5 Best Onitsuka Tiger Shoes: Tops Among a Scarce Breed 2024

The Onitsuka Tiger brand has a long and really interesting history, from its glory days in the ’60s and ’70s to its revival in the 2000s and even to the present day’s difficulty of getting your hands on a new pair in the U.S. Unfortunately, we can’t quite get into all of it, but we will go on a deep dive into the best Onitsuka Tiger shoes that are available right now.

I’ll start with a spoiler and reveal that the legendary Onitsuka Tiger MEXICO 66 sneakers are at the top of this list as the best Onitsuka Tiger shoes. It’s not much of a spoiler, though, since you already knew that would be the case. There’s a reason that everyone, both famous and not, is trying to find a pair to add to their sneaker collection.

In this article, we’ll explore how to successfully find a pair of the best Onitsuka Tiger Shoes, as well as explore some other options that you might find yourself loving as much as the Mexico 66s.

Let’s jump right into it.

Key Takeaways

As mentioned in the introduction, there wasn’t really much of a debate when it came to what pair of shoes would be at the top of the list of the best men’s Onitsuka Tiger shoes. But, I spent a long time researching both the best way to buy these elusive shoes and the other options that would round out the list.

In addition to the Onitsuka Tiger MEXICO 66 1183C102 that tops the list, about which I don’t really need to say much here, I’ve included some really great and lesser-known sneakers on this list. That starts with the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico Delegation 1183B954 Men’s Size.

These were the casual shoes that Onitsuka produced for the same Mexico Olympics as the Mexico 66 running shoes, and you can certainly see the commonalities in design. They’re a simply great pair of everyday shoes. I’ll also single out the ASICS Unisex Tiger Runner II Sportstyle Shoe, which is made by Onitsuka’s parent company and features a great-looking retro-inspired design.

Why they’re great: The Onitsuka Tiger MEXICO 66 were a revelation when they were first seen at the Olympics more than 50 years ago. The design relies on a classic and simple profile without any of the added bells and whistles that you sometimes see in modern sneaker designs. The red, white, and blue color scheme just works, doesn’t it?

Who are these for? If you’re into sneakers and want to get a pair that everyone wants, then you’d consider finding yourself a pair of these a huge accomplishment. These are without a doubt the best Onitsuka Tiger shoes.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: They’re really hard to buy in the U.S. That’s the flaw, and otherwise, they’re basically a perfect sneaker.

Material: 100% Leather | Sole Material: 100% Leather | Sizes Available: Men’s 4–9.5 | Colors Available: 1 | Style: Sneakers

Why they’re great: Next up, we have a modern sneaker made by the parent company of Onitsuka, ASICS. The ASICS Unisex Tiger Runner II Sportstyle Shoe makes several clear nods to the Onitsuka brand, using both similar designs and identical detailing on the side of the shoe. There is no doubt that you really wear a pair of Onitsukas when you put these on.

Who are these for? Those of us who are more into the look of Onitsuka Tiger shoes and don’t feel the need to get the Mexico 66s should really think about picking up a pair of these modern alternatives. Especially since they’re a great deal less expensive than Mexico 66s.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: The only thing about these sneakers that makes them look a bit modern is the tread on the bottom of them, but that’s not a huge aesthetic issue or anything.

Material: 100% Leather | Sole Material: 100% EZ Foam | Sizes Available: Unisex 4.5–14 | Colors Available: 6 | Style: Sneakers

Why they’re great: If the sought-after Mexico 66 sneakers aren’t luxurious enough for you, I’d recommend taking a look at the Onitsuka Tiger Unisex Corsair Shoes. This design was the company’s follow-up to their success at the Mexico Olympics, which was led by Bill Bowerman, who would go on to co-found Nike. They look just as cool as the older model but also look a little bit more dressy in a modern context, which I know many of our readers will love about them.

Who are these for? Anyone who’s looking for a set of vintage-style Onitsuka Tiger shoes should consider getting a pair of the Onitsuka Tiger Corsairs.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: For my taste, some of the color combinations that are available are really on the money, but others just aren’t. That’s something you can judge for yourself, though.

Material: 100% Leather | Sole Material: 100% Leather | Sizes Available: Unisex 4–11.5 | Colors Available: 10 | Style: Sneakers

Why they’re great: I don’t mean to give you whiplash, but we’re going to talk about another new school sneaker from ASICS now. The ASICS Men’s Upcourt 5 Volleyball Shoes are a super sporty court shoe that you can feel great wearing around all day, regardless of what your daily routine looks like.

The synthetic plastic and mesh exterior doesn’t look anything like the older Onitsuka Tiger shoes, but they’re doing their own thing while keeping that iconic Onitsuka branding going strong.

Who are these for? These are an excellent pair of sneakers for everyday use. They’re not overly showy or fashionable, but they do feature a great design and quality craftsmanship.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: I don’t particularly like the printed detailing on the heels of these sneakers, but it’s not super prominent in all of the color combinations that are available.

Material: 100% Synthetic | Sole Material: 100% Rubber | Sizes Available: Men’s 6–15 | Colors Available: 7 | Style: Sneakers

Why they’re great: And, last but certainly not least, we have the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico Delegation. These are kinda best described as street or skate shoes that were made before skate shoes were a thing. If that sounds intriguing to you, then know that it does to me as well.

It’s just another example of Onitsuka being way ahead of their time in the ’60s. As a result of this look, I think that these can really elevate just about every outfit you might wear, whether it’s casual, smart, or formal.

Who are these for? The Onitsuka Tiger Mexico Delegations are simply a great fashion sneaker that can be among the first pairs of shoes you reach for every morning.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: I wish that there were a few more color schemes to choose from, but on the bright side, all three of the ones that are available are excellent.

Material: 100% Leather | Sole Material: 100% Leather | Sizes Available: Men’s 6 – 12.5 | Colors Available: 3 | Style: Sneakers

Buying Considerations for The Best Onitsuka Tiger Shoes

Reseller Reputation

As we mentioned at the start of this article, it can be difficult to get your hands on a pair of genuine Onitsuka Tiger shoes in the U.S. That’s because all of their U.S. locations have been shut down and the parent company of the Onitsuka Brand, ASICS, doesn’t operate their U.S. website anymore.

Therefore, if you’re hell-bent on getting a pair of Onitsuka Tiger shoes and don’t have the means or the time to travel to Japan to buy some, then you’re probably going to be making your order through a reseller on Mr. Porter, Farfetch, SSense, Amazon, or eBay.

There’s nothing necessarily wrong with buying your shoes through a reseller, but you do want to make sure that you’re dealing with a reputable person or company. I’d recommend checking out any reviews of a reseller that you can find (and if you can’t find any, then it might not be worth the risk), although you might need to translate some Japanese using Google Translate, given the provenance of the brand.

Size & Fit

Anytime you’re getting a new pair of shoes, you definitely want to make sure that you’re able to find a pair that will fit you comfortably. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself with a great-looking pair of shoes that you don’t really want to wear anywhere. It can be a challenge to feel 100% confident about sizing when you’re shopping online. After all, you don’t ever get to try the shoes on, and different brands really do differ significantly in their sizing.

If you have any questions about sizing, I’d recommend checking out the official Onitsuka Tiger shoes sizing guide—which you can take a look at here—or take a look at this Reddit thread. They have specific instructions about how to measure your feet in order to find the perfect fit, making a sure bet to get the right size for you.

Style

Finally, let’s talk about the fun stuff—the style of the new Onitsuka Tiger shoes that you’re going to get. The parent company of Onitsuka makes several different types of sneakers, including running shoes, volleyball/court shoes, and so-called fashion sneakers that just look really great.

If you’re into the retro look that’s been leading the resurgence of Onitsuka Tiger shoes in recent years, then I’d definitely recommend trying to pick up a pair of the Onitsuka Tiger MEXICO 66 1183C102 or the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico Delegation 1183B954. Both of these shoes look exactly like they used to at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968.

However, you can also explore some of the newer looks that ASICS (which owns Onitsuka) has been making in recent years. Although they have ASICS branding on the inside, on the outside they use the iconic swoops as Onitsuka’s classic sneakers. They also use modern materials and craftsmanship, which can help you feel more comfortable if you’re on your feet all day.

How We Chose

Each and every list we write here on FashionBeans has to be narrowed down from a larger pool of options, and it can sometimes be difficult to figure out what we should be prioritizing. In the case of this list of the best men’s Onitsuka Tiger shoes, the primary criteria we used to evaluate the shoes were their style and design, as well as how popular and sought after they are.

As a result, the Onitsuka Tiger MEXICO 66 was an easy choice to top the list, but we also tried to bring you a couple of hidden gems that have that famous Onitsuka style but aren’t as well known. I hope you found a couple of options you love on the list of products we created.

In addition, we also examined the following factors when we were deciding exactly which shoes to feature on this list.

Reseller Reputation: Since you can’t buy Onitsuka Tiger shoes directly from their manufacturers in the U.S., we know that many of our readers will be looking into getting them through resellers. All the product listings on this list come from resellers that have an excellent reputation for quality and reliability.

Color and Size Availability: We also tried to find listings that had a variety of colors and sizes available for purchase, even though we couldn’t guarantee that all styles were available in all sizes.

Price: Finally, we made sure that the prices of the shoes here make sense. We certainly don’t want any of our readers getting ripped off on the resale market, which we’re sure you’ll appreciate.

Why Trust Us? 

The editorial team at FashionBeans is split into two groups: those of us who are self-proclaimed sneakerheads and those of us who love sneakers but don’t love the term sneakerhead. I’m personally in the former camp. But what all this love of sneakers gets us is both a ton of insider information and a ton of passion for sharing it. We’ve been writing about shoes and sneakers for years, and you can see some of our previous work here and here.

We used our regular process for putting this list together, which involves each member of our team starting out by creating a personal shortlist of their favorite products in a given category. Then, we iron out the final rankings of a list on a sometimes contentious Zoom call. To be honest, though, the calls are always contentious when we’re talking about sneakers. But it’s a ton of fun, and we think it leads to really high-quality recommendations.

Final Verdict 

Without a shadow of a doubt, the Onitsuka Tiger MEXICO 66 1183C102 is the overall best Onitsuka Tiger shoes. The iconic look of these retro sneakers has made them one of the most popular (and sought-after) sneakers in the world. If you do make an order and get yourself a pair of these classics, there won’t be a sneakerhead around who isn’t jealous. Good luck and happy hunting.