Release Date: TBD

The Ultra Boost has become ubiquitous in sneaker culture over the past few years, with adidas’ running silhouette garnering attention (and plenty of sales) among many pockets of consumers. For its 2019 Independence Day special edition, adidas called on the legendary streetwear shop Undefeated for a pared down patriotic look.

Sticking with a predominantly white knit Boost sneaker (arguably its most popular version), only a tiny touch of red and blue was necessary to make this collab pop. The Undefeated “Five Strikes” logo sits on both shoes with the star-laden laces rounding out the design. It’s a great way of tapping into the pomp and circumstance of the holiday without going overboard.

Photos first surfaced in January 2019, and while a release date has yet to be officially announced, all signs point to 4th of July being the right moment. Even if this stays among friends and family, this is a straightforward winner.

Release Date: June 23, 2013

This quickstrike release retailed originally for $120 back in 2013, but after snapping a few photos of then-Nike signee Kanye West in these Independence Day Air Max 90 Hyperfuses, these kicks have turned into resale gold. All three colorways of this sneaker fetch solid returns on the aftermarket, ranging from $450-$550, with the Yeezy-endorsed red pair being the most sought after (of course).

The Air Max 90 is one of the most popular Nike models of all time. That timeless design combined with the light and airy features of the Hyperfuse construction, make these sneakers perfect for summertime cookouts. The design is simple and bold, with three variations of solid red, white or blue colorways, each with an American flag emblazoned on the tongue.

Leave it to Yeezy to breathe some hype into an Independence Day quickstrike. They’re not quite the Red Octobers, but they’ll definitely turn some heads at the BBQ.

Release Date: June 23, 2017

The New Balance 990 has long been a favorite amongst dads and fashion aficionados alike, especially its ubiquitous grey colorway, but this “Stars and Stripes” take by DTLR does a good job of preserving that classic shoe while adding just the right amount of American flag flair.

The shoe is predominantly navy suede and grey mesh, with red, white and a lighter shade of blue sprinkled on logos, lace holes and the tongue for good measure. Inside, there is a custom red and blue stars and stripes insole.

Nothing about this sneaker (other than the insole) screams “patriotic” or “Independence Day” and that’s what makes it so good. This could have been just another colorway rolled out at any point during the year. Sometimes a little bit goes a long way.

Release Date: June 25, 2015

Like the above Hyperfuse which released two years earlier, the Nike Sock Dart Independence Day 3-Pack once again took advantage of a simple yet bold design, giving us three different patriotic pairs just in time for July 4th back in 2015.

This iteration doesn’t come with the hype of a Yeezy paparazzi picture and the corresponding resale prices, but they provide the same simplistic take on a sleek Nike silhouette. The red pair once again stands out, but it’s the decision to not include any 4th of July symbolism—a custom insoles, flag on the tongue, any splash of complementary colors whatsoever—that make this a no frills selection.

Nike could have slapped a flag on there somewhere, but instead chose to let the colors and the sneaker do the talking. They may not be over the top, but they certainly work.

Release Date: June 18, 2014

Over the years, J.Crew has done quite a few collaborations with sneaker companies, most notably with Nike and its Killshot model, but it has also churned out quite a few with New Balance. This Independence Day take on the 998 might be one of its best yet.

Released in 2014, the Independence Day 998 sold well out of the gate and is J.Crew’s best performing sneaker on resale sites, selling for around $240 a pair, well above its original $175 retail price. It features a suede upper with fleece lining and an ABZORB sole. The creamy suede with the red and navy accents work really well together, making this collaboration ideal for summers at the beach, should you be so lucky.

The 998 doesn’t grab headlines or populate Fashion Week like the 990 does, but when put in the right hands, it can certainly do the trick.

Release Date: June 28, 2018

Even Raf Simons couldn’t resist getting in on the 4th of July sneaker trend during his time collaborating with adidas on his Ozweego model.

This take on the Ozweego is in a completely different stratosphere than the other shoes on list. From a design standpoint, it has a very deconstructed look to it, with openings all around the shoe, allowing you to show off your socks. From a color standpoint, Raf throws a dulled pink shade into this look, completely veering away from the traditional red, white and blue elements the rest of our selections stay true to. Fom a price standpoint, these retailed for $450 when they released in 2018, far more than the other shoes on this list.

Everyone wants a piece of an Independence Day sneaker, whether it be a discount basketball sneaker from the outlets or a deconstructed silhouette from one of the most popular fashion designers in the world.

Release Date: July 2, 2015

The Air Max 95 is one of the crown jewels of Nike design. Instead of its traditional gradient color scheme, this Independence Day take from 2015 focuses on the primary red, white and navy blue colors, which, combined with that inimitable design, make for a really sharp sneaker.

It gives off heavy Olympic vibes as well with the gold Nike logo on the back and the gum sole; you could almost envision the men’s basketball team wearing these around the Olympic village during their downtime. The bright red body of the shoe gives way to white accents on the small swoosh and outsole, as well as the navy interior. Those little touches really make this shoe pop and stand out amongst a sea of patriotic mediocrity.

These originally retailed for $170 in 2015 and can now be had much cheaper on resale markets It’s not a hype shoe by any means, but it’s a really solid 4th of July sneaker that will certainly do the job all summer.

Release Date: July 1, 2017

There have been countless takes on the Independence Day theme from the incomparable Nike Air Force 1 over the years. [2018](https://sneakernews.com/2018/05/31/nike-air-force-1-low-gs-independence-day-pack-release-date/ took the “plain” route like the aforementioned Sock Darts and Air Max 90 Hyperfuse, giving the masses three tonal red, white and blue colorways. 2014 went a completely different direction with an all-encompassing American flag sneaker. 2017 lands somewhere in between, with a more unique variation of the Independence Day colorway.

Still very reminiscent of Old Glory itself, the color blocking on this AF1 gives us a look different than the other designs on this list. The gold accents are a nice touch as well, much like the aforementioned Air Max 95. The red swoosh pops against the navy, giving the shoe a patriotic look without being kitschy.

It’s hard to mess up an Air Force 1, but the 2017 version, however, gives us all the classic elements of a great Independence Day sneaker.

Release Date: June 26, 2014

There have been so many great USA colorways on basketball sneakers donned by the world’s greatest ballers at the Olympics. These red, white and blue LeBron XI weren’t created for the Summer Olympics, but you could totally see LeBron taking the medal stand receiving his gold in these beauties.

Hoop shoes that originate as high-tops don’t always translate when the low top variations inevitably start to come out. These lows buck that trend, proving to be a worthy Independence Day sneaker.

Like a lot of shoes on this list, they rely on the red (as one should), accented in this case by dotted navy laces with a great white swoosh pulling it all together. Opting for navy over royal is a win, as many of these sneakers have also figured out, and the white full length air bubble really ties the whole thing together. One of the few shoes on this list that work equally well on the court or at the BBQ this July.

Release Date: July 1, 2011

It wouldn’t be a list without an Air Jordan and this 4th of July version of the Jordan V is a worthy nominee.

The Independence Day Jordan V didn’t make a lot of noise upon its release in 2011—non-OG releases often don’t lately—but that doesn’t make it a bad shoe. In fact, it’s a really clean colorway to celebrate the holiday, with only minor color changes that are reminiscent of a Fire Red colorway with navy instead of black. The paint splatters on the outsole is a welcome design tweak as well.

Going simple on the Jordan V is a great call by the design team. When you have the lace locks, air max bubble and mesh netting on the sides, just keeping it simple with the red, white and blue color scheme is the move. The blue shade is listed as obsidian, but it’s still light enough to give off the patriotic vibes this sneaker ultimately represents.