Sneaker Collecting: Thrilling Yet Expensive

5 min read

Buying, selling, and trading sneakers can be extremely addicting. The rush of getting a grail or long-awaited pair cannot be replicated. Countless people call sneaker enthusiasts crazy for spending so much on a pair of shoes. Sneaker collecting definitely isn’t for everybody, but those who devote their time and energy to it often reap extraordinary rewards.

Buying sneakers is nowhere near as simple as it used to be. Now, a consumer must do their due diligence and footwork in-person, online, or a combination of both just to have a chance of buying the desired pair of sneakers.

Sneakers bring countless emotions along. Anyone who buys a new pair of kicks and puts them on for the first time knows about that unmatched feeling. Sneakerheads all over the world are constantly chasing their next “high.”

Thrilling Sneaker Pickups

Anyone interested in sneakers knows that new pickup feeling. It cannot be bought or replicated. However, countless pickups don’t always bring that thrill. Every purchase isn’t the same. Some are more meaningful for obvious and not so obvious reasons.

Additionally, some sneakers become instant classics in a rotation because of personal reasons. A long awaited pair that requires footwork typically outweighs general release pairs that can be bought with little effort.

Anyone with money can buy a pair of sneakers. However, to pickup a pair that holds some type of significance is an experience that goes beyond materialistic aspects. Memories, stories, and feelings attached to certain sneakers make the pickups thrilling and exciting. Sneaker collecting is never about quantity, but instead focuses on the quality of a collection.

Sneaker enthusiasts all around the world are constantly chasing that feeling of a fresh pair landing on their feet for the first time.

Expensive Yet Rewarding

Building a sneaker collection is not cheap at all. Even when buying general release and/or discounted pairs, most sneakers easily run over $100. Sneaker collecting might not be an ideal hobby for someone who isn’t financially stable. However, anyone can get into sneaker collecting due to the accessibility and ease of buying new sneakers.

Sneakers and money have a complex dynamic. More often then not, pairs that are priced extremely low are usually too good to be true. An authentic pair of Jordans with some hype will rarely sell for under retail in the secondary market. At the same time, many solid sneakers become discounted over time for a variety of reasons. Any new sneaker collector must do their due diligence to avoid getting scammed, tricked, or fleeced.

There are tons of hobbies that are nowhere near as expensive as collecting sneakers. Everyone has their own buying preferences; someone interested in sneakers must be prepared to shell out several hundred to even thousands of dollars to build up a solid collection. An interest, hobby, or way of life will never be defined by the amount of money spent. A collector with sneakers valuing over $10,000 might not feel as fulfilled or satisfied about their collection compared to someone who just started with only a few pairs in their possession.

Sneakers are expensive but can definitely be rewarding. Many individuals buy themselves new pairs when they reach certain life milestones and accomplishments. When someone can look back on their collection and appreciate the hard work, time, and energy put into building, they will typically feel a sense of satisfaction and appreciation for their efforts.

Sneaker collections become unique and personalized over time.

Sneaker Collecting vs. Accumulating

All belongings and possessions aren’t collections. All accumulations aren’t meaningful or significant. Collections like sneaker collections mean different things to different individuals. One person with a collection of fifty might not be as satisfied or fulfilled as someone with twenty pairs. A collection’s true value isn’t measured by quantity, but instead by the quality and meaning.

Sneaker collections become meaningful over time. A particular pair usually doesn’t get fully appreciated instantly.

Sneakers that are only accumulated don’t hold as much meaning as collected and curated pairs. Obtaining more of anything doesn’t constitute a collection. Someone with over one hundred pairs of sneakers cannot fully appreciate every pair to the same extent as an individual with thirty solid pairs. Collections are extremely subjective. Anyone can buy and consume while less collect and appreciate each piece of their collection.

The Future of Sneaker Collecting

Sneaker collecting has countless unknowns. Who knows if sneakers will become even more mainstream than they are now. Also, one might question how sneaker buying will look compared to today. There are many uncertainties regarding sneakers, but one thing is certain- there will be numerous individuals who will continue to select, collect, and appreciate sneakers for their entire lives.

Sneakers bring people together more than they pull them apart. The days of killings over Jordans aren’t over, but sneaker-related violence seems to be steadily declining compared to a few decades ago. We need more peace in the world especially in the sneaker community. Everything doesn’t have to be a competition. Collecting sneakers should never be a competition.

When people make collecting a competition, they lose some substance and authenticity in the act of collecting itself. A collector who is always worried about trends, competing with others, and what the next person is buying won’t be able to curate a fully personalized collection. An authentic sneaker collection should be a representation of individual tastes and styles, never a mirror of another collection.

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