5 Mids That Will Make the Perfect Jordan 1 Alternatives!
The best Jordan 1 alternatives are five Air Jordan 1 Mid colorways that will make the perfect budget-friendly substitutes for expensive High OG grails. Priced between $105 and $125 at retail, the Bred, Chicago, Georgetown, Shattered Backboard, and UNC editions save buyers $200 to $1,400 over High OG aftermarket prices.
- Retail Price Advantage: Eight-eyelet editions retail between $105 and $125, compared to $160 to $200 retail for Retro High OG and High ’85 releases.
- Top 5 Colorway Swaps: Covers 1984/1985 Bred, Chicago, Georgetown (2014 `554724-006` vs 2022 High ’85), Shattered Backboard, and UNC palettes.
- Aftermarket Savings: Saves buyers $570 on Breds ($180 vs $750 High) and over $1,400 on Chicagos ($190 vs $1,600 High) per market data.
- Collar Cut Difference: Features an 8-eyelet collar instead of the 9-eyelet high-top collar from 1985.
Why Did Air Jordan 1 Mids Become Popular High OG Substitutes?
Introduced in the early 2000s, the eight-eyelet silhouette lowered Peter Moore’s 1985 collar by roughly one inch. It also moved from nine lace eyelets down to eight. For nearly two decades, purists following the Air Jordan signature lineage overlooked the eight-eyelet cut. They favored nine-eyelet OG retros instead. When nine-eyelet resale prices climbed past $500 between 2020 and 2022, everyday buyers turned to Jordan 1 alternatives at $115 to $125 retail.
That shift sparked a documented surge in Air Jordan 1 Mid demand across secondary marketplaces. Shoppers researching sneaker reselling fundamentals noticed strong secondary demand. Heritage-blocked eight-eyelet colorways routinely traded for $180 to $340 after selling out at $115 retail. New collectors valued the classic look without the four-figure price tag.
How Do the Bred and Chicago Mids Compare to 1984 and 1985 Highs?
Two colorways define Michael Jordan’s 1984-1985 rookie campaign: the Black/Red (“Bred”) and the White/Black/Red (“Chicago”). As chronicled in Complex’s history of the Banned sneakers, the NBA’s 1984 uniform rules inspired famous television commercials. The 2016 nine-eyelet Bred (`555088-001`, $160 retail) averages $750 on resale platforms. Meanwhile, the 2020 Banned release (`554724-074`, $115 retail) delivers almost identical blocking at $180 per market data.
Similarly, the 2015 nine-eyelet Chicago (`555088-101`, $160 retail) commands around $1,600 on the aftermarket. Collectors on a tighter budget can pick up the 2020 Chicago Black Toe (`554724-069`). Another popular option is the 2020 Chicago White Heel (`554724-173`, $115 retail). Both 2020 pairs trade near $190 per market data.
Choosing the 2020 Bred and Chicago eight-eyelet releases over the 2015 and 2016 OG retros delivers 1985 Bulls color blocking while saving more than $1,900 across the two-pair rotation.
How Do Georgetown, Shattered Backboard, and UNC Mids Stack Up?
Three additional collegiate and exhibition colorways round out the five top swaps. In fact, the Georgetown Hoyas palette debuted on the eight-eyelet silhouette (`554724-006`, $105 retail) back in 2014. Collectors waited eight years until April 2022 for the ’85 Georgetown (`BQ4422-400`, $200 retail) to retro the 1985 sample. Both the 2014 release and the 2022 ’85 retro trade near $340 on secondary platforms.
The 2015 Shattered Backboard (`555088-005`, $160 retail) honors an August 1985 Trieste exhibition game. During that match, Michael Jordan shattered a glass backboard on a dunk. That 2015 pair averages $1,050, whereas the 2019 Starfish edition (`554724-058`, $110 retail) trades around $230. Finally, Tar Heels fans can swap the $420 2015 UNC (`555088-117`) for the $210 UNC (`554724-106`, $115 retail).
| Colorway Theme | 8-Eyelet SKU & Retail | 8-Eyelet Resale Avg | 9-Eyelet High OG Resale Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bred / Banned (1984-1985) | `554724-074` ($115) | $180 | $750 (2016 `555088-001`) |
| Chicago Bulls (1985) | `554724-173` ($115) | $190 | $1,600 (2015 `555088-101`) |
| Georgetown Hoyas (2014 vs 2022) | `554724-006` ($105) | $340 | $340 (2022 `BQ4422-400`) |
| Shattered Backboard & UNC | `554724-058` / `106` ($110-$115) | $210 to $230 | $420 to $1,050 |
How Do Mid vs High Resale Spreads and eBay 8% Fees Compare?
Comparing retail baselines against aftermarket prices explains why the 2014 Georgetown (`554724-006`) outperformed the 2022 ’85 retro (`BQ4422-400`) on percentage markup. The 2014 edition retailed at $105 and trades at $340. That produces a $235 gross spread (+223.8% above retail). By comparison, the 2022 Georgetown ’85 retailed at $200 and trades at $340. Its gross spread sits at $140 (+70.0% above retail).
When selling pairs priced at $150 or above, eBay athletic shoe fee rules apply a flat 8% final value fee. On a $340 Georgetown sale, that 8% fee deducts $27.20 and leaves $312.80 net. On a $190 Chicago sale, the 8% deduction removes $15.20. That leaves $174.80 net before shipping costs. Both sellers keep over 90% of the gross sale price.
| Edition & Resale Tier | Retail Price | Gross Sale Price | Net After 8% eBay Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Banned (`554724-074`) | $115 | $180 | $165.60 ($14.40 fee) |
| 2020 Chicago (`554724-173`) | $115 | $190 | $174.80 ($15.20 fee) |
| 2014 Georgetown (`554724-006`) | $105 | $340 | $312.80 ($27.20 fee) |
| 2022 ’85 Georgetown (`BQ4422-400`) | $200 | $340 | $312.80 ($27.20 fee) |
How Does the 8-Eyelet Mid Collar Affect Sizing and Daily Styling?
Both the eight-eyelet cut and the nine-eyelet OG share the exact same rubber cupsole mold. Both also use the same encapsulated heel Air-Sole unit and forefoot width. Because the underfoot tooling is identical, buyers wear their exact true-to-size measurement across both cuts. Wide-footed wearers who go up 0.5 size in nine-eyelet pairs should take that same 0.5-size bump here. Standard feet require no adjustment.
Around the ankle, the slightly lower eight-eyelet collar reduces break-in stiffness. It also prevents the top leather flap from rubbing against the Achilles tendon during long walks. Readers studying how to wear and style Jordans often pair eight-eyelet releases with relaxed cargo pants, shorts, or ribbed crew socks. The lower collar lets cropped hems drape naturally over the tongue.
How Can Buyers Secure High-Demand Mids and Highs at Retail?
General-release colorways appear regularly on Nike.com and Footsites. However, OG-blocked editions like the Banned (`554724-074`) and Chicago (`554724-173`) sell out quickly at $115 to $125 retail. Limited drops often land on the app alongside the top sneaker releases of 2022 and beyond. During those launches, Nike SNKRS Draw procedures use randomized selection windows to allocate pairs.
For first-come, first-served drops on Foot Locker and Shopify boutiques, shoppers follow a sneaker bot setup guide before release morning. Collectors comparing multi-site automation suites evaluate Valor AIO, Cybersole, Stellar AIO, and NikeShoeBot. These tools monitor SKU pages across retailers simultaneously. Tracking both GS ($90-$110 retail) and men’s sizes ($115-$125 retail) maximizes checkout opportunities.
How many lace eyelets does an Air Jordan 1 Mid have compared to a High OG?
An Air Jordan 1 Mid features 8 lace eyelets and a slightly lower collar, whereas an Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG or High ’85 features 9 lace eyelets.
Which colorway released in an 8-eyelet cut eight years before its 2022 High ’85 retro?
The Georgetown Hoyas colorway launched as an 8-eyelet release (`554724-006`) in 2014 for $105 retail, eight years before the 2022 High ’85 Georgetown (`BQ4422-400`, $200 retail).
