Keeping an eye on the coolest shoe releases is just a part of the gig when you work at Boss Hunting. From the cleanest kicks on the block to the fastest runners on the start line and everything in between – we’ve got you covered. So if you want to stay across the best of what’s out there, here are the BH team’s favourite shoe releases from the last month.
Off-White™ Runner Fall/Winter 2021
With the untimely passing this week of creative visionary and polymath Virgil Abloh, we’d be remiss not to highlight the most recent pair of sneakers released by his own brand, Off-White™. Featuring a mesh and suede upper, the design contains a number of instantly recognisable visual cues that could only have come from Abloh himself. These include the large black leather arrow on the middle of the upper, the marble-effect zip-tie tag and the embroidered “OFF 2013” at the toe. Despite being executed in a relatively muted colourway, the Off-White™ Runner Fall/Winter 2021 are emblematic of one of the most influential creatives of this generation.
RELATED: BH Approved: The Best Sneaker Releases From October 2021
Moncler x HOKA ONE ONE Mafate Speed 2
While the bold, chunky style of HOKA ONE ONE is certainly to the tase of many self styled streewear connisseurs, the brand is best known for making shoes for running fast. As a result, it came of something as a pleasant surprise that their newest collaborative partner is the luxury powerhouse of Moncler. Despite the svelte presence of Moncler being felt in the details of the shoe, it’s still first and foremost built for performance, featuring a VIBRAM Megagrip rubber outsole and an aggressive lug shape. Tied together with French-founded Moncler’s tricolor detailing, it’s a blend of speed and street we can appreciate.
New Balance XC-72 Moonbeam Pack
We’re big fans of the fresh XC-72 silhouette from New Balance, with their vibrant collaboration with Casablanca setting just the right tone. Despite some of the first few colourways that New Balance released being dominated by bold, eye-catching colours, they’ve turned the volume down a little with the new monochromatic New Balance XC-72 Moonbeam Pack. The suede, leather, and mesh construction has been executed in a pair of muted colourways, featuring a black version with an off-white contrasting split down its centre, and an off-white pair that is the inverse. It’s still a relatively new shoe from New Balance, but we’re liking what we’re seeing so far.
UA Phantom 2 Intelliknit Danger Pack
If you’re looking to get your heartrate up through running, but aren’t interested in logging marathon miles, the recently released Phantom 2 Intelliknit Danger Pack from Under Armour could be just the ticket. Designed for shorter running efforts, and optimised for speed and dynamic agility, the shoe is essentially the UA HOVR Phantom 2 running shoe, but updated with breathable UA IntelliKnit. This makes them lightweight and fast drying, as well as responsive to your stride, aimed to keep you fresher for longer.
Nike Air Zoom AlphaFly NEXT% “Ekiden”
Nike hasn’t been afraid of releasing an eye-catching colourway or two in recent months, especially when it comes to the fastest shoes in their catalogue. After dropping a tiger striped pair of VaporFly NEXT%’s just ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games, Nike has recently released the AlphaFly NEXT% in homage to the Japanese Ekiden running season. These orange toned running shoes feature a split mid-sole, forefoot Zoom Air puck and full-length Flyplate carbon fiber inserts, all optimised for speed. If you tune into coverage of the enormously popular Hakone Ekiden, you might just spot a pair of these boldly coloured kicks.
Reebok Experiment 4 Trail Fury Pyer Moss Emergency
The teams at Reebok at Pyer Moss built off the success of their 2020 collaboration this year, with the release of the Reebok Experiment 4 Trail Fury Pyer Moss Emergency. The aggressively angular, almost futuristic silhouette is a well-loved one for Reebok, with this version featuring a grey mesh and leather build with signature split soles. The visually dominant orange lace shroud and elastic toggle immediately catch the eye, contrasting heavily against the grey mesh for a fresh new design.
HOKA ONE ONE Ora Recovery Shoe 2
While HOKA ONE ONE is well known for its performance footwear, designed to make you smooth and fast on race day, the Californian-based shoe brand also makes a few slow shoes. The HOKA ONE ONE Ora Recovery Shoe 2 is one such slow shoe, built purely with recovery and comfort in mind after a long day on the legs. Featuring a stealthy triple black colourway, breathable mesh uppers and a slip-on silhouette, the Ora Recovery Shoe 2 is a shoe you’ll look forward to putting on your feet once the hard work is done.
New Balance x Malbon Golf 997G
Malbon Golf is having a packed 2021 when it comes to shoe collaborations, counting the folks at New Blanace, Nike and Lusso Cloud as partners this year. The latest collaboration from the vibrant golfing brand is the New Balance x Malbon Golf 997G, released in two colourways and limited to just 200 pairs each. Available either in black or two-tone grey (both with white highlights), the 997G features a natural gum coloured outsold and FastTwist 3.0 Pulsar cleats for uncompromising grip.
Rick Owens x Veja Performance Runner
This is the fifth time Veja has linked with Rick Ownes for a collaborative shoe release, and this time we got not one, but two silhouettes in a few different colourways. Our favourite from within the collection is the blacked out Rick Owens x Veja Performance Runner, based on the Marlin style from Veja and produced using sustainable materials. This includes 65% bio-based outsole and a recycled polyester knit for the upper section of the shoe.
