Sole Camp

Nike Zoom Kobe VII "Barcelona Away"

Nike Zoom Kobe VII "Barcelona Home"

Did you really think Kobe would change his non-basketball hobbies over one year? Absolutely not. He is still a huge fan of soccer, and specifically, of FC Barcelona. Nike proved last year that perhaps the best way of showing this passion is through sneakers, as they concocted two of the hottest Kobe VIs in tribute to Barcelona’s “Away” and “Home” color schemes. Looks like they are back at it again. This time, a teal and bright red Zoom Kobe VII serves as the “Away” version, while a bright yellow and blue colorway serves as the “Home” version. Unfortunately for you Kobe fans in the USA, both of these sneakers will be dropping exclusively at House of Hoops locations in Europe on Saturday, July 21. Better get your Euro connects ready. (Picture and information via Sneaker News)

Nike Zoom Kobe VII "What the Kobe"

It was only time before another “What the…” concept sneaker released to the masses. Tomorrow, July 7, Nike Basketball will be releasing the extremely zany “What the Kobe” Zoom Kobe VII at a select number of Nike Basketball retailers. The sneaker takes both pattern and color cues from a plethora of Kobe VII iterations, most noticeably from the Poison Dart Frog releases and the “Cheetah” Christmas edition. If you decide to venture out tomorrow to get a pair, be early, as the sneaker will be releasing in limited numbers. If you don’t want to deal with long lines and crashing servers tomorrow, then get to eBay to secure your pair now.

Before Dylan and I left for our three-week trip to Israel, I sent out a preview of things to come in the time while we were away. Alas, I had no idea of exactly how crazy of a period this past three weeks was going to be. The answer: very, very crazy. Check out a few of the headlines I missed in my preview below.

Nike LeBron 9 “MVP”

Nike LeBron 9 "MVP"

After the first half of this year’s NBA season, there was no question that LeBron James was putting up historic numbers for his Miami Heat squad. The second half of the season showed a little dip in his production, but nonetheless, in mid-May, LeBron was named Most Valuable Player of the 2011-2012 season. To celebrate the occasion, Nike created an “MVP” version of the LeBron 9. The sneaker has an upper covered in white, but also taken up by a red-and-black fade pattern. Yellow accents appear on the logos and outsole. More pizzaz comes through with red and yellow speckles on a white midsole. Last, but certainly not least, LeBron’s signature on the back of the LeBron 9 is replaced with a yellow “MVP” badge. No word yet on a release date, but keep your Eastern Conference Finals Game 6 demon eyes peeled. (Picture via Nike Inc.)

Nike Zoom Kobe VII “What the Kobe”

Nike Zoom Kobe VII "What the Kobe"

Nike SB dropped the “What the Dunk” Dunk Low in October 2007. Since then, there have been custom “What the Dunk” Dunk Highs and even a “What the Jordan” Air Jordan 1, but I am pretty sure Nike was the first to come up with a “What the Kobe” concept. The result? Look right above. Can’t miss it. This obscene version of the Zoom Kobe VII takes radiant colors and animal prints found on previous Kobe colorways and meshes them all together into one pair of sneakers. Wild, right? No release date is known on this super-eccentric Kobe VII, but stay tuned for one hopefully in the near future. (Picture via Sneaker Freaker)

Jeremy Scott x adidas Originals Fall/Winter 2012 Preview

adidas Originals JS Bear for Fall/Winter 2012

Soon enough, six months will have passed since the first drop from Jeremy Scott’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection, and you know what that means: more zany-to-infinity Jeremy Scott x adidas Originals sneakers to feast your eyes on. Sneaker Freaker has a preview of the first set of clothing and sneakers being released, which includes the psychedelic JS Bear pictured above. The first set of three sneakers, along with the matching clothing, is set to drop on or around Sunday, August 12.

Nike Air Foamposite Pro “Gym Green”

Nike Air Foamposite Pro "Gym Green"

Foamposite mania hits again. The “Gym Green” Foamposite Pro above is dressed in an iridescent green that is lighter, but still similar to the “Dark Pine” Foamposite Pro’s upper from last year. Gym Green accents can be found on the lateral swoosh and outsole swoosh. A translucent outsole makes sure that this Foamposite is a winner for the Olympic season. Pick up your pair on Saturday, June 30. (Picture via Private Stock)

Ronnie Fieg x New Balance 999 Release Date Change

Ronnie Fieg x New Balance 999 "Steel Blue"

For the most part, these past three weeks have been quiet for news on upcoming Ronnie Fieg sneaker releases. No previews of future Asics collaborations have surfaced, but one tidbit of information on his latest New Balance project came out. The release of the “Steel Blue” New Balance 999, initially slated for Fieg’s birthday of June 15, has been moved to an undisclosed date. The information should not be too far away, but perhaps you will have to wait a little longer than you thought. For now, enjoy a gallery of pictures of the “Steel Blue” 999 courtesy of Sneaker News.

Nike Sportswear “Safari” Pack

Nike Sportswear "Safari" Pack – Air Safari & Air Trainer 1

Twenty-five years ago, Nike went a little over the aesthetic edge with the Nike Air Safari – a sneaker built like a classic Nike runner, but with a loud pop thanks to the Safari print. Now, Nike will pay tribute to the Air Safari with a two-sneaker pack. First, the Air Safari will re-release in its original form. In addition, the Air Trainer 1 will get dressed up in the original Air Safari colorway for the occasion. Look for both to drop at select Nike Sportswear retailers on Saturday, June 30. (Picture via Nice Kicks)

Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 Supreme “Galaxy” Blake Griffin PE Release Date

Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 Supreme "Galaxy" Blake Griffin PE

Ever since the NBA 2012 All-Star Game, many people have been curious about the release status of this player exclusive Hyperdunk 2011 Supreme. Fortunately for those people, this “Galaxy” Blake Griffin PE Hyperdunk finally has a release date. Look for the sneaker to drop in limited amounts at select Nike Basketball retailers on Saturday, June 23. For now, if you have the dough, you can go to eBay to get yourself a pair now.

Released: Nike SB Zoom Stefan Janoski “Vino Rosso”

Nike SB Zoom Stefan Janoski "Vino Rosso"

Over the three weeks of our hiatus, there were a few notable drops, including this blast-from-the-past Nike SB quickstrike. For months on end, the “Vino Rosso” Janoski seemed like one of those shoes that had pairs floating around, but would never see a wide-scale release. That is, until this past Saturday, June 9. The “Vino Rosso” Janoski dropped at Nike SB locations across the nation as a regular quickstrike. If you put in effort, you should still be able to find a pair for retail or just a little above. (Picture via Black Sheep)

Released: Air Jordan 1 Retro KO Hi “Bred” & “Black Toe”

Air Jordan 1 Retro KO Hi "Bred" & "Black Toe"

Talk about a blast from the past! Two Saturdays ago, June 2, marked the completely unexpected return of a gem for Jordan connoisseurs – the “Bred” Air Jordan 1 KO. This colorway of the Air Jordan 1 KO hasn’t seen store shelves since…well, the original drop! Along with the “Bred” colorup, Jordan Brand also dropped a reiteration of the classic “Black Toe” Jordan 1, but in KO form. The “Bred” version is pretty much gone, but you should still be able to find the “Black Toe” KOs around. (Picture via Extra Butter)

Released: Nike Air Yeezy 2 Black/Solar Red & Wolf Grey/Pure Platinum

Nike Air Yeezy 2 Wolf Grey/Pure Platinum

Didn’t I tell you this might be coming? Well, I hoped it wouldn’t, just so I could be in the States to witness what could have been the craziest sneaker drop ever. Turns out the release was a day before I got back – Saturday, June 9. And yes, it was one of the most insane drops the sneakerhead community has ever seen. For one, there was a regional split for each colorway; stores in the West received the Wolf Grey/Pure Platinum version, stores in the East received the Black/Solar Red version, and select shops in Chicago and New York City received both. After February’s “Galaxy” Foamposite release hoopla, most stores learned their lesson, and held huge raffles instead of allowing lines to form. This was the first time raffles became so commonplace among sneaker shops. Thousands upon thousands of people across the nation put their names down for a chance at Yeezy 2s, with only a small percentage actually getting a chance to purchase pairs. Even the few House of Hoops locations that received Yeezy 2s held online raffles. Nike-owned stores stuck to the RSVP method, which, while efficient, upset a lot of people who believed that they responded quick enough to their respective store’s tweet. NikeStore even opted to release the sneaker online at a random date and time. And worst of all, while the sneaker retailed for $245, it is being sold on eBay at prices in the $2000 to $4000 range. If you won a raffle and were able to pick up a pair, congratulations. Otherwise, you might want to wait for the market price of the sneaker in either colorway to drop. (Picture via Nike Inc.)

Sneaker Con NYC June 2012

Sneaker Con NYC June 2012

Did you miss out on any of the sneakers that dropped in the past three weeks, and don’t feel like buying them online? In a matter of weeks, you’ll have a great opportunity to see all sorts of sneakers in person at New York City’s first Sneaker Con in 2012. This time around, the event looks to be bigger than ever, thanks to the new 10,000 square-foot venue, Baruch College. Nearly 100 vendors will be at the event, catering to an expected thousands of event-goers. If there are any sneakers that you are looking to buy, sell, or trade, Sneaker Con is the place to be when it all goes down on Saturday, June 30 in New York City.

Nike Basketball Easter Collection 2012

Nike’s bringing some summery colors out a bit early with the Nike Basketball Easter Collection. With Mint Candy/New Green versions of the LeBron 9 Low, Zoom Kobe VII Poison Dart Frog, and Zoom KD IV, there should be something for everyone in this pack. Check your local Nike Basketball retailer now, as all three Easter renditions dropped today. (Picture via Sneaker News)

Nike Zoom Kobe VII "Wolf"

In a week that has been pretty slow on relevant sneaker news, there’s definitely some room for a few releases, starting with this new colorway of the Zoom Kobe VII. The predominately grey base of this sneaker is not entirely dull, thanks to some black and orange accents. Some extra white on the liner and outsole gives a more balanced look to the shoe. In addition, as other iterations of the Kobe VII have had, this version has a wolf imprint on the back, as the wolf is also in the Kobe series of predators. The “Wolf” Zoom Kobe VII should be available at your local Nike Basketball retailer, like House of Hoops, now.

Nike Zoom KD IV "Easter"

Nike LeBron 9 Low "Easter"

Nike Zoom Kobe VII Poison Dart Frog "Easter"

It seems like Nike is pulling out the stops for any and every occasion lately. “Metallic Red” Foamposites around Valentine’s Day. Seven sneakers in honor of Black History Month. Nine sneakers for this year’s All-Star Game. What’s next? Apparently, a trio of Nike Basketball signature models in colorways for Easter. Specifically, this collection makes use of the Mint Candy and New Green shades for some spring pop. The Zoom KD IV uses the colors most predominately, as the entire anodized base of the sneaker has the Mint Candy color, while the strap shines in New Green. The LeBron 9 gets a lower cut and a 360-degree Max Air unit with the release of the grey, mint, and white LeBron 9 Low. Furthermore, this collections marks the debut of the Zoom Kobe VII Poison Dart Frog, a special makeup of the Zoom Kobe VII that has a splatter-like patterned upper and a frog on the heel. This particular version has blotches of black and Mint Candy all around. The Zoom Kobe VII and LeBron 9 Low are both confirmed to be released at select Nike Basketball retailers on Friday, April 6. No release date has been stated for the Zoom KD IV, but it would be good to guess that it will drop on the same day as the other Nike Basketball Easter releases. (Pictures via Sneaker News)

Nike Zoom Kobe VII Supreme "Year of the Dragon"

A few months ago, sneakerheads were dying to know when Nike’s Year of the Dragon collection would release. By the end of February, three of the four sneakers in the collection had been released to the United States public. Now, the fourth has finally been given a release date. The Action Red/Electrolime-Team Red-Lush Teal “Year of the Dragon” makeup of the Zoom Kobe VII Supreme will drop at select Nike Basketball retailers on Saturday, March 17. (Picture via HK-Kicks

Nike Zoom Kobe VII "Duke"

As a good friend of mine would say, “It’s March!” And that can only mean one thing: the madness is starting. No, not the sneaker release madness of late, but rather, March Madness. A time where college basketball shines in the mainstream spotlight. For the occasion, Nike Basketball is set to drop a Kobe VII in a colorway dedicated to the college that he has previously stated he would have attended had he not been drafted into the NBA right out of high school: Duke. With a black base and blue underlay, this Kobe VII portrays the same stealthy manner that the Blue Devils enter the NCAA March Madness tournament with. You local Nike Basketball retailer, perhaps a House of Hoops, should be stocked with “Dunk” Kobe VIIs when they are released tomorrow, March 3.

Nike Basketball "Galaxy" Collection

This weekend, those of you who are avid NBA fans (like myself) will be taken to a new galaxy. One where teams do not matter, the finest compete, and the goal is to have fun: the annual NBA All-Star weekend. for this year’s festivities, Nike Basketball will unleash three out-of-this-world colorways in honor of the events taking place near the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, FL: a Galaxy-printed upper Kobe VII, a Big Bang-esque LeBron 9, and a an astronomical KD IV. These sneakers will be available on multiple websites tonight at midnight (Foot Locker, Footaction, Eastbay, NikeStore, etc.) and select Nike Basketball retailers tomorrow, February 24th.

This is not what all of the hype is about, but it certainly is a large chunk of it. Today, we visited Extra Butter, where they have all three “Galaxy” Dunk Highs and the three Nike Basketball “Galaxy” sneakers – the Zoom Kobe VII, LeBron 9, and Zoom KD IV. Extra Butter will put out the Dunk Highs tomorrow, February 23, at 11 am, and the Nike Basketball signatures at 12:00 am on Friday, February 24th. Click the play button for a look at all six sneakers.