Why Are Jordan 1 Mids Hated? 7 Reasons

If you are a sneaker lover delving into the world of collectible high-quality Jordans, you’ll soon find yourself surrounded by videos and articles criticizing and denouncing the Jordan 1 Mids. All of the opinionated media coverage is enough to ask, ‘Why are the one mids hated?’ but more importantly, ‘Is it justified?’.

Although there are various reasons provided by media influencers regarding their ‘hatred’ towards the 1 Mids, the most popular among them are ‘the weak resell value’ and ‘lack of popular interest.’ The ‘Mids’ are constantly compared to the ‘Highs’ and fail to intrigue sneakerheads.

Not only do most sneakerheads agree on the subject, but famous media outlets also bring some attention to the issue with humorous videos and open discussions. So, let’s take a more detailed look at the reasons for the disappointment and hatred and assess whether it’s justified. 

What Are The Most Common Reasons Jordan 1 Mids Are Hated?

Most sneaker enthusiasts collect Jordans to resell them once they reach a desirable price that is considered valuable. For most sneakerheads, the main issue is purely financial, Highs, are worth more than Mids. 

Of course, not all sneakerheads purchase Jordans only to flip them, but the market and trends are dominated by enthusiasts looking for the best opportunities that give them a considerable profit.

Collecting and flipping sneakers takes a lot of energy and recourses to effectively and successfully manage. Sneakerheads won’t invest the same amount of energy on the Mids if they are able to get their hands on the Highs, as the financial reward is much higher with the latter than the former.

One can argue that 1 Mids lack resell value because there is minimal interest concerning ‘hype’ and ‘celebrity status.’ The lack of general widespread cultural interest is a concern for most sneaker buyers as they are influenced by the preferences of most collectors, especially celebrities.

Jordan Highs and Lows have years of history and countless support from the community as well as celebrities. Although not completely devoid of history, the Mids became the in-between shoe that succeeded in neither being as glamorous as the High nor as effective as the low; as a result, it struggled to truly find a place in the sneaker society. 

Ironically, the sneaker-collecting culture we know today can be traced back specifically to the Mids in general, but more on this to come. 

Regardless, the perception of 1 Mids is slowly changing in the sneaker community thanks to “The last dance” docuseries and growing general interest among celebrities and fashion designers like Melody Ehsani.

Although the general disinterest in the shoe is no longer the norm, sneakerheads have mentioned some other concerns worth noting.

1. It’s The Shoe You Settle For

Much like the Rolls Royce Ghost to the Phantom, the 1 Mids is the shoe you buy when you can’t get what you want. Hence, the shoe became a symbol of the inability to get the Highs instead of an effective alternative. 

It’s worth mentioning that most alternatives take some time to find a space in the market where they can thrive, and part of the settling process includes ridicule from die-hard sneaker fans. 

Nevertheless, the Mids went through some trials and tribulations, and it’s starting to find a place in the market among sneakerheads. 

Currently, 1 Mids are growing in popularity but are still widely available at affordable prices, making them easy to acquire but often falling short in exclusivity. Although not yet highly collectible, prices are drastically increasing, especially in the women’s market. 

Mids might have started as the shoe you settle for, but current trends indicate that it’s a shoe worth collecting. 

2. The Mids Are Cheaper With Weaker Materials 

Originally designed in the late 80s according to Jordan’s preferred specifications, the Mids quickly went through some changes for Nike to satisfy their customers. During the 90s, Japan experienced a surge of customers collecting their favorite pairs, leading to the Mids specifically catered to them. 

Co.JP (Concept Japan) made a collection of sneakers that were smaller, fashionable, and most notably available at reasonable prices. One of the reasons 1 Mids was more affordable is that the materials used were cheaper than the Highs, especially if they were releasing similar models with identical colorways. 

For example, Highs will have pure leather, whereas Mids will use synthetic leather. Needless to say, this alters the overall look of the shoe, and once again, if you compare the shoe side by side, the differences are easy to spot. 

Besides the difference in materials, some shoes also lack the added padding at the tongue and back, as well as the sturdy protection at the toes. 

Although the ‘weaker’ versions are not the case with all the 1 Mids, collectors and sneakerheads perceived them as lesser shoes regardless of the fact that they were specially designed to be more affordable and accessible than the Highs. 

3. The Logo Designs and Colors Are Unattractive

The color choices and designs differ a lot among various editions and series. Still, there have been a lot of complaints from sneakerheads regarding the general color pallets and logo pattern of the 1 Mids. 

Sneakerheads have complained about the logo at the top of the ankle as an unnecessary and abrupt addition that looks more like a sticker than a planned design. Besides the logo, there has been a general disappointment regarding the colors themselves due to the weaker materials.

Although there have been some complaints, many feel differently about the colors as the more expensive materials, like leather, tend to shine under certain lighting, making them unattractive to some collectors. 

4. They Are Uncomfortable

Originally, in the late 1980s, Mids were designed by Tinker Hatfield as an ideal shoe for Jordan as the Highs, and the Lows were too uncomfortable to play with. Ironically enough, some sneakerheads have complained that the Mids are not comfortable.

Although this might seem like an unnecessary complaint as the original goal was to make it more comfortable to play with, it’s worth noting that the shoe was designed to specifically be more effective on the basketball court, which might make it less attractive as a casual shoe. 

Regardless, the 1 Mids shares a strong similarity with the Highs besides the few inches that are cut from the top and some shoes lacking extra padding, but overall, the Mids are still a good shoe that is produced by the same company branches with the same procedures. 

5. Purist And Traditionalist Sneakerheads Are Not Impressed

In the sneaker world, as in many other collectible fields of interest, collectors are mostly interested in what was first. For the most part, the Highs have a rich history and made a massive impact on the sneaker world, making it valuable in culture because it was the first and original shoe.

Purist and traditionalist sneakerheads are neither impressed with the alterations of the Mids nor its impact on society. As far as they are concerned, the alteration to the Highs should have only been for the benefit of Micheal Jordan without it becoming a marketable middle-class shoe. 

Although the 1 Mids are not as financially rewarding or perceived as culturally significant as the Highs, there was a major interest in Japan for them. The more affordable prices, as well as the lack of interest, made it possible to collect a lot of different pairs as they were readily available. 

6. It Is Seen As A Woman’s Shoe

Most of the hatred towards Mids, in general, is generated by the male sneakerheads as most female representatives find the prices more agreeable and the smaller design more ideal. As a result, the separation between male buyers and the Mids grew even larger as it was seen as a woman’s shoe. 

Although Japanese collectors, male and female, have been collecting and wearing various collections for over a decade, American buyers only gravitated towards it once interest exponentially started growing under women. 

Due to the increased interest among women, a lot of the marketing was dedicated toward them, further cementing the disappointment of the men.

Currently, there are a lot of light pastel colorways available, which buyers claim are feminine colors but series like the “Jordan 1 Mid GS Banned” are bright red and black, resembling certain original traits. 

Besides the different available series, the interest in Mids is increasing in the women’s market, and time will tell if this will increase sales among men or inhibit it.

7. It Became A Joke Due To The Lack Of ‘Hype’

Due to a lack of general interest regarding the 1 Mids, social media started joking about the ‘failure’ of the shoe, which made owners of the Mids feel like the butt of the joke. 

To avoid embarrassment or social ridicule, some buyers that were easily influenced by the media opted not to buy the 1 Mids. Although this case seems rare, there are hundreds of humorous videos mocking the Mids, and it takes no stretch of the imagination to know how that can impact the minds and habits of young buyers. 

Is The Hatred Towards Mids Justified?

There are many different reasons sneakerheads refer to as a means of justifying their disappointment regarding the 1 Mids. In some cases, they are understandable, but others seem like a step too far.

For the most part, especially regarding finances, the opinions of sneaker collectors are justified. 1 Mids lack general interest in the American market and, as a result, are not financially rewarding or extremely valuable. 

So, if you’re looking to collect a shoe and flipping it for the most value a few years down the line, the Highs are better options for the time being. 

However, regarding cultural importance or impact on the market, sneaker culture and collectible experimental series were only possible with the explosion of the Mids in the Japanese market. 

CO.JP cultivated a world of sneaker collecting that has been dominating countries worldwide. The Mids are a vital aspect concerning experimental designs and the culture of sneaker collecting. 

Although some of the Mids are made more affordable, they are still considered luxury shoes making it hard to believe that the designs are completely flawed and uncomfortable. 

Therefore, besides the financial aspect of flipping Jordan’s, there isn’t much merit in the hatred towards the 1 Mids. Most hatred and ‘issues’ stem from media influencers who passionately share opinions.

Conclusion

1 Mids are indeed ‘hated’ by sneakerheads worldwide, mostly because they are not as financially rewarding as the Highs when collecting. Most of them are more affordable versions of the ‘originals,’ which gives the impression of a shoe playing second fiddle to the real deal; however, most of the hatred is unnecessary, and the Mids are certainly not a terrible shoe.

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