Jordan xiii

Description:

That is exactly what the Jordan XIIIs were and, in many ways, still are.

The year was 1997 and Jordan fans were abuzz. Many speculated that this would be his last season in the NBA so they were gearing up to buy anything and everything with the man's name on it. And Nike new it.

It was a pivotal year. Jordan and Nike would reach a deal to start Brand Jordan, an offshoot of Nike's label using the Jumpman logo to reach the heights formerly held only by the Swoosh. It was a time to branch out and try new things with Jordan's new non-basketball shoes and his apparel. There would be a team basketball shoe with less technology and a smaller pricetag designed for mass consumption. There would also be a training shoe that looked more like a wrestling shoe than anything else. And then would come the launch of Jordan apparel, which today is a staple in Niketowns and urban outlets across the country. What, then, would be left for his latest signature shoe? A whole lot, as it turns out.

The Jordan XIII is widely regarded as one of, if not the, most comfortable Jordan shoe ever. The XII was the first Jordan shoe to use Nike's new Zoom Air Technology. The XIII would be the first Jordan shoe to use it well. Where the XII was heavy and clunky, the XIII fit very well, with the pods on the sides providing a larger surface area for one to step. And while the XIIs were large and roomy, the XIIIs fit just tightly enough to allow the 1 and 2 to play their slashing game while providing support that was not overbearing.

The Jordan XIII also marked the comeback of the low-top version. The only two Jordans to have low versions were the II and XI. Skipping the XII, most likely due to lackluster sales, Nike decided to give it one more go with the XIII. And they were such a rousing success this time around that Brand Jordan has not looked back since.

The Jordan XIII would be sold in five different colors for the high top and two for the lows. They didn't fly off the shelves but instead relied on street buzz to kick start the sell-through of each colorway. The best sellers would possibly be the black-red high and the navy-black low. The worst? That would undoubtedly be the navy-grey high and the chutney-black low. Though they could be found on store, and later outlet, shelves for quite some time, the chutney color has become a seeming Jordan standard with only the XV skipping a similar looking colorway.

Thus it becomes an enigma. Critically acclaimed yet it sat on shelves. Single-handedly revived the Jordan low-top craze but gets no love from the old-schoolers. And the worst selling colorways can be seen on eBay selling regularly for above retail prices. In fact, not too long ago, a deadstock navy-grey XIII went for almost $250?

It may be hard to understand for some but once you lace up a pair of Jordan XIIIs it all becomes very clear - they are a bonafide classic.