Affordable Alternatives to Grail Sneakers

It’s happened to us all: pining over that pair of exclusive sneakers for weeks or longer only for them to instantly sell out on release day. While you may be tempted to hit up a shady reseller on Facebook marketplace or place some exorbitant bid on StockX, there are other ways to heal the pain of that L. We have a list of sneaker suggestions that are by no means “the poor’s man’s” version of the grail sneakers, but rather shoes deserving of a place in your rotation based on their individual merits. In many cases, some of these alternatives are arguably superior to the hyped kicks they remind you of. Here are some of SoleSavy’s favourite affordable alternatives to grail sneakers.

Eminem x Carhartt Air Jordan 4 vs Air Jordan 4 ‘Black Canvas’

The Eminem x Carhartt Air Jordan 4 is one of the rarest and most vaunted sneakers in history with resale prices starting in the tens of thousands. The silhouette features a black base with metallic silver “wings” and Eminem’s reverse ‘E’ logo on the heel. Fortunately, Jordan Brand gave us a recent alternative with the Air Jordan 4 “Black and Light Steel” which features a black similar canvas base and suede toe cap. The colorway uses a grey colorway on the wings instead of the metallic options chosen by the Eminem collab and a more opaque grey outsole over the Carhartt 4’s semi-translucent outsole.

 

Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low “Fragment” vs Air Jordan 1 Low ‘UNC’

Travis Scott’s triple collaboration with Jordan Brand and Hiroshi Fujiwara’s Fragment on the Air Jordan 1 Low is another majorly beloved shoe with its “Black Toe” blocking and large reversed Swoosh. Jordan Brand filled the gap with the recently release Air Jordan 1 Low ‘UNC’ that offers similar colorblocking albeit with a lighter shade of blue to represent Michael Jordan’s alma mater. 

 

Air Jordan 1 “Union High” vs Air Jordan 1 High Light Smoke Grey

Chris and Bephie Gibb’s Union brand has released some of the most heralded collaborations with Nike and Jordan Brand including the stitched Air Jordan 1 offerings. The Blue Toe option includes a red ankle collar with exposed stitching for a unique look while the Black Toe features a silver ankle collar and red accents. While those offerings have skyrocketed in price, the Air Jordan 1 Retro Light Smoke Grey offers a similar vibe with its grey upper and red ankle collar. 

 Aime Leon Dore x New Balance 550 “White/Green” vs New Balance 550 “White/Green”

Aime Leon Dore and New Balance have a blossoming relationship with a myriad of colorways and models under their collective belt. ALD’s simple yet refined colorways give a sense of luxury to every model they touch. The New Balance 550 features subtle ALD branding on the tongue of the sneaker and one of the heels. New Balance’s general release “White/Green” offering of the 550 includes the same colorblocking without the branding or pre-aged look of the Aime Leon Dore colorway and additional suede toe cap. 

Off-White x Air Max 90 “The Ten” x Nike Air Max 90 Terrascape “Sail Sea Glass”

The late Virgil Abloh changed sneakers with the Off-White x Nike “The Ten” collection with its deconstructed look. The white base and exposed stitching and icy blue translucent sole is a staple of the entire collection much of which has yet to be replicated. However, Nike does have worthy alternative with the Nike Air Max 90 Terrascape “Sail Sea Glass,” this colorway offers a similar white build with a grid look much like the Off-White version. The grayish transparent outsole, while not as icy as Virgil’s version, evokes a similar vibe.  

Air Jordan 1 Shinedown “Attention Attention” vs Air Jordan 1 “Taxi”

Back in 2018, Jordan Brand blessed Jacksonville, Florida rock band Shinedown with a yellow and black of the Air Jordan 1 right during the peak of hype of the “Shattered Backboard” colorblocking with the “Court Purple” and “Pine Green” colorways releasing that year along with the “Bred Toe.” For years fans have been clamoring for a yellow toe colorway similar to the colorway the band received in promotion of their album “Attention Attention” and we finally got our wishes in 2022 with the Air Jordan 1 “Taxi.” The colorways are identical in colorblocking with the only major differences being Shinedown branding on the lateral heels nad insoles.

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