April’s best sneaker drops: Your guide to this month’s must-have releases

Our monthly series looks at the top releases from the best brands in athletic footwear. Whether you’re an avid sneakerhead or just looking for the perfect pair to complement your style, navigating the vast world of sneakers can be overwhelming. From understanding where to buy to decoding the latest trends, consider this your road map to finding the perfect pair.

With April comes longer days and warmer weather, which is perfect for outdoor activities during the day, then transitioning to hanging with friends in the evening. The sneaker world embraces the changes in the forecast by offering a wide selection of colorful, expressive footwear options. Nike takes a creative swing at baseball, while Adidas gives us something for the tennis courts. As far as catching up with friends? Streetwear brand Corteiz, WNBA star Breanna Stewart, and others have you covered.

Asics delivers a ‘Fairly Odd’ pack

A particular generation will see the latest Gel-1130 from Asics dressed in a seafoam volt and vibrant pink colorways and immediately think of Nickelodeon’s Fairly Odd Parents. As with most Asics, the mesh is the star of the show, as both shoes use silver and black caging around the mesh to highlight the mesh used. Both shoes feature a white midsole that helps make things pop even more. Don’t be shocked if you see these in the gym, on the trails, or casually being worn during this spring season.

Release date: April 4

Retail: $110

Breanna Stewart wins again with Stewie 4

After a successful inaugural season of the new 3-on-3 league, Unrivaled, Breanna Stewart looks to continue her success. With WNBA season right around the corner, Stewart and Puma deliver the fourth edition of the longest-running women’s hoop shoe. Dressed in an iridescent colored upper with a blue and pink prism-styled pattern, these shoes will immediately grab attention, much like Stewart has done on and off the court over the years.

Release date: April 4

Retail: $120

BAPE and Adidas celebrate the Superstar

Adidas’ iconic Superstar model is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year. We’ve already seen one special edition, and now BAPE is entering to deliver its take. Dressed in a blue leather upper with an aged white midsole and shell toe, the shoe features co-branding in the form of both BAPE’s BAPE STA logo and Adidas’ Three Stripes are featured on the medial and lateral, respectively, on the right shoe, while the left shoe has them flipped. Completing the package is BAPE’s iconic camo embossed into the shoe’s upper.

Release date: April 5

Retail: $160

Jordan Brand crafts ‘Rare Air’

Pulling inspiration from design samples and early prototypes. The men’s version is an early “What The” prototype of sorts. Featuring mismatched Wings logos, a black Swoosh that gives way to red underneath, and other pieces from various Jordan 1s. The women’s pair takes a more subdued approach but still fits in the “What The” mold. Notably, the Wings logo features “Air Jordan” and “Nike Air” on the shoes. If you’re a fan of Jordan 1s or Jordan history, these are a must-have.

Release date: April 5

Retail: $180

Nike hits a home run

The late Kobe Bryant was a huge fan and supporter of the Los Angeles Dodgers, often seen at Dodgers games. After being teased almost two years ago, the “Dodgers” colorway gets a proper release. The Kobe 6 arrives dressed primarily in royal blue with a white midsole. The red stitching on the shoe’s tongue mimics the stitching on a baseball, completing the baseball tie-in. Additional baseball-related gear and items complete the theme.

Release date: April 13

Retail: $175

Nike takes the SB Dunk to the ‘Rodeo’

Long before Beyonce had everybody tapping into their cowboy side, Black cowboys were once a crucial part of the culture. The latest SB Dunk is the perfect homage to those days and people that history has tried to forget. The colors of a tourmaline stone serve as the canvas for Nike to highlight key parts of the day-to-day lives of Black cowboys. From lasso-inspired laces to cowboy boot accents to a cowboy riding a horse on the insoles, this shoe is a beautiful homage to an era that history has tried to erase.

Release date: April 17

Retail: $135

The Air Max 95 “Neon” returns

The term “goat” gets overused to the point where we have herds of so-called great things, ultimately diluting what it takes to warrant the lofty distinction. But make no mistake – if there’s a sneaker hall of fame, the Air Max 95 “Neon” is a unanimous, first-ballot entry, as it has remained a staple for sneakerheads for three decades. After the last release in 2020, former Nike designer Sergio Lozano’s greatest hit returns with an important change – the brand used the “Big Bubble” to pay homage to the original design, which featured a bigger Air unit. While small, it’s the type of minutiae sneaker enthusiasts go wild for.

Release date: April 18

Retail: $180

Brain Dead revives the Forest Hills

The last time we featured Brain Dead, it was the return of their Converse collab. This time, the LA-based collective digs into Adidas’ vault to bring back the tennis classic Forest Hills silhouette. Across four unique takes, fuzzy suede uppers, textured tongues and frizzled laces add extra depth to the shoe’s look. Suede immediately evokes the feeling of the grass tennis courts that were once home to the Forest Hills model. Completing the package is the use of Brain Dead’s logo in multiple places.

Release date: April 25

Retail: $120

A Ma Maniere does it ‘For the Love’

Frequent Nike collaborator A Ma Maniére delivers a new but simple take on the classic Air Force One silhouette as part of their “For the Love” collection. Things are kept simple as the shoe is covered in a black leather upper with hints of white on the trim around the swoosh and the A Ma Maniere branding on the heel. The true focus is the craftsmanship and materials used, such as buttery tumbled leather to construct the upper. The last touch of craftsmanship is the embossed A Ma Maniere “A” on the heel tab.

Release date: March 29

Retail: $150

Corteiz’s “Honey Blacks” finally arrive

After months of teases on social media, we finally have confirmation that the long-awaited fourth installment in London-based streetwear brand Corteiz’s Air Max 95 series will arrive this month. Like many Air Max 95s, this version follows the “layered” upper approach, with the top layer featuring a netted layer to contrast the solid black layers beneath it. Continuing the subtle deviations is Corteiz’s use of tour yellow to highlight the branding on the toe, heel, and tongue.

Release date: March 24

Retail: $190