The 10 Best Cinco de Mayo Sneakers

Sometime next week, around the fifth of May, there is a very good chance you will come across someone who is going to take Cinco de Mayo too seriously. It could be a friend who inexplicably asked for a day off on a Tuesday to hang out in a bar with like-minded people, or someone online who might not understand the reason why Cinco de Mayo even exists.

Here’s a brief history lesson so nobody is confused as to why May 5th is celebrated: While it is not Mexico’s Independence Day (that would be September 16th), it is a flashpoint during the second war between France and Mexico from 1861 to 1867. May 5, 1862 commemorates the day the Mexican army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, defeated a more powerful French army in the Battle of Puebla. Celebrations in the city of Puebla include recreations of the battle, parades, and music being played in the streets. But outside of Puebla, Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not celebrated under this context.

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is widely considered a celebration of Mexican culture more so than it is the anniversary of a battle that was won. Cities with large Mexican populations gather to have fun and partake in the many events that occur on this day. Unfortunately, something has been lost in the translation because some people also use this day to mockingly play up stereotypes about the Mexican people and engage in discourse that is harmful to that community. Corporations also get criticized for co-opting and exploiting the holiday by shilling products, in particular the alcohol industry. It’s not unlike what we see on March 17 for St. Patrick’s Day, another drinking holiday that did not originally begin that way.

The shift in the understanding of what Cinco de Mayo really stands for and the critique surrounding it means that sneaker brands tread lightly when they release sneakers on this day. Basically, don’t expect a sneaker that’s just beer-colored with a sombrero hangtag anytime soon. The last thing these brands want to do is to be seen as being insensitive to or exploiting Mexican culture. So let’s take a look at the sneakers that do right by Cinco de Mayo.

10. 1800 Tequila x Sam Rodriguez x PUMA Clyde (2017)

It is very easy to dismiss a sneaker collaboration backed by a tequila brand for Cinco de Mayo as an exploitative cash-in. How 1800 Tequila avoids this is by working with California-based artist Sam Rodriguez to transform the Clyde into a celebration of Mayan and Aztec cultures with an intricate drawing that reflects these influences on the upper. It’s a step beyond simply aping the look of the Mexican flag that you might forget that the colors of the sneaker are based on a bottle of 1800.

9. size? x adidas Mexicana (2023)

The UK’s love for adidas trainers goes back to the days before most people reading this were even born. It stems from the sneakers that football fans from the 1970s and 1980s wore in the standing room only areas of football stadiums. Known as Terrace culture, adidas trainers like the Samba, Spezials, and Mexicana were the footwear of choice by these fans. Reissues of the Mexicana - a trainer created by adidas for the 1968 Olympics held in Mexico - remain popular in the UK and even sell out.

All of this is to say maybe don’t raise an eyebrow when you hear that a British-based retailer is working on a sneaker that has connections to Mexico. The size? x adidas Mexicana came in two colorways featuring premium suede and leather uppers with vibrant hues that vibe well with the silhouette’s past releases. On the sockliner is an outline of Mexico, while the name is stamped in gold foil on the heel area.

8. Nike Book 1 Cinco de Mayo PE (2024)

During a pre-game workout before Game 6 between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2024, PJ Tucker debuted* a Nike Book 1 player exclusive that bore more than a passing resemblance to other Mexican-themed Nike sneakers. The connection was easy enough for sneakerheads to make: Tucker has a friendly sneaker rivalry with Devin Booker.

Booker, whose Phoenix Suns were already eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in a clean sweep by the end of April, is half-Mexican thanks to his mother’s side. If the Suns had been able to push the series to a sixth or seventh game, Booker likely would have debuted these sneakers himself.

He eventually featured the sneaker on his social media a year later on Cinco de Mayo with a shoutout to PJ. One forgotten feature of the PE is the image of hands shaking in red and black on the heel, possibly a nod to his roots. Unfortunately, this is one of those Book 1 PEs that never got an actual retail release.

*We were going to make a joke about PJ’s box score because everybody loves to poke fun at him wearing heat during warm-ups but never getting a chance to wear them during the game, but he actually started and logged 20 minutes in a Nike Kobe 6 Red October PE. Unfortunately, some of those minutes included guarding Luka Doncic, who scored 28 points en route to closing out the series against the LA Clippers.

7. Nike Vandal Low Cinco de Mayo (2008)

Following in the footsteps of Mr. Cartoon’s collaborations from 2005, this Nike Vandal Low from 2008 features gold laser-etched graphics on the heel in the shape of the eagle from the Mexican flag and on the stitching and outline of the swoosh to give it a visual pop. It’s a contrast between the sneaker’s white upper and the green and red ankle strap.

6. Saucony Jazz Low Pro Battle of Puebla (2010)

As an update to the classic Saucony Jazz from 1981, the Low Pro was a slimmed-down version built with a focus on lifestyle instead of performance, although it’s pretty satisfying to walk in a pair even against the technological advancements of the past 45 years. The Battle of Puebla has the familiar colors of white, red, and green, but pops of gold on the stitching and the Saucony logo. The date of the Battle of Puebla is printed on the sockliner, which automatically bumps the sneaker a few spots for doing the bare minimum of letting people know what the sneaker actually represents.

5. All The Cinco de Mayo Nike SB P-Rods

Look, it’s not that we have a problem featuring every signature P-Rod sneaker inspired by Cinco de Mayo, but we want to be able to highlight the efforts of the different brands who have released sneakers in celebration of Mexican heritage. Some of the standout P-Rods include the Nike SB Dunk High made for Rodriguez and the first few entries in his signature line, like the P-Rods 1 through 3. Honorable mention goes to the SB Dunk What The P-Rod pair that has the white, red, and green-colored tooling of the Cinco de Mayo Dunks on the left shoe.

4. adidas NMD_R1 V2 United By Sneakers (Mexico City) (2020)

Released during the last week of May in 2020, it might be a little too late to consider this a Cinco de Mayo drop. However, with the world still getting adjusted to the realities of the pandemic era at the time, we can all be forgiven for not caring too much about sneaker release date minutiae. As part of a five-pack of NMD sneakers inspired by cities that hosted the Olympics, the Mexico colorway featured red and green-colored Boost soles and a clean white Primeknit upper. In a nice touch, the white EVA Plug features the text “Ciudad de México” (City of Mexico) and “México - La Marca Con Las 3 Rayas” (The Brand with the 3 Stripes).

3. Jarritos x Nike SB Dunk Low (2023)

Would you believe that Jarritos, the iconic Mexican soft drink known for its colorful fruit flavors and signature bottle, actually started out as coffee? That experiment didn’t last long as they shifted to fruit-based drinks beginning with the now-iconic Tamarind flavor. Kind of makes us wonder what the Dunks would have looked like had they stayed the course. Probably not as colorful, we’re guessing…

Released around Cinco de Mayo 2023, the Jarritos Dunks were one of the most popular sneakers of that year. The white, green, and orange on the sneaker was pitch perfect, and the hemp overlay was actually hiding a secret feature, as it could be torn or cut off to reveal even more orange.

2. Mr. Cartoon x Nike Air Force 1 Low Cinco de Mayo (2005)

In 2005, legendary tattoo artist Mr. Cartoon teamed up with Nike to release three Air Force 1s representing his iconic style and his Mexican heritage. The Cinco de Mayo colorway actually dropped on May 5th, which should be noted because that’s not always a guarantee as it turns out. The second of the three sneaker series is probably the least “Cartoon” of the bunch, as it does not feature as many laser-etched graphics as the other pairs, but the colors of the Mexican flag are prominently on display along with the stylized Los Angeles logo on the heel and the eagle of the flag on the tongue.

1. Nike SB Dunk Low Pro Cinco de Mayo (2005)

The idea that a sneaker would debut during a major event like the X-Games and not release until the following year is not an uncommon practice by the biggest names in the community. In 2004, it was a little more jarring to think that we had to wait as long as we did for the release of the white, red, green, and brown SB Dunk Lows that Paul Rodriguez wore as he won his first X-Games gold medal. It was worth the wait as they hold a special place in the hearts and minds of fans around the world.

It would become the first of many Mexican flag-themed sneakers designed by Nike SB for Rodriguez. As one of the most prominent Mexican athletes in Nike’s entire roster and the first to reach the historic ten signature shoe milestone, the pride that Rodriguez has for his people and his culture is evident in every Cinco de Mayo release.

Juan Martinez

From video game journalism to veteran of the sneaker blog era to podcasting about well, everything, Juan is smiling through it all and can't believe this is his life. After recently getting into Formula 1, he now has hot takes about who the greatest driver of all time is. Email: juan@soleretriever.com