faces of six different previous releases, they have become one of the most beloved releases in Jordan brand history. Each and every release is met with massive fanfare and a pretty huge financial windfall for the worldwide shoe conglomerate.
Earlier this month, Jordan introduced the Spiz'ike "BHM" to honor Black History Month. The release was once again a rousing success, both critically and likely financially, so a ton of pressure rests on the 3Ms to live up to the hype.
How do these kicks grade out? Here is a complete breakdown of the new Jordan Spiz'ike 3M shoes.
Wow Factor: 9/10
No matter which side of the coin you fall upon, the Spiz'ike 3M sneakers will conjure up an opinion. That has been the case since the line was initially introduced, and the 3Ms may wind up being the most polarizing yet.
While each Spiz'ike has been an amalgam of colors meshed together, this colorway certainly pushes boundaries. Black, white, gray, a bright red and the classic tour yellow all adorn different facets of the look, which are five colors not ordinarily seen together.
It's a pair of kicks that also blends different materials. Nubuck, elephant print and leather all play a prevalent role, oftentimes coinciding with one of the many color changes.
For "sneakerheads" everywhere, it's the very definition of a thinking man's shoe. The casual collectors will instantly go to one polarizing side, either good or bad. Nearly all hardcore collectors will look at the shoe for a second, then ponder for the next 10 minutes whether or not they actually like the look.
We'll answer that question in the next section, but having a "wow" factor is all about being eye-catching and creating a conversation. The Spiz'ike 3Ms will do that in spades for just about any audience.
Design: 8/10
The Spiz'ike line always teeters on a very fine line between an utterly brilliant and deeply flawed design in terms of colorway. This time, the designers were far closer to the former than the latter.
In fact, the 3M colorway is very nearly flawless. Black nubuck and a gray upper (no matter the material) are always a winning combination, and the yellow accentuation on the upper ,toe box and insole is brilliant.
The problem is that the designers did not stop there. They added ever-slight challenging red colors around the laces and on the tongue, both of which feel noticeably out of place.
It's not that the red was necessarily a bad choice in and of itself. But when placed alongside the yellow, the two colors contrast far too much on the darker, more standard base. The designers would have been better off choosing either red or yellow, as both would have worked as the predominant accentuating color.
They unfortunately chose both. It's not enough to make the Spiz'ikes ugly or anything, but forgoing one of the two colors would have been a more aesthetically pleasing decision.
As for the materials used, the Jordan brand spared no expense. Cost is always an issue with new releases—even ballers have budgets—but these start at $175 for a reason. The combination of nubuck, elephant print and leather combines three of the most regularly favored materials for the brand, and they went all out here to use the three.
If it weren't for that little bit of added red, the designers would have hit the 3Ms out of the park. Instead, they just made a darned good pair of Jordans.
Overall: 8.5/10
Every Spiz'ike release comes with a cabal of fanfare, so any good collector worth his or her weight in words will be in line at a Jordan retailer on Saturday. The 3Ms will go flying off the shelves, and if you think $175 is too much, just wait until you see the retail on eBay after the initial shipment gets sold out.
For non-collectors, purchasing the 3Ms will be an interesting decision. As a basketball shoe, the Spiz'ikes are almost always winners. They're a little heavy on the floor for my personal taste, but provide excellent support for the ankles and it's not like they're steel-toe boots.
Casual wear might be where the 3Ms have their most trouble finding a rabid following. The colorway would match well with darker shades, but wearing anything other than gray/silver or black with these is just asking for ridicule.
If you have the money and are looking for something similar, though, it's hard to go against any pair of Spiz'ikes. They're comfortable, eye-catching and the 3Ms—save for one flaw—are a well-designed pair of kicks.
