We can point to 2013 as when the trend of all-red sneakers blew up—specifically when Kanye West rapped about the coveted “Red October” Nike Air Yeezy 2 on Hold My Liquor.
Of course, all-red sneakers aren’t as popular now as it was during that era, but there are still a number of releases that stand out throughout the years. Some styles appeared long before the Yeezy 2 moment, like LeBron James wearing the “Big Apple” LeBron 6 at MSG in 2008. There have also been pairs that were released further down the road, like the “Brick by Brick” Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4 that we crowned the Sneaker of the Year in 2025.
Even in 2026, Jordan Brand is planning to bring back the popular “Toro Bravo” Air Jordan 4 this spring. Ahead of its rerelease, and similar to our list of the best black sneakers of all time, we’ve ranked the best red sneakers of all time.
Every Air Jordan Releasing in 2026
How to Win a Free Pair of 'Brick After Brick' Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4s
Nike Air Force 1 Low ‘Sheed’
Year: 2005
Wearing a pair of the all-red Sheed Air Force 1 Lows when they dropped in 2005 could have meant a handful of things. You could have really wanted a pair of Bapes, but either didn’t have access or want to pay triple the price of an AF1. Or maybe you were a Pistons and/or Rasheed Wallace fan. Detroit was fresh off an NBA title in 2004, and Wallace was largely credited with being the missing piece when he joined that season. Or maybe you just needed a sneaker to wear with an Atlanta Hawks throwback. Whatever the reason, they worked equally well, and that’s what makes them one of the best red sneakers of all time. —Zac Dubasik
Clot x Nike Air VaporMax
Year: 2017
The Nike VaporMax had itself a moment when it debuted on Air Max Day in 2017, but no colorway stuck out more than Clot’s all-red collab from that year. The entirety of the shoe dons a crimson hue that’s offset by black Flywire and shoelaces. Not only was it one of the brightest colorways but also one of the more limited releases, dropping only at a pop-up store in LA and Europe. —Victor Deng
Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 990v6
Year: 2024
Like many of Joe Freshgoods’ projects, this “Paris Red” New Balance 990v6 explores nostalgia, specifically the concept of “prom colors” for this red colorway. Joe’s 990v6 also gets extra points for actually being an all-red color scheme, from the upper down to the soles. —Victor Deng
Nike LeBron 6 ‘Big Apple’
Year: 2008
LeBron James has routinely made Madison Square Garden feel like home throughout his 23 seasons (and counting) NBA career, including multiple 50 point games at the legendary venue. The first came in 2008, with the “Big Apple” 6s on feet. James went for 50 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds that night, and exited the game to chants of “MVP” by fans that hoped he’d one day join them in free agency. James has frequently torched the Knicks on their home court, but doing it in a shoe inspired by their own city made both the sneaker and the night that much more memorable. —Zac Dubasik
Nike SB Dunk Low ‘True Red’
Year: 2003
This might be my personal number one. I always wanted these. The ”True Red” Nike SB Dunks were the counterpart to the Vamps. Some people like those more. I think those people are crazy. The shade of red on these Dunks is literally insane. So bright. There’s no special story behind the shoes that I know of, they’re just one of the best SB Dunks (in my opinion) of all time. —Matt Welty
Air Jordan 14 ‘Ferrari’
Year: 2014
The Ferrari 550 Maranello served as one of the primary inspirations of the Air Jordan 14’s design. Details like the intake-style midsole vents and Jumpman shield directly reference the automotive influence. While the model itself originally debuted in 1998, it took until 2014 for a full-on Ferrari colorway to hit the model. The all-suede upper and carbon fiber detailing left no doubt about the theme. And with red being Ferrari’s signature color, it easily lands on our list of best red sneakers. We’re still hoping, though, that the alternate sample drops some day. —Zac Dubasik
Air Jordan 3 ‘Doernbecher’
Year: 2010, 2013
The ‘Doernbecher’ Air Jordan 3 that released in 2010 is not only a really good red sneaker, its ties to the OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Oregon make them sentimental too. It was designed by patient Cole Johanson who was diagnosed with lymphoma. The upper dons a predominantly red leather color scheme and spells out ‘Cole,’ and even features his favorite foods like spaghetti and chocolate tucked behind the heel tab. The messages “Strength and Courage” are written on the insoles referencing his battle with lymphoma. —Victor Deng
Nike Air Max 90 Hyperfuse ‘Independence Day’
Year: 2015
The “Independence Day" Air Max 90 Hyperfuse is another example of how powerful Kanye West’s influence was. The three-shoe pack, including the all-red colorway, sat on shelves, but as soon as fans caught a glimpse of it on West’s feet, the sneaker began reselling for over $1,000 on the secondary marketplace. —Victor Deng
Supreme x Nike SB Blazer Mid
Year: 2006
The original Supreme x Nike Blazer collection from 2006 is one of the duo’s most celebrated collabs ever, and the red pair, specifically, is the best one. There’s not much to the design itself—it combines a red quilted leather upper with a grey snake-inspired Swoosh and a Gucci-styled red and green heel tab, and it just works. Trying to find a pair today is nearly impossible, let alone one in good condition. —Victor Deng
Nike Kobe 6 ‘Reverse Grinch’
Year: 2023
A shoe inspired by the most popular bright green shoe of all time this high on our list of the best red sneakers of all time? It may sound weird on paper, but one look is all it takes to see how well the red trim from the original Nike Kobe 6 “Grinch” translates to the full shoe. If this had been the original Christmas Kobe in 2010, we’d probably be talking about it with the same reverence as the actual Grinch 6. Still though, it’s a strong contender on our list of best red sneakers, even if it’s only the second best Grinch-themed Nike Kobe 6. —Zac Dubasik
Louis Vuitton Don
Year: 2009
Before there was the “Red October” Yeezy 2, Kanye West and Louis Vuitton collaborated in 2009 on the all-red Don sneaker. The silhouette made its debut at Paris Fashion Week by West that year while sitting front row at the fashion house’s runway show. This remains one of West’s most iconic sneaker collabs and regularly sells for thousands on the secondary marketplace, but even finding a pair in good condition is a tall task. —Victor Deng
Air Jordan 4 ‘Toro Bravo’
Year: 2013, 2026
The ‘Toro Bravo’ Air Jordan 4 isn’t an original colorway, but it’s one that feels like it could’ve been. The makeup is obviously a nod to Michael Jordan’s playing days with the Chicago Bulls, dressed in a fairly loud red nubuck upper and is paired with black and grey accents throughout. This iteration originally hit retailers in 2013 and is making its return in May, and the latest retro is expected to be one of the bigger Jordan releases this year. All in all, it’s a red Air Jordan 4, and who doesn’t want that? —Victor Deng
Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4 ‘Brick by Brick’
Year: 2025
What is there to say about the Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4 “Brick by Brick” that hasn’t been said 1,000 times already. The reigning sneaker of the year was meant to resemble the bricks that can be found all around New York City as well as the steps Nigel has taken to get to this point in his career. It’s one of the most red sneakers on this whole list (just don’t look at the color code), with the whole upper wrapped in the hue along with a number of different textures to create something truly premium. —Ben Felderstein
Air Jordan 5 ‘Raging Bull’
Year: 2009, 2021
Originally released in 2009, the “Raging Bull” Air Jordan 5, of course, is inspired by Michael Jordan’s time with the Chicago Bulls. It’s easily one of the most beloved non-OG colorways, and for me—adding white laces makes it so much better. The pair only returned once, in 2021, but fans had polarizing opinions and many felt the red looked too dull and even dyed their pairs to bring back that OG feel. Love it or hate it, the 2021 retro still moved, and people were willing to go the extra mile to get it right. That said, it might be too soon for another release. This is one of those pairs that’s better kept in the vault until it can come back with something special. But it’s still one of the best red sneakers of all time. —Douglas Jase
Nike Air Yeezy 2 ‘Red October’
Year: 2014
What hasn’t been said about this shoe before. Kanye’s last Nike. It was teased for like a year and never came out. Then he left for Adidas and Nike shock dropped them in February on a Sunday afternoon. If you got them, you got a piece of history. This is the shoe that sort of made all-red shoes a trend (although Kanye had done it before on the Louis Vuittons). These the Red Octobers. Yes, they are. —Matt Welty
