Alright, so I finally got around to grabbing those Jordan 4s, the black and yellow ones. Some folks call ’em the ‘Thunder’ release, but honestly, ‘Bumblebee’ works just as well, right? Been seeing pictures floating around again and figured it was time to add a pair to my rotation.
Getting Started
First thing, you know how it is these days. Getting your hands on popular sneakers isn’t like just walking into a store anymore. I started checking the usual apps, you know the ones. Set reminders for the drop times. It’s always a bit of a gamble, feels like playing the lottery sometimes.
I also put my name in for a few online raffles. Didn’t really expect much, usually end up taking an ‘L’ as they say. Called a couple of my local sneaker spots too, just to see if they were getting any stock and how they were handling the release. Same old story, mostly raffles or first-come-first-served, which gets crazy fast.
The Process
Drop day came. Had the app open, ready to go. Clicked right at the time… processing, processing… and then, SOLD OUT. Yep, happened on two different apps. Standard stuff, really. Was a bit bummed, thought maybe I’d have to hit the resale market, which I really try to avoid.
But then, maybe an hour later, I got a notification from one of the raffles I entered. Winner! Couldn’t believe it actually. Scored them for retail price. That felt pretty good, I gotta say. Way better than paying double or triple later on.
- Checked email confirmation
- Double-checked shipping address
- Waited (im)patiently for shipping updates
Unboxing and First Impressions
The box showed up a few days later. Just the standard Jordan box, nothing out of the ordinary there. Opened it up. That new sneaker smell hit me first. Always kinda like that part. Pulled them out. Man, that yellow really stands out against the black nubuck material. Looks sharp.
I gave them a good look-over.
Quality seemed pretty solid. Stitching looked clean, no major glue stains or anything obvious. The shape looked right. Felt good in hand. The materials felt decent, maybe not super premium, but definitely good for a general release Jordan.
Wearing Them
Okay, so first time putting them on feet. Jordan 4s are usually a bit stiff right out of the box, and these were no different. Needed some breaking in. They fit true to size for me, same as my other 4s. Walked around the house a bit. Not the absolute most comfortable sneaker ever made, let’s be real, but they’re not bad either. It’s more about the look with these, anyway.
Wore them out for the first time just running some errands. They definitely turn heads. The color blocking is bold. Got a couple of comments on them, mostly positive. They feel sturdy on foot. Only thing I’m already thinking about is keeping that black nubuck clean. That stuff attracts dust like crazy. Gotta have a brush handy.
Final Thoughts
Overall, really happy I managed to grab these. The whole process is still a bit annoying, the apps, the raffles, the sell-outs… it takes effort. But getting them for retail makes it feel worthwhile. They look great, feel solid, and it’s a classic colorway. Definitely a good pickup. They won’t be my daily beaters, gotta keep ’em looking reasonably fresh, you know? But yeah, the ‘Bumblebee’ 4s are officially in the collection.
