October 12: The Spreadsheet Rabbit Hole
It's 2 AM. The blue light from my monitor is probably ruining my circadian rhythm, but I can't look away from row 432 of the October CNFans spreadsheet. My coffee went cold two hours ago. I've been hunting through the top 10 trending finds this month, and while there are some decent Chrome Hearts rings and a solid Arcteryx jacket in the mix, my brain is fixated on one thing: Balenciaga.
Specifically, the Triple S and the Track. I've always had a love-hate relationship with these clunky, oversized monsters. But getting them right through an agent? It's a total minefield. So, I decided to pull the trigger on the top-rated batches from this month's list to see what the hype is actually about.
October 16: The Triple S Weight Test
The QC photos just hit my CNFans warehouse dashboard. Let's talk about the Triple S first. Finding a good Triple S is like trying to find a comfortable seat on a budget airline—almost impossible.
The spreadsheet highlighted two specific batches in the top 10 finds this month: the "GOOD" batch and the "President" batch. Here's the thing with the Triple S: if it doesn't weigh as much as a small dumbbell, it's garbage. The authentic pair is notoriously heavy. When I checked the warehouse weight for the GOOD batch (Find #3 on the list), it clocked in at a massive 2.1kg without the box. Perfect.
- The Distressing: A lot of budget batches look like someone just rubbed dirt on them. This pair actually has that subtle, worn-in luxury aesthetic that Demna perfected.
- The Embroidery: The 'BALENCIAGA' text on the side is where most pairs fail. The 'B' is slightly thicker, and the letters aren't floating. It's not 100% retail, but it's 95% there.
- The Sizing Number: The '43' on the toe box is nicely embedded, not just slapped on top like a cheap sticker.
I'm honestly blown away. For the price point compared to retail, this is a massive win.
October 19: Tracking the Tracks
Honestly, I was way more nervous about the Tracks. The Triple S is just heavy rubber and mesh, but the Track sneaker is an architectural nightmare. It has something like 96 different overlapping panels. If one cage is misaligned, the whole shoe looks like a knockoff Transformer.
Find #7 on the spreadsheet was a highly-praised batch of the Track 1.0s. I zoomed in on the warehouse photos so close I could practically see the individual pixels.
The mesh quality is what caught my eye first. On cheap pairs, the mesh looks like a basketball jersey. Here, it has that tight, structured weave. The double-lacing system isn't a tangled mess, and the reflective hits actually bounce the flash back properly. But it's not all sunshine. I noticed a tiny glue stain near the heel counter. It's barely visible unless you're holding it an inch from your face, but it's there. Still, for what I paid? I can live with a microscopic dot of glue.
October 24: Sorting the Rest of the Top 10
While I was hyper-focused on the chunky sneakers, I did glance through the rest of the spreadsheet's top hits to make my shipping haul worthwhile. If you're building a haul right now, here is a quick brain-dump of the other top finds I noticed in the spreadsheet:
- Find #1 - Supreme Box Logo Hoodie: Classic, but the blank felt a bit stiff in the warehouse weight specs (around 800g). Passed on it.
- Find #4 - Bottega Veneta Cassette Bag: My girlfriend has been eyeing this. The leather grain in the QC pics looked surprisingly buttery, and the hardware had the right matte finish. Definitely adding to the cart.
- Find #8 - Yeezy Gap Dove Hoodie: The crop on this is notoriously hard to nail, but this batch apparently gets the drop-shoulder and the seamless construction right.
October 28: Final Thoughts Before Shipping
It's time to click submit on this parcel. Looking back at this month's CNFans spreadsheet, the Balenciaga options really carried the top 10. The Triple S feels like a triumph of rep-engineering, and the Tracks are shockingly competent for how complex they are.
Here is my practical recommendation if you're ordering these: drop the shoeboxes. The Triple S and Tracks are absolutely massive. Keeping the boxes will easily double your volumetric shipping cost. Just ask your CNFans agent to stuff the shoes with paper and wrap them tightly in bubble wrap. Your wallet will thank you, and you won't be left dealing with a crushed, useless cardboard box anyway.