THE SOLE SCORE

I’ve always been a data driven person so I wanted to quantify all the shoes I’ve reviewed so I came up with the following scoring system based on five dimensions I consider important in a shoe. I wanted each metric to be as objective as possible, however, at the end of the day there’s no escaping the subjective nature of buying sneakers.

EXPLANING THE METRICS

Each metric is on a scale of 1 to 10, and the total score is simply the sum of each metric.

NOTE: The Sole Score looks at each metric in isolation and doesn’t take into account the intangible nature of sneakers. The final score doesn’t always represent how much I like a shoe in relation to each other.

COLORWAY:
The colors and color blocking. This is the most subjective of the metrics and dependent on my personal preference.

MATERIALS:
Quality of materials including tech specs. This doesn’t include my preference of materials (e.g.. I always prefer leather but this won’t be considered when another material is used).

COMFORT:
Self explanatory but I have wide and flat feet so not as objective as I’d like this metric to be.

VERSATILITY:
How versatile is the colorway and silhouette? Can I wear it for a variety of occasions?

STORYTELLING:
Does the shoe execute on the theme?

NOTE: I’ve removed ‘storytelling’ from general releases. General releases don't always need to tell a significant story so that’s only reserved for special releases and collaborations.

NOTE II: On November 6th I’ve changed the Sole Score from a scale of 1 to 5 to 1 to 10 and re-scored every shoe I’ve reviewed in the past. I was finding the 1 to 5 scale not wide enough to separate shoes that are close in certain metrics but still has a discrepancy, this resulted in many of the shoes ending up with the same score.

SPECIAL RELEASES

SHOE COLORWAY MATERIALS COMFORT VERSATILITY STORYTELLING TOTAL
Air Jordan 5 'El Grito' 8 9 10 8 8 43
Air Jordan 23
'Year of the Rabbit'
9 8 7 8 10 42
Jordan Spizike Low
'Year of the Dragon'
7 8 10 8 8 41
Air Max 1 Puerto Rico
'Blue Gale'
8 7 7 7 10 39
Nike Dunk Low 'Setsubun' 10 7 5 6 10 38
Air Max 1 '86
Jackie Robinson
10 5 7 8 7 37
Air Jordan 1 'Next Chapter' 10 4 5 10 8 37
Air Max 1 '86 Big Bubble
World Make 'Korea'
7 8 7 8 7 37
Air Jordan 2 'H' Wings 7 7 7 6 10 37
Nike SB Dunk Low
'Big Money Savings'
7 6 7 8 8 36
Air Jordan 1 Low 'Tokyo 96' 7 7 5 9 8 36
Air Ship 'Every Game Dune Red' 9 7 4 9 7 36
Nike Dunk Low 'Year of the Rabbit' 8 5 5 8 9 36
Air Max 1 'Head to Head'
(Michigan)
8 7 7 5 8 35
Air Jordan 1 Low OG 'Year of the Snake' 5 7 5 8 7 32
Nike SB Dunk Low
'City of Style'
6 7 7 6 6 32
New Balance 550 Lunar New Year
'Driftwood'
5 7 8 8 1 29
Nike Dunk Low 'Valentines' 7 4 4 7 6 28
Air Trainer 1 'Valentines' 7 4 6 6 6 28
Air Jordan 2 'Responsibility' 5 8 7 7 1 28

COLLABORATIONS

SHOE COLORWAY MATERIALS COMFORT VERSATILITY STORYTELLING TOTAL
A Ma Maniere Air Jordan 5
'Dawn'
10 8 10 9 10 47
Born X Raised Nike SB Dunk Low
'On The Turf'
10 9 7 10 10 46
Jarritos Nike SB Dunk Low 10 7 7 10 10 44
A Ma Maniere Air Jordan 5
'Dusk'
8 8 10 8 10 44
A Ma Maniere Air Jordan 3
While You Were Sleeping
9 8 7 8 10 42
Yuto Horigome Nike SB Dunk Low 10 7 7 10 8 42
SoleFly Air Jordan 8
'Mi Casa Es Su Casa'
9 8 8 7 10 42
April Skateboards
Nike SB Dunk Low
10 8 7 7 10 42
Clot x fragment design
Nike Dunk Low
10 8 5 9 10 42
Concepts New Balance 998
'C-Note'
7 10 9 8 7 41
Concepts Asics Gel Lyte V
'Libertea'
7 9 9 7 9 41
Kith x New Balance 1700
Toronto 'Marshmallow'
8 10 10 8 5 41
Air Jordan 12 A Ma Maniere
'White Burgundy'
8 9 7 8 9 41
Air Jordan 12 A Ma Maniere
'Black Burgundy'
8 9 7 7 9 40
Tekken Nike Air Foamposite One
'Jin Kazama'
9 9 7 6 8 40
A Ma Maniere Converse Weapon Low
'While You Were Sleeping'
7 8 7 8 10 40
Joe Freshgoods New Balance 990v6 'Prom Blue' 9 8 10 6 7 40
Jordan Air Ship Awake NY 7 8 7 8 10 40
Adidas Clarks 8th Street Samba
'Kithmas Chalk White Black'
7 10 7 9 7 40
A Ma Maniere Air Jordan 4
'While You Were Sleeping'
8 9 5 7 10 39
Puma Suede Playstation 8 8 5 8 10 39
Air Jordan 13 SoleFly 7 8 10 6 8 39
Doublet Asics Gel Kayano 20
'Cardboard'
6 9 9 4 10 38
Union LA x Bephies Beauty Supply
Air Jordan 1 'Summer '96
9 7 5 6 10 37
Clot Cork Nike Dunk Low 8 7 5 7 10 37
SoleFly Air Jordan 12 'Cafecito' 7 8 7 7 8 37
Nike Air Foamposite
One Dream A World 'Sepia Stone'
7 9 7 6 7 36
Nike Dunk Low 'What The Ducks of a Feather Away' 8 6 5 7 8 35
Aime Leon Dore New Balance 997
'Dark Moss Angora'
7 8 7 7 6 35
Wu-Tang Clan Nike Dunk High 10 8 5 9 3 35
Air Jordan 1 Low OG
'Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Sail & Off-Noir'
8 7 5 7 8 35
A Ma Maniere Jordan Air Ship
'Black White'
9 6 4 9 7 35
Clot Adidas Gazelle
'Blue Bird (Linen Khaki)'
7 9 7 6 5 34
Rayssa Leal Nike SB Dunk Low 6 7 7 7 7 34
Nike Clot Cortez 'Clotez' 8 6 5 5 10 34
Social Status Nike Mac Attack
'Silver Linings'
6 6 4 7 10 33
Stash Air Force 1 6 8 7 6 5 32
Union LA Nike Field General 'Shimmer' 6 6 6 6 8 32
Air Max 1 '86 Kids of Immigrants
'Light Armory Blue'
9 5 7 9 2 32

GENERAL RELEASES

NOTE: I’ve removed ‘storytelling’ from general releases. General releases don't always need to tell a significant story so that’s only reserved for special releases and collaborations.

SHOE COLORWAY MATERIALS COMFORT VERSATILITY TOTAL
Air Jordan 3
'White Cement Reimagined'
10 9 8 10 37
Air Jordan 11
'Gratitude'
9 10 9 8 36
Air Jordan 4
'Bred Reimagined'
10 9 7 10 36
Air Jordan 3
'Off Noir'
9 9 8 9 35
Air Jordan 5 'UNC' 10 8 10 7 35
Air Jordan 3 'Black Cement' 10 7 8 9 34
Air Jordan 13 'Playoff' 10 8 9 7 34
New Balance 997R
'Navy Arctic Gray'
7 9 10 7 34
Air Jordan 1 Satin 'Bred' 10 8 6 10 34
Air Jordan 4 'Military / Industrial Blue' 10 7 6 10 33
Air Jordan 14 'Flint Grey 9 8 9 7 33
Air Jordan 5 'Burgundy' 9 8 10 6 33
Air Jordan 5
'Black White (Reverse Metallic)'
7 7 10 9 33
Air Jordan 3 'Midnight Navy' 7 8 8 10 33
Air Jordan 5 'Craft Orewood Brown' 8 6 10 8 33
Air Jordan 11 Low 'Space Jam' 10 7 8 8 33
Air Jordan 1 'First In Flight' 9 8 6 9 32
Travis Scott Air jrodan 1 Low OG
'Medium (Reverse) Olive'
9 9 5 9 32
Air Jordan 11 'Neapolitan' 7 7 9 9 32
Air Jordan 2 'Chicago' 10 7 7 8 32
Air Jordan 2 'Black Cement' 9 8 8 7 32
Travis Scott Jumpman Jack TR
'Dark Mocha'
9 8 7 8 32
Air Jordan 1 'Dusted Clay' 9 9 6 8 32
Air Jordan 11 'Legend Blue (Columbia)' 9 6 7 10 32
Air Jordan 3 'Lucky Green' 7 7 8 9 32
Air Jordan 2 'Cool Grey' 9 8 8 7 32
Air Max 1 Ugly Duckling 'Pecan' 8 10 7 7 32
Air Jordan 5 'Mars For Her' 8 8 10 6 32
Air Jordan 3 'Wizards PE' 7 7 8 9 32
Foamposite 'Penny PE' 9 9 7 6 32
Air Jordan 3 'Cement Grey' 7 8 8 9 32
Air Jordan 1 Low OG 'Black Toe' 10 7 5 10 32
Air Jordan 1 'UNC Toe' 10 7 5 10 32
Air Jordan 5 'Aqua' 8 7 10 7 32
Air Jordan 13 'Dune Red' 8 7 9 7 31
Air Jordan 6 GORE-TEX
'Brown Kelp'
6 10 8 7 31
Air Jordan 5 SE 'Sail' 8 5 10 8 31
Air Jordan 3 Craft 'Ivory' 6 8 8 9 31
Air Jordan 8 Winterized 'Gunsmoke' 8 8 8 7 31
Air Jordan 13 'Black Flint' 7 8 9 7 31
Air Jordan 5 'Lucky Green' 6 7 10 8 31
Air Jordan 1 'Washed Black' 10 6 5 10 31
Air Max 1 '86 Big Bubble
'Obsidian'
9 5 8 9 31
Air Max 1 '86 Big Bubble 9 5 8 9 31
Air Jordan 1 Low '85
'Metallic Blue'
8 7 6 10 31
Air Jordan 2 Low 'UNC to CHI' 7 7 8 9 31
Air Jordan 14 'Black White' 8 7 9 7 31
Air Jordan 13 'Wolf Grey' 7 8 9 7 31
Air Jordan 7 'Chambray' 8 7 8 8 31
Air Max 1 'Shima Shima' 8 7 7 9 31
Air Max 1 'Urawa' 8 7 7 9 31
LeBron 4 'Graffiti' 10 9 8 4 31
Air Jordan 1 '85 'Metallic Burgundy' 8 7 6 10 31
Bape Shark Sta 'USA' 6 9 9 6 30
Air Jordan 1 Low OG 'Howard University' 9 8 5 8 30
Air Jordan 1 Satin 'Shadow' 9 7 5 9 30
Air Jordan 14 'Black Toe' 9 6 8 7 30
Nike Air Foamposite One
'Metallic Copper'
8 9 7 6 30
Air Jordan 9 'Powder Blue' 9 7 7 7 30
Air Jordan 6 'Olympics' 9 7 7 7 30
Air Jordan 1 Low OG 'Shadow' 9 7 5 9 30
Air Jordan 1 Low OG 'Mocha' 8 7 5 10 30
Air Jordan 3 'Fear' 7 7 8 8 30
Nike Air Foamposite One 'Royal' 8 9 7 6 30
Foamposite One 'Light Orewood Brown' 8 9 7 6 30
Air Max 1 '86 Big Bubble
'Royal'
8 5 8 9 30
Air Jordan 4 RM 'Black Light Bone' 8 6 8 8 30
Air Jordan 4 SE 'Paris Olympics' 9 6 6 9 30
Air Flight Huarache
Varsity Purple Royal Blue
9 6 9 6 30
Nike Air Foamposite One
'Anthracite'
7 9 7 7 30
Air Jordan 13 'Wheat' 6 8 9 7 30
Air Jordan 4 'Red Cement' 8 8 4 10 30
Air Max 1 'Mica Green' 8 6 7 9 30
Air Jordan 13 'Blue Grey' 7 7 9 7 30
Air Max 1 Crepe 'Soft Grey' 8 7 7 8 30
Air Jordan 6 'Toro Bravo' 8 7 7 5 30
Air Jordan 12 'Cherry' 8 7 7 8 30
Air Jordan 11 Low 'Diffused Blue' 6 7 8 8 29
Air Jordan 4 'Fear' 7 8 5 9 29
Air Jordan 1 'Midnight Navy' 8 6 5 10 29
Air Jordan 12 'Barons' 8 7 7 7 29
Air Jordan 5 'Golden Ticket' 6 7 9 6 29
Air Jordan 6 'Reverse Oreo' 7 7 7 8 29
Air Jordan 11 Low 'Legend Pink' 6 7 8 8 29
Air Jordan 4 'Oxidized Green' 7 7 6 9 29
Nike Air Foamposite One
'Eggplant'
8 9 7 5 29
Air Jordan 3 'Georgia Peach' 6 7 8 8 29
Nike Air Foamposite One
'Metallic Red'
8 9 7 5 29
Air Jordan 8 'Playoffs' 9 7 7 6 29
Kith New Balance 1300 'Malibu' 6 8 9 6 29
Foamposite 'Dream A World Tech Grey' 7 9 7 6 29
Air Jordan 2 'Craft' 6 7 8 8 29
Air Jordan 4 'White Thunder' 8 5 5 10 28
Air Jordan 1 Low '85 Metallic Black 7 7 5 10 29
Air Jordan 11 'Bred Velvet' 8 5 7 8 28
Nike SB Dunk Low
'Trocadero Gardens'
7 7 6 8 28
Air Jordan 6 'Pearl (Paris)' 7 8 7 6 28
Air Jordan 4 Craft 'Olive' 9 7 4 8 28
Air Jordan 9 'Olive' 7 7 8 6 28
Air Jordan 1 'Latte' 7 7 5 9 28
Air Jordan 3 'Black Cat' 7 6 7 8 28
Nike LeBron 4 'Eggplant' 7 9 8 4 28
Air Jordan 1 'Washed Pink' 8 7 5 8 28
Air Jordan 7 'White Infrared' 7 6 8 7 28
Air Jordan 1 'Craft'
Vibrations of Naija
8 7 5 8 28
Air Jordan 4 'Frozen Moments' 9 7 4 8 28
Air Jordan 6 'Yellow Ochre' 7 7 7 7 28
Air Jordan 3
'Orewood Brown Palomino'
5 7 8 8 28
Travis Scott Zoom Field Jaxx
'Light Chocolate'
7 7 8 6 28
Air Zoom Generation 'Court Purple' 7 9 8 4 28
Air Jordan 14 'Laney' 7 8 9 4 28
Air Jordan 4 'Orchid' 6 8 7 6 27
Air Jordan 1 Low OG
'UNC to CHI'
8 7 5 7 27
Air Jordan 12 'Taxi Flip' 6 7 7 7 27
Air Jordan 1 Yellow Ochre 7 7 5 8 27
Nike Air More Uptempo 'Olympic' 8 5 7 6 26
Air Jordan 4 'Net' 8 9 5 4 26
Air Jordan 1 'Team Red' 6 6 5 9 26
Air Jordan 1 Craft 'Ivory' 7 7 4 8 26
Air Jordan 1 'Skyline' 8 5 5 8 26
Air Jordan 2 Low
'Black Metallic Gold'
5 6 8 7 26
Nike Air Flight Huarache
'Kobe PE'
6 7 8 5 26
Air Jordan 2 Low 'Seersucker' 6 7 8 5 26
Air Jordan 4 'Thunder' 8 6 4 7 25
Air Jordan 4 'Vivid Sulfur' 7 6 4 8 25
Nike Dunk Low 'Red Panda' 7 6 5 7 25
Air Jordan 1 'Reverse Laney' 7 8 5 5 25
Air Jordan 1 'Green Glow' 6 7 5 6 24
Air Jordan 1 'Chrome' 6 7 5 5 23
Air Max 1 Corduroy 'Baltic Blue' 6 6 7 4 23
Air Jordan 1 'Praline' 5 6 5 6 22
Air Jordan 1 Low 'Lucky Green' 6 4 5 7 22
Air Jordan 1 Low OG
'Black Cement Elephant Print'
4 6 5 7 22