Air Jordan Retro XIII 'Flint' '05 vs '10Whether you admit it or not, everyone compares Retro models to OG’s… and in this case Retro to Re-Retro.

The ’05 Flint XIIIs are seen here side by side with the ’10 Flint’s giving us a good look at any changes. Are there any changes? Of course, they may be subtle but they exist. The French Blue side panels are slightly different in shade; the blue insole is replaced with grey and that basically is it as far as materials are concerned.

What is most apparent is the quality, or the lack of quality we should say. The 2005’s are a breath of fresh air disguised in the form of a sneaker. The 2010’s on the other hand look like they are sloppily manufactured to say the least. Now we get what we get with Jordan Brand, especially within the last 3 or 4 years. But isn’t it time they put the ‘Jordan’ back into the Brand? You know, “Quality basketball products inspired by the greatest player ever.”

More images after the jump. And be sure to share your opinions as well.

Air Jordan Retro XIII 'Flint' '05 vs '10Air Jordan Retro XIII 'Flint' '05 vs '10Air Jordan Retro XIII 'Flint' '05 vs '10Air Jordan Retro XIII 'Flint' '05 vs '10Air Jordan Retro XIII 'Flint' '05 vs '10Air Jordan Retro XIII 'Flint' '05 vs '10

Via HoopChina

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20 Comments

  1. Word…thats crazy i can tell the cheap juz lookin at the lil stiched circles on the french blue,on the 05s theyre nice and tight and seem to be in rows…but 2010s they look loose as ****,and they look like theyre all over the place….aaaand it makes the frech blue part look odee rinkled….ima have to see these in person before i put down my hard earned cash on trash like what i see in them pics

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  2. I was so lookin foward to coppin all the 13s but if that is what is to come…i might have to pass

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  3. why is the blue all wrinkled and the pockets are not defined like the 05…thats terrible. Hopefully they will be fixed by release date!

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  4. after looking at this pic… thank GOD I copped mine back in 05'. Looks like imma look forward to coppin the white/black-true red 13s

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  5. @IIIsshAllOverYall… LMAO best said…. guess im going to have to cop dunks and skate shoes till the COOL GREY's come out

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  6. Damn… Thats messed up for the new generation who are being introduced to these. I mean I never had these yet at all and I was planning on getting these, but man if it comes out like this might as well get the true red 13s.

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  7. garbage. the quality on these retro's is getting worse and worse. The VI pack was terrible quality, glossy leather, cheap looking. Hope JB steps up their game.

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  8. Sloppy I hope when they release they don't look like this otherwise imma have to pass on em … Them red 13 tho too fresh must cop

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  9. Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest athlete to ever play any sport. Period. This isn't really about him anymore. His shoes (thanks to the hip hop community) have become more about fashion than quality performance. I grew up in the 80s and 90s with the releases of all the classic shoes. The only kids that had them in my school were either rich or me. I mowed my grandmother's yard all summer long to buy my first pair on my own. I wore them for two years until they just wouldn't fit. Jordan's were made to be played in back then. There was no basketball shoe fasion and people wouldn't dream of wearing a sneaker to their own wedding. The so called sneaker culture is a little world within a world that doesn't matter to anyone but those consumed with collecting and buying these shoes. You think kids in Ethiopia are worried about Jordan's? There worried about food. You ever see a "big boned" Ethiopian? You won't. They are starving to death. Jordan brand is a business. Period. He doesn't play anymore. The idolizing from the youth now fall on Kobe and Lebron. They will never be Air Jordan. Ever. Jordan brand will never release shoes like they did when Nike ran Michael Jordan's contract. That time was special. It will never be duplicated. Just like Jordan. This is as good as it gets. Be thankful you even get to buy or wear shoes that even resemble the awesomeness of his era. Sadly that time is gone. I have og's and retros. They are not the same. You all know it. Buy and accept it, or find a new hero fashionistas!!!

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  10. Let me say something else about quality. You thing Michael Jordan actually sits around with his million dollar life and inspects each and every Jordan shoe that goes out like he did in the CEO commercial. He is out living life just like anyone else would that is worth 500 million dollars. You can't stop buying these shoes because you can't get over how cool you feel to finally have some of them. If Mercedes Benz cars started having poor quality brakes and couldn't stop would you still buy one. I bet some of you chumps would so people will think you are rich or cool because you got a benz. A benz with no breaks. Billy Ho says, You would rather look good and lose.

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  11. Rambo, while i agree with some of what you said, particularly jordan brand: true the quality of the shoes have diminished greatly, especially the last 4-5 years. funny because back in 2005 ppl complained the "flint retros" were garbage as well. yet, they sold out mad quick. even in these replies, you have ppl complaining that the quality of these is terrible, they will pass and buy the true reds? heeelllllo? they are made by the same ppl same more quality, dont expect anything different. in other words money talks and bs walks…

    now rambo getting back to the point i was going to make. to say nike no longer makes quality performance proucts is ludricris. last i checked the joran xxis which dropped in 06 are considered by many to be the best performing basketball shoe from camp jb. jordan only wishes that technology was available in his time. same goes with nike. went from tiny palm sized air sole units to shoes SITTING ON AIR, flywire, etc. the hyperdunk is one of the best basketball shoes nike has probably ever made.the lebron line is another quality line. they might not be the nicest shoes but they damn sure perform… the lebron 6 was a marvel, and the 7u is too, just a preference issue to some zoom vs airmax. if you tried out the 7 ps, you can make comparisons… so to say nike only makes fashion shoes these days is pretty ridiculous if you ask me.

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  12. You are totally right that Nike makes awesome performance shoes. There is no question about that. I have had plenty of them to know what Nike is about. What I meant to put the focus on is just how great Nike was at it when Jordan wasn't there own brand yet back in the 80s and 90s. Back when Nike Air was still on these shoes in some way. Back when Jordans were solely put out by Nike. I too have the 21s and they are amazing, but they aren't a retro. I have only seen one person in the gym playing in them since they came out other than myself. I see retros every day though. I know the new stuff is state of the art in performance. No doubt. However the retro stuff is not the same. With that said, I will still buy retros because I loved these shoes as a kid. I don't complain about quality because I'm just thankful to get them again. I get a buzz just seeing the adds on eastbay with the clothes and the whole retro feel. In the end, its not the shoes as Jordan will plainly tell you that really help your game. I buy them because I like them and their history, quality or not. I am too old to care what other people think about how fashionable I may look in them. We all know Jordan could have beat anybody barefoot. He could crush the league today in some old converse all stars if this was 1985.

    They recalled similac baby formula 2 days ago because they said it had beatles and larva in it. I have a three month old little girl on that stuff. That is the quality I really get concerned about. But you are right, Nike crushes in performance and evolution of athletic shoes. Good post

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  13. Jordan himself is a I DON'T CARE kinda person. So why wouldn't his company be the same way. They aren't made for the love of the game anymore cause the $$$ guess into MJ's pockets now. NOT NIKE alone.

    I had my 1st pair of 12's in Flint gray back in I think 2003 when the 1st retro. Even though I didn't want to I played ball in them. I did cause of the comfort. They had an air pocket in the heel of the shoe and I wore them completely out. I bought them again when the re-retroed and guess what…That air pocket was gone and my leather was inferior to the 1st pair. They even began to lean. Unlike the 1st pair after far more wears…I'll buy J's for my daughter but I'll pass for me unless they show me better quality…And that's bad cause I was 1 of those kids that couldn't get the J's back in the 80's and 90's but can now and I'm passing on something that had me star struck and lusting…

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  14. JB can fuck up a wet dream.STOP THIS SHIT.We spend our hard earned money on your product.WE DESERVE QUALITY SHIT.Our money and support is whats keepoing you cock suckers around so stop shittin on loyal customers/sneakerheads.

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  18. I agree with alot that everyone said up top but look at like this, just like many other money hungry companies in this world Jordan Brand is one as well. The cheaper the materials the more money they get to keep in theu pockets. In 97'they didn't have cheaper materials similar to leather or that looked like leather. They had leather and if they wanted to make the shoe they had to use what they It wasn't about quality or nothing thats just what they had to work with. And now today technologies have advanced and now u got other materials to choose from like Real Leather, Looks like real leather, and pleather smh lol all i'm saying is just like the quality of food has gone down over the years so is clothes shoes etc. Think about it…a while ago you could buy a leather jacket for 99 bucks at Wilson's leather, now If you want a real leather jacket you gotta come out your pocket a couple hundred bucks. Resources ain't like they used to be where people could just get stuff wwith no care for tomorrow. The future as we dream it is starting to fade day by day….even through a pair of shoes..Peace.

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  19. Nike is on some bullshit. They should be embarrassed to put out a product that looks like this along with previous retro products. Now Nike put out a disclaimer regarding fakes. But the quality of the retros coming out now are really no different them the quality of the fakes. I say true Jordan sneaker heads should Boycott Nike across the world and not buy these bullshit products when they come out.

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  20. At the end of the day hou gone either buy them or not so stop complaining that man can do whatever he wants with his brand yall not buying them is not gone hurt his pockets.

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