A shoe can be hard to buy, I could remember the days of struggling to get the pair I wanted. In the culture we like to call this “Ballin’ on a Budget”, this is where you find timeless pieces on the affordable side and wear them out like they cost more. Don’t be shamed for wearing affordable pieces, it’s not necessary to wear pieces you can’t afford, just for the trend to die later leaving people broke. So, I created a Top 10 Best Sneakers Under $100 that people can purchase right now. This is a way you get affordable shoes without breaking the bank. Also, this list is pretty long to write so I’ll be separating the content into two parts, Part II will be a link below so you can jump right to the next one. Also, this list is not going off my favorites I like the shoes equally I just put them in this order. Finally I will be put links to shoes if your interested in purchasing them on items of the shoes a full url link of list in Part II. Without forward delay let’s jump into it.
I lied.
First want to get into some honorable mentions, these pairs aren’t necessary on the list but need to be here due to the impact they do have, and by technicality, this is my list. Nah, I felt like I would be cheating y’all if I throw them on the list, so they are mentioned...honorable.
Honorable Mentions
Crocs
Crocs were created in 2002, the shoes were originally created for people who sailed boats. The shoe is made from Croslite material. The pair picked up a head of steam during the pandemic, with people looking for an easy-going shoe-like design that you can slip on and off. Nowadays just see people causal walking in crocs. The price is not bad at all, you get one as low as $30. It's hard to describe what they are, is it a shoe, is it a slide, nah it’s just a Croc.
Air Force 1
The Nike Air Force 1 Low was released in 1982 and was designed by Bruce Kilgore. It is the first Nike Basketball sneaker with Air technology, and also comes in a Mid and High versions. The Air Force 1 Low is considered to be the most heralded sneaker of all-time, consistently being among the best sellers of the year. This list is for budget-friendly pairs that are under $100 and this shoe was for a long time. Nike recently increase the price of Air Force 1 by $10 pricing the pair at $110. This is the only reason why this isn’t exactly on my list, but understand it’s a popular Nike shoe is has become the best-selling of all time. So if able to come with up the 110 needed to pull the trigger I would say to do it. Now that the honorable mentions are done let’s get the list.
1. Chuck Taylor $75
Chuck has their roots embedded in basketball dating back to 1917 with a later redesign in 1922. Taylor became a salesman and at the time asked the company Converse for a shoe design that was more flexible and supportive. After Converse added Taylor's signature to the ankle patch they became known as Chuck Taylor All-Stars. This popular grown well past its years, not just a basketball shoe.
2. Vans Old Skool/SK8 $70
1977 debuts with the now famous Vans Sidestripe. The Old Skool is Vans' first skate shoe that incorporated leather panels for increased durability. Popular in the skating culture you can find multiple different colors in all sizes. You also have versions of the shoe that are mids and highs, the products are mainstream enough that the general could look at your feet and know what you are wearing.
3. Puma Suede $75
Another Shoe that has basketball's intentional origins, the Puma Suede create in 1971 and was signed an agreement with Walt “CLYDE” Frazier to wear the shoe. Opting for a low profile to play in and looking for a new colorway to play basketball with in every game, rumored to be over 390 different colors were used. The suede leather was the way to go then so it was easier to dye. It has grown outside of the hardwood and has become a classic that doesn’t break the bank.
4. New Balance 327 $79
History has a tendency to repeat itself, what’s considered to be old and outdated has done a complete 360, we look to the past as our inspiration to move forward. Look no further than New Balance 327, though only released in April 2020, it brings back design ques that reminisce of shoes of the New Balance brand. The model is inspired by runners from the 1970s – namely the New Balance 320 (1976), New Balance 355 (1977), and New Balance SuperComp (1977). Not a runners shoe itself but aesthetically reminds us of the past while being in the present.
5. Reebok Club C $75
The Club C was designed under the direction of Paul Brown and launched in 1985. The shoe was initially launched to fill a need. According to Reebok, [It was] “for the club player who needs a durable performance tennis shoe.” Like all vintage shoes, they have grown to something outside of the court that plans not to go anytime soon.
To be continue...
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