Hi guys, As per title, I notice some stores still sell older model (e.g. more than 3 years ago) shoes. I'm wondering if these are old stock, or new stock? Are older model shoes still being produced? Reason I ask is many years ago on a trip to HK, I purchased a couple of pairs as backups. It took me a couple of years to go through them. I saved a pair of YY SHB101 for last, which at the time were made of leather (not sure if real?). When I did eventually get to use it many years later - all the leather parts at the toe just started cracking on the first night. Hence, my question above. Is it safe to buy older models, and does anyone know if there's some sort of manufacture date code that we can check? Also, does the rubber sole deteriorate over time?
From look perspective, it will get ugly when the lether thorn apart due to aging but if you dont care for look, then its fine. Other thing are how you keep your shoes in good environtment. Hot temperature might kill the glue on your shoes & your outsole might peel off. But what you really want to check are the outsole rubber. If its dead/hardened, then it wont give you much gripping & you will slide on the court many times which is bad for sure.
