Important Sneakerhead Slang You Should Know as a Beginner

Sneaker culture has its own unique language that can seem like gibberish to an outsider. As a beginner sneakerhead, learning the lingo is key to understanding the community and fitting in. This comprehensive guide breaks down over 50 popular slang terms and acronyms used by sneakerheads.

A

ACG: Short for All Conditions Gear, a line of outdoor-focused shoes and apparel by Nike. The ACG collection features hiking boots and trail runners as well as technical clothing.

ADC: Stands for Adidas dot com. ADC is how sneakerheads refer to buying releases directly from the Adidas website.

Aglets: The plastic or metal tips at the ends of shoelaces that prevent unraveling. Replacing aglets can extend the life of old laces.

Alphet: Slang for an outfit that looks great from head to toe. A shortened form of "alpha outfit."

B

Beaters: A worn-out pair of sneakers that you‘ll wear until they rip through the sole. Your trusty beaters are perfect for rough activities where you don‘t want to damage a newer pair.

BIN: Short for "buy it now." Refers to the lowest "instant purchase" price when buying sneakers directly rather than bidding in an auction format.

B-Grade: Sneakers deemed defective or flawed by a brand‘s quality control department. B-grades have minor cosmetic defects but are functionally fine. They‘re sold at a discount compared to retail price.

Bot: Software used to automatically purchase sneakers online, helping users checkout faster than manually. Effective for buying limited releases before they sell out.

Bred: The colorway combining black and red, like the iconic "Bred" Air Jordan 1s.

Bricks: Hyped shoes that end up sitting on shelves and reselling for under retail. The opposite of a hot commodity.

Coke White: A super clean, flawless white. Used to describe sneakers with a perfect white colorway, like they‘re fresh out of the box.

C

Colorway: The specific color combination of a shoe. Sneakerheads obsess over unique new colorways of their favorite models.

Cop: To buy, especially limited release sneakers. Sneakerheads aim to "cop" rare kicks, not just buy them.

Cook group: Online groups that provide tips and information to help users cop hyped sneaker releases. Offer insider info like early links, release dates, checkout shortcuts.

Cozy boy: Someone with a laidback streetwear style centered around comfort. Cozy boys rock sweats and still look fly.

Creps: Slang for sneakers, originally UK slang. "Nice creps" is a compliment.

D

Deadstock (DS): A brand new, unworn sneaker that comes with the original packaging and tags attached. The highest level of newness.

Deubré: The ornamental tags on the ends of shoelaces, trademarked by Nike. Unique deubrés can add flair.

Dope: An adjective meaning cool, awesome, or fashionable when describing a shoe. "Those Jordans are dope!"

Double up: Copping two pairs of the same sneaker, either for yourself or reselling. Hardcore fans will double up on favorite releases.

Drop: A sneaker release. Sneakerheads anticipate hyped sneaker drops, which often sell out fast.

F

Factory laced: Refers to shoes that are still laced up exactly how they came from the factory, with the laces untouched. A sign they‘re brand new.

Feezy: Fake Yeezy shoes, combining "fake" and "Yeezy." Don‘t get caught wearing feezys!

Flaking: When a seller or buyer backs out of a sneaker deal, usually at the last minute. Known as a flaky move.

Flip flopper: Someone who changes their mind back and forth on copping a release. First thinking they‘ll pass, then regretting it as launch nears.

Flop: When a shoe fails to sell and flops on the resale market, usually due to overhyping.

Fragment: The Fragment Design x Nike collaboration, coveted for minimalist takes on classic silhouettes.

Friends & Family (F&F): Extremely limited, unreleased sneakers only available to a brand‘s inner circle. The most exclusive designation.

FSR: "Full size run" – when the full spectrum of sizes is available for a sneaker model. From toddler to Size 16.

Fufu: Fake or counterfeit shoes. Carrying a fufu pair runs the risk of getting called out.

Fugazi: Either fake sneakers trying to pass as real, or the real deal but too beat up to salvage.

G

Garms: Short for "garments." Example: "Check out my new garms" = clothes/outfit.

General Release (GR): Non-limited sneaker releases available widely. GRs are easy cops versus limited editions.

Goat: An acronym for Greatest Of All Time. A coveted status, like legendary shoes or people who inspire the culture.

Grail: Short for holy grail – used to describe dream shoes someone desperately wants but struggles to acquire. Finding your "grail" is the ultimate sneakerhead achievement.

H

Heat: Super desirable, fire kicks that are a must-cop. Bringing the heat refers to wearing a particularly special pair.

Highs: High-top sneakers that extend up over the ankle. Compared to lows that stop below the ankle.

Hiroshi: Hiroshi Fujiwara, influential streetwear designer and fragment collaborator. "Hiroshi" branding carries clout.

I

Infrared: A distinct red color used on iconic models like the Air Max 90s and Air Jordan 6s. Stands out on the streets.

Instacop: Hyped shoes you buy immediately without hesitation. See it, cop it.

J

Jumpman: The iconic Air Jordan logo of Michael Jordan jumping to dunk. "Jumpman" refers to Jordan Brand.

K

Kicks: Slang for sneakers. "Check out those new kicks" is a common phrase.

L

LeBrons: Nike‘s signature basketball shoe line named after LeBron James. Releasing coveted models annually.

Lows: Low-top sneakers that stop below the ankle. Comparatively more minimal than bulky high tops.

M

Mids: Mid-top sneakers, in between lows and highs, hitting right at the ankle bone. Mainly Air Jordan 1 mids.

N

New in Box (NIB): Brand new, unworn sneakers still in the original box with all packaging intact. Ideal for collectors.

Nike Sportswear (NSW): Nike‘s lifestyle line that focuses on classics versus performance models. Home of the Air Force 1s and Air Maxes.

NikeStore (Nike SNKRS): Nike‘s main sneaker release app/website, known simply as "SNKRS" in the community. Limited releases sell out fast on SNKRS.

O

OG: "Original" colorway from a sneaker‘s first release. Also can mean the actual first release, like the 1985 Jordan 1s are "OG highs."

On feet: Wearing sneakers, having them "on your feet." Example: "Rockin‘ my grails on feet today."

Outfit: Footwear and clothing combined. A fire outfit brings top kicks and stylish garms together seamlessly.

P

Pack: A sneaker "pack" is a matching set released together in coordinating styles, like themed Air Force 1s.

Player Exclusive (PE): Colorways and models made exclusively for athletes, friends, and family. Never hitting public release.

Q

Quickstrike: Nike shoes released with little notice in limited quantities. Quickstrikes drop fast and sell out instantly due to small stock numbers.

R

Reseller: Someone who buys limited sneakers solely to resell them at a marked-up price for profit. Resellers compete with regular collectors on release days.

Restock: When sold-out sneakers come back in stock after initially selling out quickly. Lucky users can cop during restocks.

Retro: Retro Jordans or other throwback models "retro‘ed" – re-released in OG colorways years later. Classics reinvented for new generations.

S

Sample: Pre-release prototypes of upcoming models to test the design. Extremely rare samples sometimes surface and sell for high prices.

Silhouette: The outline and overall shape of a sneaker‘s design. Recognizable silhouettes like Jordans or AF1s stand out from a distance.

Sneakerhead: Sneaker enthusiasts who live the culture. Sneakerheads devote endless hours hunting releases, discussing history, and showcasing collections.

Special Delivery: Nike‘s Air Force 1 subscription service that ships exclusive colorways monthly to members. Introducing surprise drops and early access.

Super fire: When heat just isn‘t a strong enough word. Next-level flames reserved for the most jaw-dropping, elite sneakers out there.

T

Trainers: British term for athletic shoes aka sneakers. UK sneakerheads buy crisp new trainers.

U

Uptowns: Air Force 1s, named after the "uptown" street style of NYC where they blew up in popularity.

Upper: The portion of the sneaker above the sole. Uppers come in different fabrics like leathers or textiles.

V

Very Near Deadstock (VNDS): Worn once or twice minimally but still in flawless condition with original everything. Not brand new but close.

Vintage: Old school sneakers from the 80s, 90s, or early 2000s now considered collectible. Vintage finds require restoration for wearable condition.

W

Wheel: A sneaker collection, or "wheel of shoes" with endless options to style. Flexing a never-ending wheel is a sneakerhead flex.

X

X (Cross): Denotes a special cross-branded collaboration, like Adidas X Pharrell or Nike X Off White sneaker deals.

Y

Y-3: The Adidas Y-3 sublabel, focusing on limited collabs with high fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto.

Yeezy: Kanye West‘s much-hyped Adidas sneaker line including his popular Boost 350 and Foam Runner models.

Sneaker Shopping Guide

Here are some key terms that come up around the sneaker buying experience specifically:

• Access: Getting exclusive access or a password to shop limited releases before the public. Raffles and waiting rooms provide access opportunities.

• AddToCart / ATC: Actually adding the shoe to your shopping cart during a drop. Getting through ATC is one of the biggest hurdles to successful copping.

• Backdoor: A shady practice where employees buy up limited stock to resell or hook up friends with pairs early.

• Big foot sizes: Full size runs don‘t always extend to the biggest shoe sizes, making it harder for the big foot community to cop. Stock above Size 13 is considered "big foot."

• Brick and mortar: Shopping for sneakers in a physical store vs online. Both brick and mortar shops and webstores have pros and cons.

• Checkout: The final step of purchasing your carted shoes and completing the transaction. Checkout can crash leaving your hands empty.

• Delay: Lag time between adding to cart and actually checking out. Delays result in sell outs during the gap.

• EA: "Early access" to shop certain shoes before full launch. Nike EA provides first dibs through SNKRS.

• In-store raffle: Enter to win the chance to buy limited shoes that release at a store. Raffle winners get exclusive timed slots to shop the drop.

• Inventory numbers: The limited amount of stock produced of a release. Small inventory numbers increase demand.

• Invoice: The receipt confirming your sneaker purchase from a webstore or seller. Save invoices as proof of authenticity.

• Line up: Physically lining up outside a shoe store hours before opening to increase chances at limited pairs. Dedicated sneakerheads will camp out in a lineup.

• Pre-order: Reserving your pair to purchase at a later ship date, usually for sneakers not released yet. Pre-orders guarantee copies.

• Processing: The purchase is processing but not finalized yet. Processing delays can lead to getting cart jacked.

• Raffle: Entering for a chance at buying limited shoes, like entering an online draw. Winning raffles lets you purchase.

• Refund: Getting your money back if the shoes are defective, damaged in shipping, or never delivered. Keep all sneaker packaging if you may need to refund.

• Restock: When a shoe release sells out instantly, but additional stock is added and it "restocks" for another chance to buy.

• Shock drop: Unexpected, unannounced release times designed to combat bots and resellers. Wakes users up to instantly buy.

• Waiting room: Where users wait virtually to access an in-demand drop. Waiting rooms randomly assign access when sales go live.

• W: The ultimate goal – actually winning the chance to purchase limited shoes, whether through raffles or waiting rooms. Avoid the dreaded L.

Sneaker Aftermarket Terminology

Here are key phrases about buying and selling sneakers secondhand:

• Authentication: Verifying that secondhand shoes are 100% genuine before buying/selling. Fakes get through often. Authenticators reject frauds.

• Consigning: Rather than self-selling sneakers, consignors leave shoes at a sneaker shop to sell on their behalf for a cut of proceeds. More hands-off.

• Deadstock defect: Brand new, DS shoes can still have minor defects like glue stains or scuffed soles. Disclosing defects upfront builds seller trust.

• Green light: The buyer approves of the shoes after seeing QC photos, giving the seller the green light to ship.

• No box: Shoes sold without original packaging lower the price. Collectors prefer box included but will buy “no box” for classics.

• Price gouge: Dramatically overpricing shoes on the resell market, often during peak hype periods. Seen as greedy price gouging.

• QC: Quality control and inspection. Sellers provide QC pics of sneakers at all angles so buyers can thoroughly inspect condition before green lighting.

• Refurbished: Used shoes professionally cleaned, fixed up, and restored to like-new condition before reselling. Saves and extends old grails.

• Reputable seller: Sellers with strong feedback ratings and community trust, who sell authentic kicks and ship promptly. Safe bets.

• Yellowing: The oxidation that causes midsoles, especially icy soles, to yellow with age and wear. Yellowing marks are inevitable on old grails.

Lingering Questions?

With so much sneaker slang out there, no one expects you to memorize it all instantly! Refer back to this guide as needed when unfamiliar terms pop up. Soon you’ll be fluent in sneakspeak.

What other slang stumps you? Let me know in the comments below!