Nike Kolat 2000s

Size 10.5 Blue Nike Kolat 2000s.  Sold for $400 in August.

Being from Pennsylvania myself, Cary Kolat has always been one of my favorite wrestlers, and his signature shoes, are also at the top of my list.  For anyone that has been a user of Flickr for a long time, they may remember my username at one point being OG_Nolat, named after these legendary shoes.

I've owned probably five or six pair of these over the years of collecting, and have very few complaints.  These shoes, as long as the soles aren't dry-rotted, grip very well and are extremely comfortable.  Looks-wise, I think most would agree these shoes are hard to top.

The only recommendation I have for anyone looking to buy a pair of these, or any of Kolat's signature shoes, is to buy them a size big.  Not a half size, a whole size.  These shoes are a premier example of "running small".  I'm not picky.  I can wear size 10-11 in any shoe I've owned, and even at times I've worn 9.5, but not with these.  Last year I picked up a pair of blue kolats, size 10.5, and they were so tight I wore them for about two hours and my feet hurt so bad I had to change out of them.

Kolats are awesome shoes, but if you plan on owning a pair of them, get your wallet ready.  A pair in mint condition can rake in well over $500.  The last pair I sold was in August and they're the ones pictured above.  They were in good condition, with minimal wear and good soles, and they sold for $400.  Like any shoe, condition is everything.  In very poor condition I've seen these go for as low as $100.

I wouldn't recommend making these your every match shoes, just because of the steep price and the rarity of these shoes, but they make for a great shoe for special occasions such as the finals of tournaments.