Verdict from 100+ user reviews
7 reasons to buy
- The majority of the wearers emphasize that the Reebok BB 4600 is a silhouette that transcends time and style.
- Fans of Reebok shoes highlight that the comfort level on this shoe is superb.
- Several users describe that the leather on this retro model feels softer than the original version.
- Numerous collectors of sneakers share that the near-OG resemblance is nostalgic from when they were rocking this trainer in the 80s.
- Most of the customers emphasize that the retro design gives it an overall authentic vintage vibe.
- A few individuals declare that this basketball-inspired kick provides excellent support to the foot and ankle.
- The price comes at a very reasonable rate, considering the timelessness it affords the wearer, quips a handful of purchasers.
3 reasons not to buy
- Quite a handful of reviewers express their disappointment that the ankle collar is not as hi-top as the OG.
- Some testers exclaim that the forefoot feels too narrow even for narrow-footed users.
- A couple of users mention that they wish there were more color variations to choose from.
Bottom line
Adding to the basketball-inspired roster of Reebok, the BB 4600 is a great iteration of the 1986 release. Retaining most of its authentic silhouette, this modified high-cut sneaker offers the same familiar comfort, support, and stability of the earliest version.
Having the OG color variation available makes the shoe hunters feel like they had purchased or repurchased a pair from when it was first launched, along with the sentimental memories attached to it.
Tip: see the best sneakers.
Good to know
The Reebok BB4600 is exclusively available in men’s sizing. Plenty of reviewers share that the forefoot area feels narrow and recommend going half a size up to allow ample space for the toes.
The 8-prong lace punchouts ensure the tightness of the flat laces for a snug fit. Depending on one’s fashion preference, opting to lace-up until the sixth eyelet gives it a more loose fit and showcasing Reebok’s Starcrest logo. Additionally, providing support to the ankle is the well-padded heel collar.
Evoking a nostalgic silhouette, this basketball style 4600 makes for a fashion outfit that surpasses time, generation, and style trends, similar to the rest of retro style shoes from Reebok.
- Capture the perfect old-school-meet-contemporary attire by throwing on a vintage-printed shirt, tucked into a flowy midi skirt, and some BB4600 on feet in the white/yellow/blue color variation.
- Fashion should be beyond on-court and off to the streets in black skinny ripped jeans, denim long-sleeved polo, a fedora hat, and the 1986 OG color in white/red for that no-fail look.
One defining difference from the 1986 version is the modified height that most sneaker collectors instantly notice. The 2019 model of the BB 4600 comes with a much shorter heel collar but retains the same amount of padding to provide enough ankle support.
Staying true to the OG is the tread pattern on the outsole. Maintaining the concentric circle at the forefoot allowed basketball players to pivot and rotate while maintaining grip.
Although there are other tweaks, they are minute that some may bypass it.
2019 vs. 1986
- The Union Jack flag. The newer version is in tonal hue depending on its color variation, while the OG version bears the actual blue/red/white pattern.
- Some 2019 colorways have the contrast pipelining on the tongue, where the older model had the plain white.
- Reebok wordmark, in this new model, is smaller than the 1986 release.
- On the heel, the Reebok font is printed in this latest iteration compared to the OG’s debossed one.
Having great success in the aerobics market in the early 80s, Reebok decided to release a basketball line targeting the male market.
Pioneering the basketball range for Reebok is the release of the BB4600 model in 1986, years before the more popular Reebok Pump came into the picture. With its predominantly NBA-sanctioned white upper and some stripes of color, it was a hit to the high-school students who were looking for on-court-off-court stylish footwear.
In the later part of 2019, Reebok re-issued the BB 4600 in its OG red/white colorway and added some color options in neutral tones that fit the sneaker trendsetters of the contemporary age.
- Midsole in this retro is smooth, plain white, unlike the textured one in the OG version.
- There are fewer perforations in the 2019 version compared to the 1986 release.
- A collaboration model by Rbk and Billionaire Boys Club is also available.
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