Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the to hit the internet. Did J Balvin solve the sneaker bot problem that plagues us all? In an attempt to fight the ever-pervasive bots who cause us all to take L after L on big sneaker release days, listed his new Jordan 3 Rio at $25,000 on his website. Fans and members of Balvin’s Familia Club received a discount code that cut the sneakers down to the actual retail price of $250, helping to ensure that real Balvin fans were able to pick up the sneakers while bots got scammed.
Did any actual bots go through with the purchase? We can’t say for sure but hopefully, the move helped get these sneakers into the hands of fans rather than resellers. For that alone, we’re going to go ahead and call the Rios the “sneaker of the week.” If you’re not down with (you okay?) we’ve also got some dope drops from Nike SB and Futura Laboratories, the Jordan 12 Taxi Flip, the return of the Nike Air 180, and a new collaboration between Sporty & Rich and Adidas.
It’s a short drop list but everything here is fresh. Let’s dive in. New Balance Coco CG1 Slate Grey American tennis star Coco Gauff’s New Balance signature sneaker looks to ‘90s design details for inspiration, and the result is a sneaker that is equal parts nostalgic and contemporary.
What the sneaker borrows from the pass is its shape, it has that classic B-ball silhouette, but is outfitted with a mix of lightweight mesh, hairy suede, and an Energy Arc carbon fiber plate de.