Air Jordan 1 "Bio Hack" Holds the Top Spot in This Week's Best Footwear Drops

Summer is slowly but surely giving way to fall, and September is set to serve a swath of scintillating footwear styles for the transition. The first week of the month holds everything from commemorative Air Jordan 1s to multiple adidas YEEZY releases and much more, but before we give you the dozen best drops from now to Friday, let’s take a look back at what went down during the tail end of August.

Of the utmost importance last week were reinvigorated calls for social justice after the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Stores and brands alike put their support behind the cause: adidas announced that it would pause all of its weekend releases, and gave money from the sales of Donovan Mitchell’s adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 “Spidey-Sense” to cover future education costs for Blake’s children. Nike, Inc and PUMA both made official statements condemning systemic racisim and police brutality as well, while retailers from KITH to Social Status and many more closed over the weekend to show solidarity.

Basketball and ‘boarding alike had moments in the spotlight. HYPEBEAST kicked off Mamba Week by listing Kobe Bryant’s five best moments in the Nike Kobe 5. After Palace team member Lucien Clarke revealed a signature Louis Vuitton skate shoe, we also posed a question asked by many: who is the Louis Vuitton skate shoe really for? And with heightened interest around Tabi-toed footwear thanks to the impending arrival of Nike ISPA’s Drifter, we rounded up nine Tabi options for sneaker lovers looking to get their split-toe style on. The final piece of the week’s exclusive content was an interview with Wish ATL founder Lauren Amos, centered around the opening of her remodeled store.

On the direct news front, Stüssy continued a successful year of footwear with the leak of an upcoming collaborative Nike Air Force 1. We were given an on-foot look at J Balvin’s colorful Air Jordan 1s and saw the Off-White™ x Air Jordan 4 in action thanks to a new skate video from Burberry.Erry. The year of the Nike Dunk kept rolling right along as well, with a detailed glance at two CO.JP classics — the “Ceramic” and “Veneer” — as well as a new “Lemon Wash” makeup. Last but not least, high fashion styles had a moment with a Maison Margiela sneaker inspired by crumbling 1989 Air Jordan 4s, and a mismatched set of Off-White™ shoes made up of one derby and one sneaker.

Now that you’re all caught up, let’s get into this week’s news. See a dozen of the finest drops hitting shelves between now and Saturday, September 5 below. As is par for the course, note that release dates could be pushed due to the COVID-19 coronavirus — and check out HYPEBEAST’s Trading Post for further info.

adidas YEEZY 700 V3 “Arzareth”

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Release Date: September 1
Release Price: $200 USD (Men’s)/$160 USD (Kids)/$130 USD (Infants)
Where to Buy: adidas, YEEZY Supply and END.
Why You Should Cop: Originally slated to release at the tail end of August, Kanye West and adidas’s YEEZY 700 V3 “Azareth” was pushed back along with other adi releases as part of a brand-wide call for social justice. Now, it’s set to kick off September in style, arriving in a chilly blue, gray, white and black colorway that’ll be available in full family sizes. We also may see a YEEZY QNTM restock later this week, but at the time of writing that has yet to be confirmed — so it’s all “Arzareth” on this side.

Nike ISPA Drifter “Iron Grey” and “Spruce Aura”

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Release Date: September 1
Release Price: $200 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Nike ISPA’s latest and greatest, the Drifter is a technical chukka-like style with a striking Tabi toe design. Perfect for the modern, on the go sneakerhead who’s in the market for a more conceptual look, the Drifter bolsters its boldness with recycled ZoomX foam to ensure sustainable comfort that matches the look.

adidas UltraBOOST “Core Black”

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Release Date: September 2
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: adidas
Why You Should Cop: A beloved BOOST bringback from a bygone era, the UltraBOOST “Core Black” is one of the most famous UBs of all time, set to return with a few modern upgrades. The line may have evolved, but this all-black build is a crisp, modern day classic that’ll surely find favor among adidas ‘heads with fall right around the corner.

Nike SB Dunk Low Pro “Chicago”

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Release Date: September 3
Release Price: $90 USD
Where to Buy: END.
Why You Should Cop: Saluting what’s arguably the greatest Air Jordan 1 colorway of all time, the Nike SB Dunk Low Pro “Chicago” is basketball-geared in palette, but undeniably skate-centric in style thanks to a low cut and a fat tongue. This seamless blend of hoops and skateboarding offers serious “J-Pack” vibes, and — even for an in-line release — an air of mystery, as you can look for a staggered regional rollout over the course of the month.

N7 MONCLER x fragment design x Converse Chuck 70 Ox

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Release Date: September 3
Release Price: $135 USD
Where to Buy: Converse and HBX
Why You Should Cop: Streetwear godfather Hiroshi Fujiwara just flat-out knows what works when it comes to footwear collaborations, and his latest effort is two iterations of a N7 MONCLER x fragment design x Converse Chuck 70 Ox. With tuxedo-like black/white and white/black makeups, just enough co-branded detailing and signature tooling codes on the midsole, both of these Converse are crisp, clean and classic — a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it style loaded with devilishly good details.

adidas YEEZY SLIDE “Core,” “Soot” and “Bone”

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Release Date: September 4
Release Price: $55 USD
Where to Buy: adidas, YEEZY Supply and Hanon
Why You Should Cop: You’re likely used to seeing a dozen sneakers on this list, but it’s titled the best footwear drops, which is why you’re currently looking at Kanye West’s newest adidas YEEZY Slides in “Core,” “Soot” and the restocking “Bone.” Thanks to its thick foam build and toothed outsole, the YEEZY Slide is big and comfy enough to rock at home but rugged enough to take outside, either with or without socks (we prefer the former).

Air Jordan 1 “Bio Hack”

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Release Date: September 4
Release Price: $170 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: Inspired by 2005’s cult favorite UNDEFEATED x Nike Dunk High NL, the Air Jordan 1 “Bio Hack” is a vivid modern day remake of a shoe that regularly sells for four figures. Artfully toeing the line of being overpowering in style by effortlessly interspersing bright colors with earthy hues, the “Bio Hack” is a thoughtfully done tribute, and one of the more interesting in-line AJ1 releases in recent memory.

IRAK x adidas ZX 8000 GTX Collection

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Release Date: September 4
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: adidas
Why You Should Cop: IRAK’s duo of adidas ZXs from 2007 and 2008 are widely regarded as some of adidas’s finest collaborative product of the ’00s, and now they’re both getting updated with new A-ZX styles. Bolstered with GORE-TEX, adorned with bright colors and set to see a global release after an IRAK-exclusive drop in past weeks, this potent two-pack blends European sportswear style with signature New York irreverence to bring a memorable look into a new decade.

Nike Dunk Low Disrupt

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Release Date: September 4
Release Price: $110 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Nike Sportswear’s Dunk Low Disrupt combines a platform stance with a slimmed-down shape, making for a modernized, conceptual take on a classic that doesn’t lose sight of the original model’s ethos. Arriving in four familiar color schemes, it’s a women’s release but will hit retailers in an extended size run so interested sneakerheads of the male persuasion will be able to secure a pair as well.

adidas UltraBOOST “College Pack”

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Release Date: September 4
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: adidas
Why You Should Cop: Our readers could be forgiven for thinking it was 2015-16 with all of the UltraBOOST love this week: first the “Core Black” and now an extensive “College Pack.” Drawing from ultra-rare UB PEs provided to adidas-sponsored institutions, these brightly-colored BOOSTs represent eight schools — Miami, Washington, Kansas, Texas A&M, Arizona State, Nebraska, Indiana and Louisville — and feature interchangeable tongue patches for a little extra flair.

Air Jordan 5 G “Black Grape”

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Release Date: September 4
Release Price: $220 USD
Where to Buy: Nike
Why You Should Cop: First sandals and now golf shoes? Yes, September is off to quite a wild start — but who wouldn’t want to hit the links in the Air Jordan 5 G “Black Grape?” A low-cut, spike-equipped remake of a popular high top Air Jordan 5 style from 2013, these Air Jordan 5s effortlessly bring street style to the often-stodgy golf course.

RHUDE x PUMA Cell King

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Release Date: September 5
Release Price: $150 USD
Where to Buy: PUMA
Why You Should Cop: RHUDE and PUMA’s CELL King blends the luxurious leather upper of the King football boot with the technical bottom of the CELL running line. It’s not just a mere high-quality fusion of two sports, however: RHUDE’s signature weathered detailing adds high-street flair that’s sure to turn the heads of football and running enthusiasts alike.