If you’re here, then odds are you already felt the pull of the sneaker industry taking hold of you. Whether you wanna make money online or start a sneaker collection, the sneaker industry is where you should go. After all, the sneaker culture is home to some of the richest and most versatile communities! Oh, and let’s not forget that it’s a pretty old community with many generations of sneakerheads.
The establishment of the sneaker culture came long before online releases were even a thing. It actually started between the 70’s and 80’s – around the time hip-hop made a bang in the world. And around the same time basketball was thriving with a guy called Michael Jordan stealing hearts… and signing the most expensive shoe deal to date!
Anyway, we can’t actually pinpoint one specific event that led to the creation of the sneaker culture. But, the increase in common interest in basketball, hip-hop, and sneakers themselves all contributed to its growth. Everyone wanted to wear sneakers like their favorite artists and NBA stars! Everyone wanted to take part in this journey.
The Big Ballers: Nike vs. Adidas
From the very beginning of the sneaker culture, there were TWO. Two brands caught the attention of sneakerheads all across the world. The historic rivals Adidas and Nike managed to satisfy the deepest needs of sneaker fans. That’s what made those two names the real giants of the industry.
Around the mid-80s, another name joined the game, and it was none other than Nike’s Jordan Brand. Nike managed to bring special attention to basketball, after building a whole brand around Michael Jordan. And on that glorious day, everyone knew that the sneaker culture would become unstoppable. We got the Air movie to prove it too!
So, the sneaker community brought together people with the same interest – sneakers, of course! And not just any sneakers. These sneakerheads have developed a taste for originals, classics, and exclusive kicks. But, unlike many communities that fade away fast, the sneaker industry seems to be only growing bigger. And so, the sneaker industry and sneaker resale market grew at supersonic speed!
Sneaker Culture: THE PROS
#1 The Sneaker Industry Is the Family You Choose!
We’re all in this together. Thousands (if not millions) of sneakerheads all over the world come together on every sneaker release! Nothing could be more endearing. We’re technically like one big family! We flex the wins, share the painful Ls, and share some sneaker knowledge. You see, when you’re part of the sneaker culture, you’re never alone. You’ll always have people backing you up. Whether with the latest release info, early links, or their non-expired carts; you’ll always find support here. And well, you can always join a cookgroup, that’s where you’ll definitely find your niche.
#2 You’ll Enjoy Your kicks
It’s pointless to point out that this is one of your biggest advantages. You’ll enjoy the comfort and the extreme high you get from flexing super-limited and hyped kicks. Plus, modern sneakers offer the best cushioning technologies. So, really, you’d be doing your feet a favor! But anyway, if for some odd reason you don’t like them, or they don’t fit, you can flip them. And that, ladies and gents, brings us to the next reason for you to become part of the sneaker culture.
#3 You’ll be RICH Rich
Another advantage that the sneaker culture offers you is MO-NEY. When you buy sneakers that are very limited and desired, you can resell them! For a LOT more than the retail price you paid! Of course, this is granted that you choose the best sneaker bot out there! It all comes hand-in-hand. You see, some sneaker releases are worth a fortune. This makes copping sneakers a lot more competitive than you’d think.
That’s why people take it upon themselves to increase their copping power by following certain rules. Because you can’t become a reseller if you don’t do that. If you wanna learn more about shoe bots, just click on the button below.
Now, back to cash talk. Sneaker collaborations, limited releases, and reinvented classics can make a sneakerhead thousands of dollars as net profit. Even the most popular sneakers can make some impressive profit if you buy them in bulk! Of course, this will not come cheap. So, you can be sure you’ll need to spend a few hundred dollars to get to where you want. Being a part of the sneaker community is an investment.
#4 Be One of the Cool Kids
You can’t shoot hoops like MJ and you can’t sing like Kanye West? No biggie, because you CAN flex their kicks. Admit it, we all want to be like someone we admire! Whether it’s a rapper, a basketball player, or the main character of your favorite show! And, with limited resources and skills, the closest way to be like them is to wear what they wear. And, the sneaker culture helps you with that!
That’s why big sneaker names like Adidas and Nike rely on collaborations to market their products. And, that strategy has proven its efficiency in many ways in the last couple of years. The sneaker community thrives on collaborations! And… a Travis Scott AJ1 is pretty cool, so there’s that.
#5 Latest Gossip and Fashion Trends
Believe it or not, sneakers are now a big part of the whole fashion industry. Big names in the world of fashion like Prada, Comme des Garcons, Louis Vuitton, and Versace are now putting sneakers on runways all over the world. And, that’s not even a weird thing anymore. This is because the effort put into creating sneakers cannot be taken lightly. You see, the sneaker culture changed the way people view fashion trends.
You’ll also get the scoop on all the latest gossip about celebrities, their partners, and even kids. Every sneakerhead in this sneaker community follows Travis Scott for a peek at what he’ll wear next. Or, that time when everyone kept tabs on the Kimye divorce to know what would happen to Yeezys. So, as long as brands keep marketing their releases through celebrities, we’ll know what they had for dinner last night.
#6 Sneaker Technology
Never in a million years, did we think we would know what BOOST, adiPrene, or even ZOOM meant. Air was just an element for us before we became sneakerheads. Now, thanks to the sneaker culture, we’re all loaded with knowledge on all the latest sneaker technology. This gives you a great chance to become a tech nerd in places that matter!
Also, if you’ve been a part of the sneaker culture, you’ve probably heard the words: bot, proxies, and servers. And knowing how each of them works together might seem a little difficult at first. But, once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that it’s SO easy! With time, you’ll know exactly which bots are the most powerful on the market, and how they actually do it. You’ll also get the hang of proxies, servers, and all the details regarding how sneaker copping works.
#7 Time Management & Organization Skills
If only our moms knew how well-organized our sneaker release calendars are! It’s all thanks to the sneaker culture. A real sneakerhead will have it all planned and figured out during high seasons. He will eat, sleep, and even blink in a timely manner. And that’s no joke! Copping sneakers is a very serious and delicate process. Every second counts, and costs money.
So, incredible time management skills kick in to help us keep track of every single hyped release that’s happening. Now, wait until they see how orderly and clean our sneakers are! Guess you can add “works well under stress” to your resumé! Speaking of, we’ve got a guide on keeping your Jordans and Yeezys clean! Just click here for Js and here for Ys!
#8 You’ll Have a Very Active Memory
Where was this super-hyper memory with the ultra-expandable capacity back in high school when we needed it? Well, the sneaker culture helps jog your memory, for sure. Things can get a little overwhelming for a novice sneakerhead. But, with time, every pledge in the sneaker community will develop superpowers they never dreamed of having.
Release dates, silhouettes, colorways, designer names, and every other related element will be stored in that head of yours. And, no matter how many releases drop, you’ll have it all kept in your sneakerhead memory. Wanna know the backstory of a certain colorway? Leave it to a sneakerhead to know that!
#9 Speak the Lingo
Ls, OGs, Retros, DS, on ice, colorways… and so much more! These all sound like extra-terrestrial words for ordinary people. But, this is the language of the sneaker culture. They’re basically the equivalent of the alphabet. The sneaker culture has its own terminology, and you can’t be a part of this cult unless you know it all. And if you don’t, that’s no problem, because it’ll rub off on you with time!
#10 Learning Some Geography
Well, anyone can relate to this issue here. Do you remember how ignorant and stupid you felt in geography classes? No? Just us? Oh well, thanks to the sneaker culture, you’ll know exactly where every country is. Not only that, we can mentally calculate international time zones and can recite the major cities of each country. This definitely helps when we’re trying to pinpoint the best place to get our proxies from. And it does come in handy when a regional sneaker drop takes place.
Face it. Being a sneakerhead means knowing EVERYTHING.
THE CONS of Joining The Community
Let’s be real. Just like with any society, there are downfalls to being a part of the sneaker culture. I mean… have you seen Reddit?! Side effects may include, but are not restricted to:
- Stress & Anxiety
- Green with envy
- Sneaker violence
- Painful Ls &
- Bankruptcy
- Banned Proxies
- OOS Syndrome
- Paying Resale
- Not Being F&F
- Event-exclusive Releases
- Regional Releases
- Black Friday Panic Attacks
You can go through so many ups and downs when you join the sneaker culture. But, you should know that once you’re in, you’re probably not getting out. You also wouldn’t want to get out, to be honest with you! You’ll always have a thing for sneakers. And, you will always stare at strangers’ feet everywhere you go. It’ll become an obsession that we think is very healthy-ish. But, we ain’t healthcare providers, so what do we know? We like making money and flexing our kicks!
Finally, the sneaker culture has its own codes and rules and to make it, you need to abide by them. And always remember, the motto of the whole sneaker culture is: Survival of the quickest.