Choosing the right pair of sneakers for someone else can be exciting. But it can be exhausting and frustrating, too. (And I say this as the owner of around 4,500 pairs of sneakers.) There are so many things you need to stress about. Which brands is he into? (Or, more importantly, not into?) What’s his size? Will he like them? Does he already have them? Is he thinking about buying them himself?

If you’re shopping the hype sneaker market, there are even more things to take into account: are the sneakers even out yet? Can I buy them normally, or is there a raffle process? Will I have to rely on the secondary market? The list goes on.

The first and most important step is to find out what they like. The best way to do that is to  check out what they currently wear on their feet. Use that as a guide to the brands, styles and looks they’re into. If you live with them or visit their place regularly, you should be able to take a cheeky look at their collection. If they’re a real sneakerhead, their shoes should be everywhere in the apartment.

From there, you’ve got a couple of options. You can either make the intelligent choice and go with something safe, or you can risk it by going for the very latest drop in the hope that they’re not already intending to buy that same sneaker for themselves. If they’re into sneakers in a big way, that’s a real possibility – but if you do end up getting them something they already own, it’s cool. They may want one to rock (wear immediately) and one to stock (save one for the future).

If you really want to avoid the risk of getting them a duplicate pair, you could always tell them what you’re buying in advance – but where’s the fun in that? My brother got me a pair of Jordan 11 Concords for my birthday a few years ago. They dropped on Black Friday, which is three weeks before my actual birthday. He told me – “don’t buy them, I’ll buy them for you and you can have them for your birthday.” I was incredibly grateful, but the element of surprise went out the window. (Saying that, though, cheers for the “surprise” bro – really appreciated.)

New Balance has collaborated with Engineered Garments and come up with a trio of classic NB colourways with a subtle twist: embossed croc on the leather sidewall. These are perfect for anyone after good-looking, solid and comfy sneakers.

adidas and the iconic Italian brand Missoni have created an incredible signature material and applied it to the upper of the famous Ultraboost shoe – arguably the most comfortable sneaker on the market.

Finally, for everyone asking about the Nike x Off-White collection, here’s your best chance of grabbing a pair. Mr Virgil Abloh worked with Nike’s latest running tech and added his signature Off-White twist to the shoe. Very bold and out-there, this won’t be for everyone, but is sure to snap necks when worn walking down the streets.