From First Cops to Fake Drops: What Sneakerheads Told Us at Sneakercon Denver

Every sneakerhead has a story - the first pair that lit the fuse, the holy grail that still haunts their saved searches, or the time they got burned by a fake and learned to inspect stitching like a forensic analyst. 

We hit the floor at Sneakercon Denver and talked to some of the most serious collectors in the Mountain West. Here’s what we learned.

How Many Pairs Do You Own?

We expected variety. We didn’t expect this.

• Average collection size: 92.8 pairs (holy-moly)
• Most common answer: 150 pairs
• The person with the most pairs said 300+. They lost count.

Once upon a time, owning 20 pairs meant you were serious. Today? That’s the warm-up round. Sneaker culture isn’t just alive - it’s overflowing. For many collectors, the challenge isn’t finding the next drop. It’s figuring out where to store it.

What this tells us:

There’s no “average” sneakerhead anymore. You’ve got newcomers grabbing their first Jordan 1s and lifers who’ve been building for decades. Everyone’s playing a different version of the same game.

What Got You Into Sneakers?

We asked: What was the gateway pair?

• 44% said Jordan 1s - spanning OGs to collabs like J Balvin
• 30% mentioned other Jordan models - 3s, 4s, 5s, 7s, 11s, 12s
• 15% came in through the Nike Air Max or Air Force 1 lane

Despite the hype machine constantly shifting, one thing’s clear: retro Jordans are still the cultural entry point. Whether it's the silhouette, the storytelling, or the MJ mythology, they’ve got staying power. Even in 2025.

Let’s Talk Fakes

We asked: Have you ever accidentally copped a fake?

• Nearly 75% said yes
• That includes veteran collectors

That number might seem wild - until you remember how easy it is to get burned on marketplaces and reseller portals where the demand far outpaces the checks. But here’s the interesting part: getting duped hasn’t slowed anyone down. If anything, it’s made collectors sharper, more cautious, and more obsessed with authenticity.

This is exactly why platforms like EQL exist. Every release on our platform is brand-direct, fair, and fraud-proof. No wondering if that Off-White tag is stitched right. No checking the font on the box label.

Grail Talk: What People Are Chasing

You can tell a lot about a person by their grail. We got a glimpse into the collective sneaker subconscious, and here’s what topped the charts:

• Off White Jordan 1 Chicago
• Yeezy 2 Red October
• Jordan 4 Retro Eminem Carhartt
• A tie between Nike SB Dunk Low Travis Scott and Jeff Staple
• Air Max 1 Master F&F

Some trends emerged:

• 65% of all grails were Jordans
• 80% were collabs or friends & family exclusives
• Only one non-Nike pick: the Adidas x Bad Bunny Forum Buckle
• Average resale price across these pairs? $14,700
  

These picks aren’t just rare. They represent cultural moments. People aren’t dreaming of what’s hot this week - they’re dreaming of history.

What It All Means

The sneaker game in 2025 is more crowded, more competitive, and more chaotic than ever. There are dozens of drops every month—not just from Nike and Jordan, but from nearly every major brand trying to carve out space in sneaker culture. Collaborations are constant. New silhouettes launch weekly. And yet, with all that noise, the deepest emotional pull still comes from the classics.

Despite all the new players in the game - from luxury brands to tech-driven startups - very few have cracked the credibility code. People still chase Jordan 1s. They still worship the Red Octobers. They still dream of Off-White tags and SB boxes. The culture continues to orbit the same core - not because it’s stuck in the past, but because those stories still matter more than hype for hype’s sake.

And in a market where supply is limited, bots are everywhere, and demand keeps surging, getting access to what you really want feels harder than ever. That’s where we come in.

👀 ICYMI: Our web-based fan app just got a major visual refresh.

Smoother experience, better flow, and the same fair access you’ve come to expect. Whether you're in it for your first pair or your next grail, our Fan App helps you find the latest launches.

Check out the new experience here: https://app.eql.com/login