SOTY 2026: Beyond the Swoosh

Every year, sneaker of the year lists get the same pushback: too much Nike, too much Jordan.

2026 was no exception. Complex's mid-year Sneaker of the Year rankings opened with a Jordan, a Jordan, and an Air Force 1. Those are great shoes. But they're not the whole story.

So we asked what the lineup looks like without them altogether. This is part three of our unranked sneakers of the year (so far), and it's the biggest list in the series.

The EQL sneakers of the year 2026 series

SOTY 2026: Most Global
SOTY 2026: Gen Z Favs
SOTY 2026: Beyond the Swoosh (you're here)

How we built Beyond the Swoosh

The rule is simple: no Nike family. That means no Nike, no Jordan, and no Converse. From there, we looked at four signals across EQL launches this year: demand, hype, unique fans, and first-timers.

The other two lists in this series have five pairs each. This one has ten. Why? The bench outside Nike ran deep in 2026, and we couldn't resist.

adidas Adistar Jellyfish x Pharrell "Royal Blue"

Pharrell's Jellyfish had already won Footwear News' 2025 Shoe of the Year before this colorway went wide. The wave-like midsole is "inspired by the floating gills of a jellyfish," with a layered mesh exoskeleton and glow-in-the-dark details, according to adidas. "Royal Blue" first appeared as a limited Las Vegas exclusive before getting its global moment.

adidas Superstar x Sp5der

Young Thug's Sp5der gave the Superstar patent leather, a debossed web, and stripes shifted toward the toe, per Sole Retriever. It also landed on our Gen Z Favs list, which tells you how wide its pull was.

ASICS GEL-KAYANO 12.1 x VANDYTHEPINK

Food-coded design from a Virginia label with a global following. The two-pack's "Vanilla" pair reads like a Neapolitan scoop, per Hypebeast. It made our Most Global list too.

ASICS x EARLS Collection

Former pro rugby league player Lewi Brown built his second ASICS collaboration around home. The insoles recreate the carpet from the house he grew up in, and the white boot in the collection is the one he never had as a kid, he told Sneaker Freaker. It's one of the most personal releases of the year. See the GEL-CUMULUS 16 on ASICS.

New Balance 1890 x Joe Freshgoods

Joe Freshgoods and New Balance have a long history, and EQL has been part of it since their 990v4 launch. His take on the 1890 pulls from 1990s rap and R&B music videos, per Hypebeast. Nice Kicks has the release details. More at New Balance.

Reebok Board Flip x Icecream

A 2005 original came home. The Board Flip first launched with Pharrell, BBC ICECREAM, and NIGO among its creators, and this year the "Watermelon" pair returned alongside a new "Pink Lemonade," per Hypebeast. It's still built to be skated. Read more from ICECREAM or shop it at Reebok.

Salomon XT-4 x Feid

Feid's neon green XT-4 started as a 100-pair run he wore on stage in 2024 before fans finally got their shot this year, per Sneaker Freaker. It also made our Gen Z Favs list.

Saucony Endorphin Pro 5 x MINTED NY

Marcus and Shawn Milione's chrome Endorphin Pro 5 is a real race shoe with a carbon plate, launched first in London before going global, per Saucony. Catch it in our Most Global list, too.

Saucony Grid Jazz 9 x Westside Gunn "Awesome God"

Released on Westside Gunn Day in Buffalo, the "Awesome God" Grid Jazz 9 wears a multi-tone faux-fur upper with iridescent leather, so no two pairs are identical, plus an embroidered scorpion in the heel window, according to Saucony. It draws from his "Flygod Is An Awesome God" trilogy, and EQL powered the launch. Hypebeast has the full breakdown.

Vans LX Old Skool 36 "Pearlized" Pack

Vans LX Old Skool 36 Pearlized sneaker with pearl details on the Sidestripe

The only pack on the list without a named collaborator, and it didn't need one. Built on the original 1977 Style 36 shape, the "Pearlized" pairs add pearls and jewels to the Sidestripe, toe, and heel, with aged midsoles and laces, per SoleSavy. More at Vans.

What Beyond the Swoosh tells us

Seven brands. Ten releases. Runners, skaters, rappers, a reggaeton star, a rugby league player, and a food-obsessed designer from Virginia. The energy outside the Nike family in 2026 came from collaborators with real stories, and fans showed up for every one of them.

For brands, the lesson is that fans don't need a Swoosh to show up. They need a story worth entering for and a launch they trust. If you're planning your next one, our guide to creating a launch strategy is a good place to start.

Which one deserves the top spot?

We left the ranking to you. Tell us on Instagram. And if you missed the first two parts, catch up on Most Global and Gen Z Favs. For our take on why the culture needs more connection and less chaos, read Ten years of ComplexCon.

Congratulations to every brand and collaborator who made the list.