The Air Max series from Nike was first introduced in 1987 with the Air Max 1. Although the Air unit for sneakers was invented by Frank Ruby, its research and perfection came with the help of Nike men such as Rob Strasser, Jeff Johnson and Del Hayes in the late 70’s. The first Nike sneakers to feature the technology were the Tailwinds in 1978. Although the actual Air unit never exploded, the shoes were a disaster for Nike because the material used to make them was coming apart. Luckily Nike kept using the technology in certain sneakers, and these sneakers were met with success. Unfortunately by the mid 80’s Nike was losing its place as top sneaker brand to Reebok, and so by 1985 Rob Strasser acknowledge that Nike needed a new look. With the help of Peter Moore, Strasser decided to once again focus on Air technology. Moore then asked Tinker Hatfield, to design an upper for a sneaker that would feature a visible Air unit and the result was the Air Max 1. Tinker took inspiration for its design from the George Pompidou centre in Paris. What made the Air Max so special was that it combined a visible Air window that you could see through, and that the unit carried the maximum amount of air that could be put into a sneaker. Lamentably Strasser and Moore left Nike soon after, and the next Air Max design was left in the hands of Hatfield.
Air Max 90
The third generation of Air Max, now known as the Air Max 90 was first released in 1990. On Saturday, July 24th, 2010 Nike re-released this classic in its most popular colorway, Infrared. In Canada retail for this retro sneaker was $124.99 while in the U.S. they were only $94.99. The colors used on this sneaker are white, cement grey, black and infrared. The upper uses a mesh material, the overlay has a fabric that is similar to felt, and the mudguard uses synthetic leather. The sneaker is also accented with plastic rubber patches around the lace holes and heel. A feature that I like about this sneaker is how smooth the bottom sole feels like when you touch it, almost as smooth as vinyl toys. The 2010 Infrareds have a lot of cushioning in them and so I had to get a half size larger. Although this retro for 2010 was a limited release, they weren’t that difficult to get (no need to line up for them). They also came in an all brown box that Nike has been using for about a year now, that is highlighted with various past Nike logos. As far as comfort is concerned, these are just the best thing to wear on your feet. They are so comfortable and they feel like your walking on air (pun intended). I don’t have any criticisms for this sneaker since it is a retro but I would say that the laces could be a little thicker, and that the upper mesh material isn’t as breathable as current contemporary models. Other than that, these are a must buy for anyone that loves and appreciates Nike running shoes. I intended to celebrate the unofficial 20th anniversary of this model by wearing it as much as possible.
YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beIVKmlaVMM
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