2010 - BEST OF THE BEST SNEAKERS

Nike LunarEclipse+
We've been talking about Nike Runners with a certain reverence since the dawn of Lunarlite in 2008-before that, we weren't too enamoured with the brace of athletic pieces that were dropping. We couldn't fathom why performance technology couldn't look good too. You couldn't wear a pair for casual wear without looking like a simpleton. Then the Lunar line arrived to get us hyped again. The Lunar Racer is the kind of thing that's going to get a retro a decade down the line, but the LunarEclipse+ is exactly what a shoe should look like in 2010. That's why it's our favourite of the year.

For the inaugural edition, while that lining is questionable, the Air Max 95 style debut colours in the mix are cool...this was the year of the crossover between Nike Sportswear's indie division and hardcore performance, but these fall into the latter camp. We've long lusted for the spirit of 1997, when Zoom offered a form of liberation in terms of running designs. In fact, Dynamic Support feels like a direct descendant of the Dynamic Fit System on Alpha Project classics like the Zoom Haven.

The LunarEclipse+ is comfortable and Dynamic Support seems to work. This is a solid all-rounder that's got guidance and feels light too, but having said that, only one member of team Crooked actually wears them to run in. For the rest, it's strictly posing-they just look good. People can babble about looks not mattering all they like, but a shoe has to have clout aesthetically. That chromed-out swoosh on the rear indicates serious business and the other colourways-especially the dark grey/blue/orange and the grey/red versions are killer. You know there'll be a sequel too and if it's half as good as the Lunarglide+2, the future's very bright.

We tried to convince ourselves that we were seeing modern classics with bits like the Storm Beacon, but there were always little flaws here and there - these follow that lineage, but just get it right. Maybe in 2011 the reign of the retro might falter...bring on the reign of the tech.