Nike Now Hawking $315 LeBron Sneakers

Apparently Nike doesn't think the recession has touched people who really, really love LeBron James. The company is releasing its most expensive sneaker ever this fall, a $315 LeBron basketball shoe, thus testing the $300 price barrier. If it makes you feel any better, the LeBron X Nike Plus will feature motion sensors that will measure how high the wearer jumps.

Nike is raising prices by 5% to 10% across the board, citing increasing labor, materials, and shipping costs—and the Wall Street Journal notes that even dedicated Nike fans are starting to balk. "Prices are getting crazy excessive and as long as we continue to buy sneakers, Nike is going to keep increasing the prices," says one customer who has been using YouTube and Twitter to urge others not to buy the LeBron shoes. (Another interesting tidbit: Air Jordans, which sold for $64.99 in 1985, will now set you back $185.)