Sneaker Slang Explained: DS, VNDS, OG All, GR, QS, PE and More
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If you've ever read a sneaker listing that says "DS, OG all, no rep box, TTS" and felt like you needed a translator, you're not alone. Sneaker people talk in abbreviations, and some of them get used loosely in resale listings. Here's the vocabulary I actually see when I'm buying and selling, with notes on which terms you should double-check before you pay.
One thing up front: none of these terms are official, and none of them prove a pair is authentic. "DS" in a listing is the seller's opinion. Always ask for photos.
Condition terms
- DS (deadstock): unworn, brand new. Highsnobiety notes the word originally meant a shoe no longer sold at stores, but today it almost always means a pair that has never been worn. Some people also say BNIB (brand new in box).
- VNDS (very near deadstock): tried on or worn very briefly, close to new but not DS. This one is subjective. There's no official rule for how many wears still count, and some sellers stretch it. Check the outsoles and the toe box in photos.
- PADS (pass as deadstock): worn a little but clean enough that most people would think it's new. Another seller judgment call.
- Number ratings (9/10, 8/10): a quick condition score where 10 means deadstock. Every seller grades differently, so look at the photos, not the number.
- Beaters: the pairs you wear without worrying about them. Not necessarily cheap, just worn.
- On ice: pairs someone keeps unworn in their collection.
- B-grade: genuine pairs with minor factory flaws, usually sold at a discount. B-grade doesn't mean fake.
Box and accessory terms
- OG all: comes with everything it originally came with: the original box, extra laces, tags, tissue paper and any other accessories. It's about what's included, not whether the shoes were worn. A worn pair can still be "OG all."
- No box / replacement box ("rep box"): no box means just the shoes. A replacement box is a substitute box, not the one the pair shipped in. Ask which you're getting, because a missing or replacement box usually lowers the resale price.
- NWT (new with tags): new with the tags still attached. That's not the same as having the original box.
Release terms
- GR (general release): a widely available release you can find at lots of retailers. Usually the easiest pairs to buy at retail and the ones with the smallest resale markups.
- QS (quickstrike): a Nike label for more limited releases, often with little notice and through select retailers. Complex describes quickstrikes as releasing with little notice and limited availability.
- HS (hyperstrike): historically, Nike's most restricted releases. You'll rarely see a real one for sale.
- PE (player exclusive): a version made for a specific athlete, with a unique colorway or details. True PEs aren't sold at retail, though some PE colorways get released to the public later.
- Sample: a pre-production pair made for testing or showing off a design. Not every sample matches the final shoe.
- F&F (friends and family): pairs made for people connected to a brand or collaborator, not for retail.
- Collab: an official collaboration between a brand and an artist, athlete, store or another brand. A collab isn't automatically rare.
- Restock: more pairs of a shoe that already released. Not the same as a retro.
- Shock drop: a release with little or no warning.
One warning: you'll see people describe a strict ranking like GR < QS < HS. There's no official, universal hierarchy. These are labels, and how limited a release is varies from shoe to shoe. For how releases actually get sold, see my guides on sneaker raffles and draws and how Supreme drops work.
History terms
- OG: the original release of a shoe, or a colorway from its original release, as opposed to a later re-release. OG doesn't mean authentic.
- Retro: a later reissue of an older design or colorway. Complex notes that the Air Jordan line popularized the practice.
- Vintage: refers to the age of the physical pair. Older pairs can have materials that break down with time, so a vintage DS pair may not be wearable even if it's never been worn.
- Colorway: the specific color combination on a model. Nicknames like "Bred" (black and red) come from colorways.
- Silhouette: the shoe model itself, like the Air Jordan 1 or the Adidas Samba, regardless of color.
Buying and selling slang
- Cop / drop: buy / pass. "Cop or drop?" asks whether a pair is worth buying.
- W / L: a win or a loss on a release. "Took an L" means you didn't get the pair.
- Brick: a pair that sits on shelves or doesn't resell well.
- Heat: a pair people really want.
- Grail: your personal most-wanted pair. It doesn't have to be expensive. (It's also where this site's name comes from.)
- LC (legit check): asking someone to check whether a pair looks authentic. A legit check is only as good as the photos and the person doing it.
- Reps: replicas, meaning fakes. You'll also see "UA" (unauthorized authentic), a sales pitch claiming fakes came from the real factory. They're still fakes.
Sizing shorthand
- TTS (true to size): the person saying it thinks the shoe fits like their usual size. Feet differ, so treat it as one person's opinion.
- GS (grade school): big-kid sizing. It's its own size range, so check whether a listing is men's or GS before you buy.
For brand-by-brand fit, see my sneaker sizing guide.
How I use these when I buy
- I treat DS, VNDS and OG all as claims to check, not facts. I ask for photos of the outsoles, toe box, size tag and box label.
- I ask directly: "Original box or replacement?"
- I match the style code on the size tag to the box. My guide to spotting fake Nikes shows how.
- For expensive pairs, I buy through a platform with authentication. See how resale platforms work, and check eBay listings for the Authenticity Guarantee badge.
Shop: deadstock Dunks on eBay · Jordan 1 Retro High OGs on eBay · drop-front boxes to keep pairs DS · crease protectors
Keeping a pair DS on the shelf? Store it cool, dry and out of the sun. My sneaker care guide covers the rest.
Sources: Complex: the complete guide to sneaker terminology, Highsnobiety: sneaker terminology glossary, 90sneakers: sneakerhead dictionary, SneakerPing: sneaker terminology guide, Design Museum Den Bosch: sneaker dictionary.
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