My Kobe 6 All Star Journey
Alright, let’s talk about the Kobe 6 All Star. Man, those things bring back memories. It wasn’t just about the shoe itself, you know? It was everything tied up with that time.
I remember when they first dropped back in 2011. I was really into sneakers then, still am, but back then it felt different. More raw, maybe? Anyway, I saw pictures of the All Star colorway, that red and black with the gradient, the specific texture. Instantly knew I wanted them. Like, really wanted them.
Getting them wasn’t easy. It never was with hyped Kobe releases. I wasn’t living in a big city with lots of stores. My options were:
- Try my luck online, which was basically a lottery against bots even then.
- Drive a couple of hours to the nearest city with a decent sneaker shop and hope.
I decided to make the drive. Took a day off from my job. Thinking back about that job… wow. It was this dead-end position at a warehouse, packing boxes. Long hours, pay was just enough to scrape by, and the manager was always breathing down your neck. Saving up for anything, even shoes, felt like a major achievement. So taking a day off, spending gas money, it was a big deal for me, all riding on maybe getting these Kobes.
Got to the city, went straight to the store. There was already a line, of course. Waited for hours. Felt like a mix of excitement and dread. You know that feeling? Finally got near the front, people coming out with boxes. My turn comes… and they’re out of my size. Just like that. All that effort, the day off, the gas money… for nothing. Felt pretty low driving back, not gonna lie. It felt kinda symbolic of where I was at the time – working hard, trying to get something cool, something for myself, and just hitting a wall.
It’s funny how things work out though. That whole experience, wanting those shoes so bad and missing out, it stuck with me. It wasn’t just about the sneakers anymore. It was about that feeling of trying and failing, tied to that specific time in my life and that lousy job.
Why am I bringing up that old job?
Because about six months after that sneaker hunt, the warehouse had massive layoffs. They called a bunch of us into the main office, real cold and corporate, just told us our positions were eliminated. No real warning. I was stunned, then angry, then actually… relieved? It forced me to figure something else out. Went back to doing some night classes I’d started and stopped. Got a certification in IT support a year later. Landed a much better job, desk job, regular hours, treated like a person. Started actually saving some money, not just scraping by.
Years passed. Then they released the Protro version of the Kobe 6 All Star. Saw them online. That same feeling hit me, but different this time. It wasn’t desperation. It was just… nostalgia? I went online, clicked around, and actually managed to buy a pair. No crazy lines, no wasted day off. Just bought them.
When they arrived, I opened the box. Looked just like I remembered. Holding them felt… weirdly satisfying. Not just because I finally had the shoe, but because it reminded me of how far I’d come from that guy waiting hours in line after driving hours from a job he hated. It’s just a shoe, right? But sometimes, these things become markers for chapters in your life.
So yeah, the Kobe 6 All Star. It’s a great-looking shoe, iconic even. But for me, it’s always gonna be tied to that whole period. The struggle, the change, and finally getting something I wanted, but on my own terms this time. Weird how sneakers can do that.
