Thoughts On Wheat Sneakers

Ah, the good old wheat sneaker/boot colorway. Used on everything from classic staple kicks like a 6-inch Timberland boot to the more recent (2004 to be exact Jordan XIII colorway, it’s always been an underrated yet tastefully utilized color scheme.

However, it seems to have experienced somewhat of a recent resurgence with the recent releases of the Wheat Foamposite Ones and Air Force I Mids. Pictures below for those who aren’t quite as up on game.

Pretty buttery right? I’ve been lucky enough to see both pairs in person, and there’s a bit of an odd “reverse effect” (if you will) between the two.

What do I mean, you might ask? The Foamposite Pros look way better in pictures, while the Air Force I’s look much better in person than they did in pictures. The Foamposite silhouette just doesn’t work all that well with the wheat colorway. They look like an odd hybrid boot/sneaker to me. Some may be into them, but I’m not feeling it.

The Air Force I’s, on the other hand…..great in person. The Air Force silhouette has always looked slightly like a boot with its wide toebox and chunky midsole. The wheat color is also executed very well, with a very rich looking nubuck-type material adorning the upper and contrasting very well with the gum-colored sole. If you’re thinking about copping a pair, I’d highly suggest shooting for the Forces.

Will this all-wheat wave continue onwards? I for one don’t think so. Although it seems to be a cool, quick fall trend for Nike to cash in on, I don’t think it’s as easy of a color to slap on any shoe model as something like all-red (thanks Kanye) is.

Therefore, if you’re planning on trying to cop either pair (both have already released so prepare yourself to pay resell prices) sooner might be a better time than later. My guess is the prices will only increase because I don’t think Nike will continue to churn out a whole bunch of all-wheat sneakers.

Maybe I’m wrong though. And hey, that’s one of the fun parts of the sneaker game! You never really know what’s going to be coming next.

-RDwyer