The Countdown Has Begun
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 | Author: Jon Ledford
This past Saturday marked the beginning of a new era in Retro Jordan releases with the official release of the first Countdown Pack. Pairing the AJ X and XIII (10+13=23, get it?) this pack is likely already gone from the few stores to receive it. With a retro XIII that is almost identical to the OG and an a tonal black X, coupled with the limited production, there will continue to be a lot of hype for these long after their release.
The XIII’s are undoubtedly the gem in this pack. The attention to detail in recreating the original XIII is quite impressive. Obviously there are minor changes, but I’m willing to bet if I don’t tip you off, you wouldn’t even notice the difference. The XIII is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of the modern Jordan sneaker, so for these to be so true to their creation is a real treat.
The other half of the pack leaves a bit to be desired if you ask me. The lining is a nice touch, but the same can’t be said for the overall colorway. I feel like the greyish hue throws things off and would have been better as a solid black. I normally don’t mind incorporating a new tweak (the Mars IV’s come to mind) to Jordans, but the 23 stitching just doesn’t mesh with the rest of the shoe. Turn down the handstyling and use a sleaker, futuristic design and I think it could have worked. Maybe even a simple chop off the 23 used on the old Bulls jerseys would work.
With a $300+ pricepoint, a lot of people will be left out in the cold on these. It seems like it would be just as simple to release both shoes on the same day as a pack, rather than forcing consumers to commit to both pairs. Unfortunately, if you don’t have your pairs already, $300 will just be the opening bid on Ebay, or you can try your luck with your credit card balance on Flight Club. If nothing else, these Countdown Packs have caused quite a stir.
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