Hey guys! My name is Dylan Ley. I’m a content creator from San Diego, California. I make YouTube videos and post content on Instagram!

How many pairs do you currently have? Are you planning on keeping that number steady or growing/decreasing it?

I have around 100 pairs of sneakers! It’s definitely a lot for one person, even as a sneaker content creator! I hope to keep the number steady. I do my best to sell off pairs I don’t really wear so that I can justify buying newer releases that catch my eye! 

You seem to have a special love for New Balance, why is that?

My love for New Balance stems from their quality, readily-available, good-looking GRs. When I first started out as a sneakerhead, I was mostly into Nike, Jordan, and Adidas sneakers. I, like most people, was tired of always taking L’s and having to watch the resale market for great sneakers. This was frustratingly true for even regular GR models. I didn’t get why you had to break your back just to get GR and/or shell out even more money for a mass-produced Asian-made sneaker utilizing (at best) mediocre materials. Before I became a content creator myself, I was an avid watcher of sneaker YouTube videos. When New Balance started to gain some popularity at the end of 2019/start of 2020, channels I watched started featuring the 990 model, as well as high-profile collabs. The 990 being made in the USA really intrigued me and the looks of some of the special collabs made me interested in the GRs of the models they were using. And that’s how it started! I bought my first two pairs of New Balances: the MiUSA 998 “Fishing Blue” and the 997S “Grey Oak”. A quality, American made shoe and a fire, readily-available GR colorway of a silhouette utilized on a high-profile collab (The Bodega No Days off and No Bad Days collabs). Feeling the difference in quality on an American made shoe and the experience of getting a very fire looking shoe for retail was a breath of fresh air for me! Fast forward to today, New Balance definitely has a lot of high-profile collabs that sell out instantly, but you still have PLENTY of alternatives if you aren’t able to grab those highly sought-after collabs. You have the many Teddy Santis Made In USA GRs that are sitting in great size runs, some of which go on sale at boutiques! And if the Made In USA and UK models are too expensive, no problem! New Balance still has great quality, fire GRs on models like the 580, 9060, 574, and 2002R/1906R! Being able to get fire pairs with good quality without having to break your back to attain is why New Balance gets a lot of love from me! 

Do you normally buy sneakers in physical stores or online?

I normally buy sneakers online. While there are definitely upsides to buying sneakers in physical stores, buying online just has too many advantages. You get bigger selection, access to multiple storefronts at once, more size selection, being able to shop without having to drive to a specific location, and access to aftermarket sites: a frequently used resource I use for copping sneakers, both old and new! 

Have you bought anything in 2023 so far?

I have bought a good amount of sneakers in 2023! My favorite New Balance collab I’ve gotten so far is the Bodega 610. Bodega killed it with this collab; it has a lot of different colors, elevated materials, and small details that fit the 610 model well! My favorite New Balance GR I’ve gotten so far is the Teddy Santis 990v2 in the Purple/Yellow colorway. I’m a big fan of louder colorways, so this release was perfect for me! My favorite non-NB pickup this year is the Saucony Shadow 5000 “Patchwork”. I absolutely love corduroy as a material for lifestyle sneakers, so this loud colorway on the Shadow 5000 was a must-cop for me, especially at a discounted price!

Do you already know what your next purchase will be?

My next purchase will probably be the Lapis Lazuli Action Bronson 990v6. This collab is really fire and I think every color utilized on it work really well together! Unfortunately, I was unable to get a W on any raffle or FCFS release for it, so I’m really hoping that resale won’t be as bad as people eventually get their pairs in hand!

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