Are They Really Just Shoes?

To most people shoes are just shoes. They see no other purpose for them other than wearing them out and then getting a new pair. Sneakerheads, however, see shoes as something very different.

A sneakerhead is a person who collects, trades or admires shoes as a hobby. They take pride in keeping their sneakers “fresh” and clean. Sneakerheads stay updated on the newest styles and trends within the shoe community. They often spend a vast amount of money on their shoes, so much that it might make a non-sneakerhead cry.

According to a Stockx survey, the average sneakerhead is a male in his early 20s, spends about 10% of his income on shoes and is willing to spend around $300 per pair of shoes. After asking a sneakerhead at Carolina Forest, this information proved to be true.

Junior Jordan Shuster considers himself a sneakerhead. He currently owns 10 pairs of sneakers and says that he would be willing to spend roughly $300 for a pair of shoes. His most expensive pair so far was around $200.

Since some sneakerheads resell their shoes, they must keep them clean. This means buying a shoe cleaning kit and cleaning their sneakers as often as they can. Keeping sneakers clean is important because certain styles have been discontinued. Although he doesn’t resell his sneakers, Shuster said that he cleans his shoes at least twice a week.

Sneakerheads have a wide variety of shoes to choose from when in search of a new pair. It’s a struggle when several brands come out with new styles at the same time because it’s not like they can buy every pair. According to a Venngage survey, a sneakerhead’s favorite brand of shoe is Nike. Shuster says his favorite is Air Jordan, which is a branch of Nike.

The sneakerhead community continues to grow larger with new members joining each day. It’s amazing to see people bonding over such things as shoes. Who would have ever thought that collecting shoes would become a hobby?