TOP TEN BREAKING KICKS - BROOKS JONES
There are many types of kicks out there: running, tennis, basketball, casual, fencing; all of which are important in facilitating the function of whatever you do in life.
You wanna look fly? Have good grip on the court? Have an appropriate degree of slide during your fencing match? Are you a studio jazz dancer? Do those jazz shoes really help?
WELL....
Because I'm a BBoy and I do prefer to shit on cornballs - for me, personally, there are a few questions I ask myself when I go on my sneaker safari...
- Is this going to be something that I break in?
- After I rock these for a bit, is this going to cycle into the breaking sneaker bin?
- Do I already have these?
- Does Jacob Hill already have these?
- Does Joe Son already have these?
- How can I flip these so I don't look like another consumer clown?
- What would Jaamal Benjamin do?
After years of field research, I've always gravitated towards a few certain makes, models & brands so-to-speak; brand not overshadowing functionality or comfort in the practical sense [if you see me in crocs it's b/c I just turned 102 years old and don't give 1 shit, none-the-less 2, about what you have to say].
So below are my favorite Kicks to break in, these have been my faves since I started in '95 to date.
Adidas - Top Tens.
Potentially one of the best sneakers out there, not too sure how good they are for hoops though. They make them in high and low top, mostly flat bottom soles and the tongue is husky enough to tuck your pants behind and stay in position: that is unless you're doing some crazy moves that bring you upside down. They're more on the heavier side but they are also durable, which is good if you're hurling your skeleton around at break-neck speeds.
Grade: A-
Adidas - Campus.
Personally, I think the Campus is one of the better models Adidas put out. They still have the flat bottom but the sole is thinner and thus more flexible, providing a lighter shoe overall. The tongue, however, is NOT brollick so you gotta lace them up correctly to get your pants to fall right but then the tongue gets squeezed if you tighten 'em for bboy/bgirling purposes in certain cases.
Grade: B+
Puma - Suede.
My personal favorite at the moment. They look good with jeans, sweats, swishy pants, shorts w/ & w/o long socks and come in a variety of colors that can be found year round. Flat bottom soles that are thin so they are light but cushioning is sacrificed as well as support for the bottom of your feet. They're also a bitch to keep clean so my only advice is keep your breaking clean so you don't get your suedes all grimy.
Grade: A+
Puma - Basket.
I don't really know what the difference is between a Basket and a Suede aside from obvious material usage; I do like both though. Sometimes wearing a buttery soft suede shoe isn't the most advantageous choice especially when I'm going to be dancing in a spot with a notoriously grimy floor, a bar or the third level of Hades. I will however sport baskets instead of suedes in said cases respectively.
Grade: A+
Nike - Dunk Hi.
Dunk Hi's are my favorite sneakers on the planet. They have that flat bottom sole, classic design and Nike is always coming out with a new colorway or material and you can find them year-round as well. Great ankle support if you tie them; I don't tie them but that doesn't mean you have to follow my lead. Good cushioning on all fronts, slightly on the heavier side but I don't care, they look good, they feel good and they provide great support and cushioning.
Grade: A+
Nike - Air Max 1.
This is more of a running shoe in origin so the sole is more curved and less flat. This does affect how bboys move and also increases the possibility of rolling your ankle. If you've ever rolled your ankle, then you know that shit sucks. If you haven't rolled your ankle then ask my roommate Joe Son how that shit feels, I saw him punch through a brick wall one time upon rolling his ankle. Kittens everywhere cried. The cushioning IS really good, they're really light and they look great, BUT Nike only puts out a couple runs per year and they haven't been coming out with any that made me hit the ground running to get two pair.
Grade: B-
Nike - Air Max 90.
Another running shoe so the precautionary measure to not roll your ankle is needed. Light, sexy, good cushioning and classic. This is another make that the Nike Gods haven't been putting many out that impressed me as of recent times. So if you find a pair with the colors you like then you best to cop two and put one pair on ice if you ever wanna see em again.
Grade: B-
Pro-Ked's - ANY of 'em!
Any Pro-Keds [hopefully NOT the Rocawear releases] are dope. P-K's are the bboy/bgirl samurai shoe. They are low to the ground, slightly heavier due to the thick rubber soles, not quite as flexible BUT they are as durable as a tank on steroids and come in a wide range of colors. Good luck finding them though, and if you find them, cop THREE pairs. One to break in, one to lose in your closet for a few years and one to sell to a European or Asian BBoy/ Bgirl b/c they DO NOT get them out there AT ALL! Another one of my go to kicks; they look good with just about anything, and after your break them in they are like wearing an extra foot. They also are easy to keep clean BUT the two little stripes on the side ALWAYS get burnt off - at least with me - and if you crack the heel then they begin to get loose.
Grade: A
Puma - XC Low
So in the late 90's and early 2000's Puma released these running sneakers that were drenched in the reflective 3M tape that everyone, including myself AND my mom dukes, got down in! They were light, low to the ground and for a running sneaker didn't have an elevated heel that would allow one to roll their ankle as many other running sneakers would allow. They weren't all that durable, maybe b/c I'd practice in them until the soles turned to molten lava and fabric resembled Swiss cheese but they did look good and in photos the 3m tape lit up, added some much unneeded flash to your feet. These were the first kicks I had on when I tried and actually succeeded in doing a flair.... one flair.... All-and-all, if you got down in the late 90's/ early 2000's then you had a pair and you thought they were dope, just like we did...
Grade: A++
Nike - Air Jordan I [basically a Nike Dunk][with the Jordan stamp on it]
SOOO... never been much of a Jordan brand enthusiast. I was around to watch my peoples nap ALL day after school/ work so they could wake up at 11:30pm to go stand on line at the sneaker spot to get the latest Jordan brand release. NEVER have I gone that far! Especially for a sneaker that I KNEW EVERYONE WOULD HAVE by the end of the week. And aside from the O.G. Space Jams, they only came out in Chi-Bulls colors until later when the sneaker industry flipped the script. THEN- in my 30th year of life, they re-released the II.... I previously had been denied by my folks who were less than enthusiastic about dropping what was then $100 for a pair of II's that I would undoubtedly wreck and, having a job since the age of 8, had also been thwarted by above mentioned parents when I was going to make the purchase with my pay, a purchase that I thankfully did not make at the time might I add. Furthermore, I DID proceed to try some J's on this May that just passed and really did like how they felt; I then purchased several pairs of Jordans which are shrink wrapped and on ice, boxed up in my basement as we speak. Of these, the Jordan I began rising to the top of my list of Breaking Kicks, but only in the sense of socially dancing, not throwing down crazy hard b/c I's are too fly to destroy. Great support, cushioning, grip, and style no matter how you try and chop em up.
Grade: AA+++
And there you have it, my top 10 list.
Other Honorable Mentions are:
The Air Huarache - Many other BBoys/ BGirls love 'em, I don't like to break in them b/c my BBoy-style requires a shoe that gives more support/ resistance and they are primarily made of royal elastic design and are more sock like than I prefer. I do rock them on my civilian steeze though...
Cole Haan - They are Kenneth Cole design, Nike Air cushioning. Not something you wanna dance in unless you're doing a two-step because they usually are dress shoes and are expensive. They used to have the G-Series which has been out of production for some time.
The Air Nike Cortez - Personally I don't like them very much, the flap on the toe always separates from the shoe and that's never a good look. I actually don't like them at all, for breaking, being on my civilian steeze or even walking on the sun. No thank you!
Nike Air Trainer I & II [Bo Jacksons] - Although I love 'em, I prefer to save 'em b/c they don't come out very often and the inside of the right heel always becomes a mass of shredded material that turns abrasive and ultimately uncomfortable. I do, however, NEVER tie the laces on them for good measure; maybe that's why the heel gets all crazy?
Nike SB's - I simply don't like the big, fat tongue. Primarily because I'm not going to be on a skateboard.
The Adidas Superstar [Shell Toes] - I don't like these kicks that much aside from everyday civilian wear. They are heavy and I've sprained my ankle many times dancing in them. Still a good look on the fashion tip though.
And that's it! For all my people that have been hitting me up asking what type of sneakers to get or what are the best sneaker to buy for breaking, or if you're an aspiring BBoy/ Bgirl then here's 10 little tidbits of info to get you started.
Hit me up, let me know what YOUR favorite Breaking sneakers are!
Mister Jones over and out
