A Blind Paralympian Breaks Down How to Identify Different Types of Jordans
For most sneakerhead Nike Air Jordans are a permanent fixture of their footwear obsession and one sneakerhead is proving that the love for Jordans is about much more than just looks. The blind Paralympic athlete Lex Gillette shared a guide to identifying different Jordan types using just his sense of touch.
"A lot of people in general wonder, 'Lex, how are you able to identify your J's when you're blind, you can't see anything?'" Gillette starts off his video. Posting to his Twitter, the four-time Paralympic medalist and self-professed sneakerhead, shared his tips for recognizing Air Jordan models. Here's a breakdown of identifiers for Jordan types in Gillette's own words.
Air Jordan 1
“These are the easiest Jordans to identify, right off the bat you have the Nike check on the side. And then you have the emblem up here on the high ankle [...] those two things right here just alone, that lets me know that these are Jordan 1's [...] the heel is flat, that’s an identifier as well for me.”
Air Jordan 4
“The identifier for me with the 4's goes with the strap. It creates this triangular shape that leads up to the shoelaces. And then it also has the mesh on the side.”
Air Jordan 6
"I love 6's. On the back it has this loop […] this is one identifier for me. Then I move to the front of the shoe where the tongue is, on the left and right there are holes in here. And then it has the Jordan embossed in a linear fashion on the front.”
Air Jordan 11
“Absolute classic! The Jordan 11's, patent leather around the back the sides the front that is an undeniable feel. You have the Jordan logo up here, always in this position, and then the other thing with the 11's is that the shoelaces are significantly thicker on the 11’s than any of the other retros. The 11s are definitely another classic, easy to identify.”
Watch Lex Gillette's incredible video below.
