The Sun Always Shines for the Cool

-Miguel Piñero

Yes, I did quote the title of a (sadly) obscure book from the 1980s by playwright Miguel Piñero to kick off a post about sneakers. It’s a hack’s tactic, and maybe a little pompous, but it felt appropriate for these nighttime shots of the Air Jordan 11 “Cool Grey” retro. Get it? Because it’s night? And the grey is cool? And Piñero said the sun always shines for the cool? Right?

Scheduled for release on Dec. 23, 2010, I managed to get my hands on a pair a little early. The main reason I pulled the trigger is because I wanted to remind myself that I’m not always right. When pictures for this release first surfaced, I balked at them. Then we were formally introduced and the sneaker let me know I was wrong.

The main thing distracting most Jordan 11 lovers is the blue tint to the sole. Get that out of your head. The coloring really isn’t as pronounced as some of the images out there make it seem — and if it prevents the yellowing issue that’s present in my beloved “Space Jam” 11s, then it’s a welcomed adjustment.

Admittedly, I don’t know my fabrics. But I can tell you that these sneakers, above the patent leather, do not feel the same as last year’s Space Jam release. The Cool Greys have a smooth, suede feel — nubuck, perhaps? — all the way through, whereas the the Space Jams had the rougher mesh (?) around the laces and a more solid leather at the ankle.

The curse with this smoother material is that it looks like you will find creasing at the heel sooner than the Space Jams or the Black/Varsity Red 11s from the Countdown Pack. It is something worth considering if you’re looking forward to wearing these next summer and don’t want them to have a creased, worn-out look at the back.

Otherwise, I’m happy to have them and happier to share (the pictures).