My thoughts: Jordan 72-10
Written by schwollo
December 12, 2015 will remain a historic day for me.
1) the Warriors streak finally ended
2) I got a pair of Jordan XI 72-10 without having to wake up at the crack of down counting down to the millisecond
Now $220 for a general release is a damn lot for a shoe BUT they are priced correctly and maybe even a bit underpriced.
I’ve been shoe collecting for 16 years and I’ve watched it transform from a hobby a few people did to a full blown almost mainstream game. Back when I started collecting people would say “you collect what ? Shoes? Weirdo” but now it’s commonplace.
Back in the early 2000’s Jordan Brand released a retro a few times a year for the exact price they cost way back when. For example
AJ IV cost $99 in 1989 and the 99 retro cost $99
AJ XI cost $125 in 1995 and the 2k retro cost $125
I’m not sure why Nike didn’t both account for inflation but nonetheless I was a happy camper back then.
Over the years people have discovered that they could resell Jordans at a premium, the very same day as release day due to sell outs. Shoes that retailed for $130 could easily be flipped for $300. Because of all these resellers and bots, the shoe game has nearly been ruined because resellers took most of the available shoes online and flipped them on eBay for double the price.
Although Jordan Brand’s price increase to $220 put the shoe out of reach for some , basically eliminated profits for resellers and allowed consumers to get them first hand without the riots and fights as we have seen in the past. On top of the price increase, they made a lot of these which allowed JB capitalize on the price increase. I applaud JB for finally producing enough shoes for almost everyone to purchase without the huge reseller markup. I certainly hope this trend continues.
The shoes themselves are beautiful and are a step up in qualifying from recent XI retros. Materials are nice this time around even though JB chose not to use patent leather this time around ( cost savings I’m assuming ).
The only major flaw I see is the shape of the toe box. I’m assuming that by making the toe box more voluminous, production costs are lower. All OG Jordans and early retros had tighter tolerances for quality and performance sake but the entire retro game is about style now do JB could get away with this now.
You can see the difference compared to my 2001 Cool Greys
Although I’d like a clear or blueish outsole this milky white should help stave off yellowing
And the Christmas XI wouldn’t be Christmas XI without the elaborate box
So after nearly a decade (!!) of under producing retros with sub par materials, Jordan Brand came through with a fair release for everyone to enjoy. Sure I’d rather have a less expensive shoe but if the price hike and increased quantity helps me get the shoe more easily, I’m all for it. I don’t really remember the last time I was able to get a pair of Jordans this easily.
schwollo.com 
Thanks for the review. They were my first pair of 11s and I like them a lot. The extra room in the toe box is a great change for wide feet like mine, so no complain there Question: Is that not patent leather on the shoes? Also, there is some squeaking sounds already – is that common and is there an easy way to fix it?
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No it’s not patent leather it’s like a plastic coat with a shiny synthetic underneath I believe. Real patent leather cracks and splits .
Where does yours squeak ? Usually can’t get rid of it but sometimes it is just a weird rubbing spot
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The whole shoe squeaks even if I’m moving my feet around without taking an actual step.
Damn might have to return them then.
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Haha don’t return them for that trust me you’ll regret it. I think it will break in and become quieter with more wear.
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Jordan Brand has released the last 5 years so many new colourways of the XI’s (including low’s and low’s ie) and i have really fed up with this silhouette. I assume they are making great profit from each pair but they are killing a classic shoe when they release non-og colourways. I bet, they have run out of designing ideas!
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Oh yea they ran out of ideas around 1998 lol
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Hi there! I bought a pair of these for my son, his also squeak it seems to be the tongue rubbing across the Velcro strap on the toddler version (don’t judge me I like to make my son look stylish within his age range 😉 ) I’m not quite a shoe aficionado but I think the last pair of high top 11’s he had were the Gammas and they didn’t squeak . Should I take them back?
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Lol I did the same with my son when he was a toddler lol. No don’t take them back they all seem to squeak . And if he doesn’t mind the squeaking anyways … 🙂
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Thanks, I really appreciate it. I’ll hold on to them. Maybe dust a little baby powder inside and hope the squeak wears down as they get broken in
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The only thing I dislike is the shiny toe-box on the 11s. I bought them anyways just becuase it is a classic shoe.
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Ha well that shiny toe box is what made the xi . Had the leather been regular leather it wouldn’t stand out
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Looking at buying a pair when they restock. Want to use them for ball. Do you think they are built well enough to play in performance wise?
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Yes actually they are made well overall.
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Would love to see how your 72-10 look like today if the soles yellowed or not. I bought mine same time as you but I have not wore them at all yet. I left the paper inside the box which I found out today that is a “No-No” for translucent soles. It looks like mine has some minor yellowing.
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Yea yellowing is inevitable with Jordan’s. Stick a silica gel packet and stick the shoes in a ziplock to slow the process. I sold my 72-10 to a friend but don’t worry all
My ds Jordan’s have yellowed lol
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How’s the traction on these? Ray Allen said these are his fav shoes to play in all time. MJ also said it was his fav to play in.
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Very good. Some wiping needed but not much.
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