The 2016 Doernbecher Freestyle collection was recently unveiled (with a release date of December 17th), and as always, there’s some crazy, outlandish, fun shoes dropping. And you know what we’ve got to do whenever there’s a pack or collection of some sort: we’ve got to rank it. So we’re going to go ahead and rank all 6 shoes in this year’s Doernbecher pack, plus provide our thoughts on them. Before we start, we’d like to mention that we understand that all the shoes have a great backstory and mean something to the kid who created them. We’re just ranking them based on what we like the best. Nothing more, nothing less. So without further ado, let’s get to it.
6. Corwin Carr-Janoski Max
Corwin’s favorite thing is airplanes, and that’s clearly reflected on his shoe. He mentioned that he wanted his shoes to hover in the air, and although that’s not possible quite yet, at least these look somewhat flight-ready.
5. Chehayla Hyatt-WMNS Air Max Zero QS
Chehayla mentioned that she had no particular inspiration for this shoe … she just “let her mind barf” all over the template, and honestly? It turned out pretty nice. They’re loud, wacky, and all over the place. Something that could truly only come from a 10-year-old.
4. Chase Swearingen-Air Max Zero QS
Chase loves lighthouses and building blocks, and his shoes are the most simple and clean out of the whole pack. The blue and green works well together, and the lighthouse patch on the back ensures that the shoe has his stamp on it.
3. Damien Phillips-Retro VII
We know, we know. You probably all thought this was going to be #1 on our list, but it comes in at a solid #3. Damien’s shoe was inspired by guitars (as evidenced by the graphic on the bottom and the varnished look on the upper), and the Chicago Bulls (as evidenced by the red/black colorway). Another solid DB Jordan for the books.
2. Braylin Soon-Air Huarache Ultra
Braylin KILLED IT with her Huaraches. You would think they were tennis-ball inspired, but if you look at the detail on the tongue, you’ll realize that Muppets frontman Kermit the Frog was the inspiration for these fuzzy shoes. If Kermit existed in shoe form, this is what he’d look like. Great stuff.
1. Andy Grass-Kyrie 2
And finally, taking the #1 spot on the 2016 Doernbecher Freestyle Collection rankings is Andy Grass with his Kyrie 2’s. Andy selflessly used his shoe to honor everyone who helped him during his recovery process. That’s cool as is, but what really seals the deal for us is the “Love Mom” detailing on the straps. Mom Dukes has always got to be #1. Shouts to Andy for recognizing that at such a young age.
What did you think of the 2016 Doernbecher Freestyle collection? Did you have a favorite shoe in the pack? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter, check our Facebook page for daily updates, and, as always, be sure to follow us on Instagram for all the fire sneaker pictures you can handle.
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