Nike and New Balance are releasing several Halloween-inspired sneakers. Are they worth the hype?

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As Halloween approaches, several sneaker brands — namely Nike and New Balance — are trying to capitalize on it by releasing several holiday-inspired drops this month. But as sneaker expert Racks Hogan points out, not every sneaker commands equal amount of attention in the resale market.

“These releases can become seasonal very quickly and become dated very fast and wind up taking up dust and space in your closet,” he said on this week’s episode of “The Flip,” In The Know and Complex’s latest guide on sneakers worth reselling.

In short, some releases are worth the investment while others aren’t.

“It really matters on the drop and how much hype is behind it and what holiday it is,” Hogan says. “I’ve seen some more of the Halloween, Christmas-y inspired things go for more money than I’ve seen some of the St. Patrick’s Day or Fourth of July things go.”

With that being said, are any of this year’s spooky kicks bankable? Let’s find out.

Jolly Rancher x New Balance Kawhi

Credit: New Balance

In 2018, NBA star Kawhi Leonard, who was then transitioning from the San Antonio Spurs to the Toronto Raptors, stunned the sneaker world by turning down a 4-year, $22 million sneaker deal with Jordan in favor of signing with New Balance. The move came at a time when New Balance desperately needed to secure a footing in the basketball market.

This year, New Balance collaborated with Leonard’s favorite candy brand, Jolly Rancher, on a colorful shoe for Halloween. The sneaker features blue, purple, green, yellow and red accents, along with a tongue that is decorated with Jolly Rancher characters wearing the basketball player’s signature deadpan expression. The release includes a mid-cut silhouette, a mesh upper and a sticky rubber outsole.

Unfortunately, the drop also carries a hefty price tag ($160) — and not enough hype in the resale market, according to Hogan. If you’re into the shoe and just want to wear it, cop it by all means. If you’re looking to flip a sneaker for profit, however, it’s best to pass on this one.

Shop: Nike Air Trainer 3 “Dracula”

Credit: StockX

The Nike Air Trainer 3 was first released in 1988 and made famous by baseball and football star Bo Jackson, who is widely considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. The sneaker has a midfoot strap and an AirSole in the heel.

For Halloween this year, Nike decided to go with a red, black, white and purple colorway based on the famous horror character Dracula. Still, like the Jolly Rancher x New Balance Kawhi sneaker, this silhouette, which retails for $130, falls flat. The Nike Air Trainer 3 isn’t a particularly popular sneaker among today’s hypebeasts, so there’s no reason to believe that it’ll fetch a decent price in the resale market.

Shop: Nike Air Max 97 “Halloween”

Credit: StockX

The Air Max 97 “Halloween” is probably the standout among this month’s drops mainly because the Air Max 97 itself is an iconic sneaker. Designed by Christian Tresser and released in 1997, the sneaker draws inspiration from rain drops and the metallic finishes on mountain bikes. The shoe’s sleek design includes visible Air cushioning and a hidden lacing system that was considered an innovation during the 1990s.

This year’s edition has a glow-in-the-dark outsole that, Nike says, brings “a ’90s favorite into a bone-chilling new light.” Yet, whether the sneaker itself is resellable is up for question, Hogan says.

“It can go either way,” he says. “Somebody famous could wear it to a Halloween costume party, and you never know. You know what I’m saying? The price could shoot up in a day.”

If you enjoyed this story, you might want to read about one of New Balance’s hottest drops of the year.

More from In The Know:

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