Happy Air Max Month! A time when we look forward to fresh new releases from Nike and reminisce about the great Air Max running sneakers from years past. Personally, I love flipping through my old Eastbay catalogs to look for models most of us have forgotten about. The ‘90s and early 2000s were chock full of breathtaking new designs and colorways. There were so many great sneakers dropping, a lot were overlooked as the years passed by. I asked some friends what they thought of some of these models, and it’s clear I’m not the only one who would love to see some of these gems come back. Here’s a list of 10 you probably haven’t seen in a while. None have ever retroed, but hopefully we can change that over the next few years.
10. Air Max 2002
As time goes by, I find the Air Max 2002 more and more intriguing. Though the upper was nothing all that special, that Tubular Air sole was very different. The Air Max 2002 was definitely polarizing, however.
“I’d love to see Tubular Air return somehow even if it’s just as a one-off. To me, it symbolizes a time where experimentation was at an all-time boom and Nike was pumping out some incredible looking models. The quality was there and most importantly, the care was there too.” – @airmaxarchives
“These were horrible then and horrible now lol The tubular Air was funky/cool, but those uppers always killed it for me. That entire early 2000s Air Max era was kind of rudderless in my opinion. I think many ignored that era, it’s funny but there are very scarce DS examples of sneakers from that era.” – Complex Associate Creative Director @kevonmylevel
9. Air Max Plus Slip On (2002)
I don’t know why Nike hasn’t brought the Air Max Plus Slip On back yet, but it seems like a no-brainer to me.
“Slip-on TNs would go crazy. Those Stussy/Kukini/Spiridon hybrids ended up being one of my most worn pairs last year. It’s so good to have a slip-on with real cushioning/tech in the rotation.” – collector @jackzurier
I couldn’t agree more, especially since the Air Max Plus continues to be a sneakerhead favorite.
8. Air Max 2001
After switching to a Tuned Max sole for the Air Max 2000, Nike reverted back to the traditional dual-pressure, full-length Air-Sole unit for the AM 2001. The Air Max 2001 is definitely not one of the more memorable Air Max models. I completely ignored this shoe when it released, as I wasn’t really feeling the design. Seeing OG pairs 20 years later makes me wish Nike would have brought them back for their anniversary, though. The white/orange/silver pair would definitely stand out today. Maybe we’ll see them in 2026 for the 25th anniversary.
7. Air Max 2000
Talk about pressure. It’s 1999. Nike’s been crushing it with Air Max running designs for over a decade. Everyone is waiting with anticipation to see what they’ll come up with for the 2000th year of the Common Era and they drop….this? The Air Max 2000 was another underwhelming design with zero new breakthroughs. The only interesting feature was the fact they swapped out the Air Max sole for a Tuned Max one. As with all these models, I kind of like it now and would be intrigued to see how it would do in today’s market.
6. Air Max 98 TL
Whenever I post these on Instagram, they are by far the most beloved. This was my first pair of running shoes back in high school, and I was obsessed with them. So much so, I wore them to gym class and ended up severely spraining my ankle while playing basketball in them. Never play basketball in Air Max sneakers.
“The Air Max 98 TL has always been one of my absolute favorites. The colorways were bright, the Air unit was massive, and the mini swoosh always caught my eye. They always stood out to me at that time as the most comfortable pair of Air Max I had/that was out. Even the insoles were different and gave additional cushioning. I think these were overlooked at that time, making them a nice change from a lot of the more mainstream pairs. Need to push that pair, and we can’t settle for AM97 soles lol.” – @lemon_diesel
5. Air Max 98 TL (1999)
This sneaker is near and dear to my heart, as well, because I also owned this one. Nike pumped out three different Air Max models in 1998, and to make it super confusing, they all had the same name: the Nike Air Max. This particular model released at the end of ‘98 and during the first half of ‘99, but it is still known as the Air Max 98 TL (or Total Length). I wore this sneaker to school and during my shifts at Foot Locker back during my senior year of high school. I beat them into the ground, and I’m kicking myself for throwing them out years ago.
4. Air Tuned Precision (1999)
The Air Tuned Precision was the ladies’ version of the Air Tuned Max, which dropped in 1999. While we are definitely excited to see the return of the Air Tuned Max this year, it would be cool to see the Precision return as well.
“The Air Tuned Max is my favorite Air Max running model from the Alpha Project Era. Everyone is excited for the celery colorway, but I’m hoping for a retro of the firefly/storm grey colorway. Not to mention the shoe had one of the most controversial/memorable print ads of all time. The shoe is just criminally underrated, which speaks to the Alpha Project era in general.” – @nikealphaproject
3. Air Max Light III (1997)
A sneaker that was highlighted in both the men’s and women’s colorways on the iconic Nike phone ads, the Air Max Light ‘97 has a cult following and would certainly do well if retroed properly. I always thought it was cool that the Air Max Light featured Zoom Air in the forefoot and an Air Max sole in the heel. It also has a similar upper to another favorite of mine – the Air Zoom Pounce, which was worn by tennis star Andre Agassi. In my opinion, this is the coolest Air Max Light that ever dropped.
2. Air Max Tailwind II (1997)
A nice, clean runner with plenty of cushioning and a solid follow-up to the ‘96 Tailwind. Unfortunately for this model, it dropped the same year as the super-iconic Air Max 97, so it easily got overlooked. In the current dad-shoe era, I feel like the Tailwind II would thrive – especially in that crispy white/citron/black colorway. There was also a great matching track suit that paired perfectly with this model.
1. Air Max Tailwind (1996)
I really have no explanation as to why this Tailwind hasn’t come back yet. Nick, aka @ogorbust had a pair and loved them.
“They were technically my first ‘Air Max’ I got for track. Previous years were always the Pegasus or Icarus. I was really excited to see larger open Air units and would push on them quite a bit lol. (I got them when) they were a year-old model and colorway in blue/yellow hitting the sales rack, but I loved them nonetheless.”
Also of note is that there is an iconic photo of The Notorious B.I.G. rocking them. So if Nick and Biggie were wearing them, you know they were dope.
Drew is the creator of @nikestories on Instagram. Growing up in the ’90s, Drew loved playing soccer, basketball, tennis, and even dabbled in cross country running. He ended up focusing on tennis in high school and helped lead his team to multiple state titles. His favorite athletes growing up include Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Andre Agassi, and Ken Griffey, Jr. He was smart enough to save all his old Eastbay catalogs from the ’90s and loves sharing them with the sneaker community. Follow him at @nikestories
As sneaker social media continues to grow and
evolve, the month of March has been dubbed “Air Max Month” by sneakerheads
around the globe. The main reason for this phenomenon is “Air Max Day” on March
26 – a day Nike has chosen to commemorate the cushioning technology that
changed everything.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the fan favorite Air Max 90. Thirty years ago, Nike launched a white, black, and bright red sneaker with a big Air Max bubble and a semi-covered Swoosh on the side. On the heel was a thermoplastic, heart-shaped tab with the patented NIKE AIR branding. Yet another stunning design by the young legend Tinker Hatfield, this third Air Max running sneaker quickly became a classic.
In 1990, the Air Max 90 originally retailed for
$110 in several eye-popping neon colorways like ‘Laser Blue’ and ‘Radiant Red’. As the story goes, the
sockliner featured an Air Max 1 outsole print debossed in it because Tinker
Hatfield thought it was going to be the last shoe he ever designed. Like most
of Hatfield’s designs, the sneaker was radical in every way and certainly was
going to raise some eyebrows at first.
Over the years, Nike has re-released original
colorways along with new AM 90s featuring a myriad of colors, different types
of uppers, and a variety of sole swaps. Eastbay has always been the source for
the Air Max 90, so here’s a look back at some of the colorways and model
variations that helped make the AM 90 the cult classic that it is today.
After the initial drop in 1990, it took 12 years
for the Air Max 90 to return. In ’02-’03, the AM 90 returned in the classic
‘Infrared’ colorway. Interestingly, the OG was never known by that nickname; it
wasn’t until the first retro that they were referred to as ‘Infrared.’
In 2005, the Air Max 90 returned as part of the
“History of Air” collection, which included the first official retro release of
the AM 90 in the US.
In 2006, Nike released a completely new version
of the Air Max 90 called the Air Max 90+ with a Max Air unit in the heel. It
looked nothing like its predecessor but went along with the concept of the Air
Max 180+ and Air Max 360 which were also launching that year. Additionally, the
Air Max 90 ‘One Time Only’ featured the AM 90 upper with an Air Max 360 sole.
From this point on, the Air Max 90 became
extremely popular and featured tons of different colorways along with updated
all-leather uppers.
[sp_wpcarousel id=”73434″]
In 2008, Nike dropped a premium version of the
AM 90 with an ‘Ostrich’ print. They also released the Air Max Wright, which
bore a clear resemblance to the AM 90 along with an Air Max LTD sole.
Additionally, Nike dropped the AM 90 Current Hybrid, which combined the popular
aesthetics of the Air Max 90 with the popular Nike Free sole and a full mesh build.
In 2012, Nike revamped the upper of the AM 90
again with the ‘Hyperfuse’ and ‘Engineered Mesh’ models. Both utilized the same
sole with a modern twist of the upper.
[sp_wpcarousel id=”73449″]
In 2015, a full winterized sneakerboot version
of the AM 90 emerged, which was perfect for the cold and snowy months. In
general, Nike has given the sneakerboot treatment to plenty of classic
sneakers. It worked well with the Air Max 90, but many people in the sneaker
community believe this model was slept on.
In 2017, designer Virgil Abloh partnered with
Nike to release perhaps the most popular Air Max 90 of all time as part of his
Off-White “The Ten” collection. The deconstructed model featured premium
materials and plenty of interesting details that made it a new grail for many
collectors.
[sp_wpcarousel id=”73465″]
This year, Nike has brought back several OG-inspired colorways along with a new FlyEase model that features a flexible heel that collapses to allow for easy on and off access. They are also launching a brand-new sneaker called the Air Max 2090, which is inspired by the DNA of the Air Max 90.
Over the past 30 years, the Air Max 90 has been retroed and reinvented time after time, which shows how beloved the model has become for sneakerheads around the world. It’s exciting to see that after 30 years, the AM 90 is still as fresh as ever. And to think, Tinker Hatfield thought it was going to be the last sneaker he’d ever design.
Is there anything more annoying than watching a character in a movie make an incredibly dumb decision? Whether it’s opening the wrong door, picking the wrong boyfriend, or not aiming for the head, it’s these moments that irritate us because we are certain we would do better. I’d like to focus on another type of terrible decision main characters often make, and that is choosing the wrong shoes.
CINDERELLA
When
it comes to getting Cinderella ready for the ball the Fairy Godmother makes a
lot of interesting decisions. Most of them good, but there were some tough
looks. The biggest travesty is her choice of shoes for Cinderella. First of
all, while she takes some minor measurements for the dress, she doesn’t even
glance at Cinderella’s feet, which are apparently a one in a million size
considering no one else in the kingdom fits into the glass slipper. Then she
clearly does not design them to really lock in Cinderella’s feet. How else do
you explain them falling off not just once, but twice? Really shoddy
craftsmanship if you ask me. Let’s also take a moment to talk about how the
slippers ARE MADE OF FREAKING GLASS.
While they may look immaculate, there is absolutely no way they are comfortable. There isn’t an ounce of cushioning and I can’t imagine she is getting the greatest traction. What this girl needed was a pair of Nike Air Max 270 SE (Marche Botanical colorway). First, it’s going to make her night on the dance floor a lot more enjoyable. Not once during the dance does Cinderella engage in any conversation with Prince Charming and that’s because she has to focus all her energy to not scream out in pain from the glass poking into her foot. I bet a full-length Max Air unit would give her the comfort she needs to open up to the Prince, and you know maybe find out that he actually is the prince.
A
pair of Air Max’s would also help her escape from the castle a lot quicker. Her
“running” away is nothing more than a light speed walk, probably because it
takes a lot of practice to run in heels. As a result, she barely escapes before
the castle gates close. A solid rubber outsole in a waffle pattern would
increase traction and durability, allowing Cinderella to at least jog to her
carriage and lower the stress of the escape. While lowering stress may not seem
like the biggest deal I doubt the kingdom has the greatest health care and
repeated stress can be debilitating.
Now some might say that the whole purpose of the glass heels is for one of them to fall off so that Prince Charming has a way of finding her, and there is no way a shoe is falling off if she’s in a pair of ‘270s. Except I believe that Cinderella doesn’t know how to tie shoes properly. When looking at the residents of the kingdom, I don’t see a pair of laces on any of their shoes. Therefore, shoe-tying philosophy hasn’t been invented yet. I don’t care what shoe you have on, if you don’t tie them then they are going to slip off. By going with the Air Max 270 Cinderella is getting a more enjoyable, comfortable night yet still reaping the benefits of having Prince Charming find her in a romantic (I guess?) way.
THE HUNGER GAMES
Katniss
Everdeen had a lot to deal with when trying to win the Hunger Games. There was
a forest fire with fireballs, those tracker jackers, watching her friend die,
taking care of Peeta, being forced to kill people to survive, mutant wolves,
and then having to deal with the prospect of killing herself. That all took
place within a week too, tough. You know what would have made her life a little
easier? Cleats.
A pair of the Nike Phantom Venom Elite would have gone a long way in her quest to live. While the games aren’t taking place on a manicured field or turf, cleats would for sure be more helpful than combat boots navigating the forest. The studs would really dig into the ground, allowing Katniss to accelerate and change direction quicker. Maybe if she can get off the line faster, she avoids being grazed by the fireball and some unnecessary pain. The fact that cleats also weigh significantly less would allow Katniss to be faster on the battle field. Imagine if she’s able to get to Rue quicker. Maybe then Marvel doesn’t get the drop on them and spear Rue like a matador. Katniss’s poor shoe selection might have gotten that girl killed.
Katniss
caught some breaks throughout the tournament. She was incredibly lucky not to
sprain an ankle after climbing down from the tree somewhat uncontrollably.
However, that drop temporarily dazed her and allowed the tracker jackers to get
some additional stings in. Put on a pair of Phantom Venom Elites though and
allow flywire cables to work to adapt to the shape of your foot which would
have given Katniss a better sense of control and allowed her to get away cleanly.
Another advantage of cleats comes in hand-to-hand combat. You know what hurts like hell? Getting cleated in the leg. You can easily break skin and if you try hard enough you could really hamper your enemy with a deep laceration. That would have come in handy when she was getting choked out by Clove. Instead of having Thresh save her, the whole problem could have been solved with a nice kick to the left of the shin bone leaving a deep laceration. Clove would’ve been forced to deal a searing pain rather than strangling Katniss.
It’s
hard to argue with Katniss’s footwear choices considering she won the thing,
but I think she left her margin for victory too slim. If she heads out in a
pair of cleats, I think it’s a lot more comfortable of a victory for her. I also
believe there is an argument that in the end it’s Peeta, Rue, and her which
means all three would have been declared victors.
SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING
Peter
Parker leads a complicated life. Trying not to be a loser at school, stopping
petty crime, battling a psychotic villain. It’s no wonder Peter takes such a
lackadaisical approach to picking the right shoes to head into battle with.
Mostly because we learn Peter is going barefoot as he kicks off his shoes
before putting on the suit. While I’m sure Tony Stark put some padding in the
feet of Spiderman’s suit, there is no way that is doing Peter’s feet any good
with all the running, climbing, and jumping from obnoxiously high heights he’s
doing. The boy needs arch support. What happens if he gets a Jones fracture?
Hard to be a friendly neighborhood Spiderman when your foot is in a cast for
two months.
While
Peter has seemingly mastered swinging from building to building, running is
apparently a problem. That boy is constantly tripping over his own feet, and
considering one of the benefits of his superpowers is incredible agility and
reflexes I doubt it’s because he’s uncoordinated. Tony needs to redesign the
suit to allow for Peter to wear some shoes. I think some adidas Ultraboosts are
the best answer. They are light and the full-length Boost midsole will absorb
and cushion the impact from every step, landing, or fall that Peter takes. The
stretchy Primeknit upper wraps your foot like a sock, and a lacing cage is
going to make sure that no matter how hard someone hits Peter, they aren’t
going to knock him out of his shoes.
The
main goal of putting Peter in shoes is to exercise a little injury prevention,
but there are other benefits as well. For example, when Peter is running to the
Washington monument to save his friends, I would put money on him shaving a
couple minutes of his time both on the run and on the climb up the monument. If
he gets there earlier, then it becomes an easier proposition to save everyone,
and then he can use that extra time to cozy up to Liz. While I would usually
argue against revealing a superheroes true identity Peter has some unique
circumstances. Being a teenager it’s harder to explain your absences whether
that’s from school or your academic decathlon team. We can’t forget that Peter
is also trying to score a date with a girl he’s been crushing on for some time,
and once he finally scores that date he has to ditch her at the homecoming
dance to fight her dad. I’m sure she didn’t take that well, but she would
probably be more understanding if she knew he was Spiderman.
Let’s
not forget when Peter has to run from Flash’s party to stop a gun deal. He does
more falling, property damage, and scaring little kids than he does damage to
any of the bad guys. I have to think the Ultraboosts with their midfoot torsion
system which is designed to increase stability would help Peter keep his
balance during that run, and I’m sure the fine residents of Brooklyn would
appreciate anything that would keep Peter from destroying their sheds and
fences.
It’s amazing the impact one simple decision can have on somebody’s life. When you wake up tomorrow you might want to think twice about what shoes you put on, and if you’re in need of a new pair head to eastbay.com to find a wide-ranging selection of the top sneakers available.
Less than a year
ago, A’ja Wilson moved from her home state of South Carolina to the desert
lands of Nevada to begin her professional basketball career. Since then, she’s
allowed nothing to deter her from rising to the top. Her journey has not been
without struggle, but Wilson has learned to celebrate her successes along the
way and use her experiences (both good and bad) to shape the future.
Respecting the Past
Although twenty-two-year-old
Wilson is a new name in the basketball biz, she’s already rubbing elbows with elite
basketball icons, broadcasting college games on television, and judging professional
dunk contests. However, there was a time when she could barely get on the court
to log any minutes at all.
“When I was 13 or 14 years
old, I was absolutely horrible at basketball,” Wilson said. “My dad was the
assistant coach, and I still didn’t get in.”
Though times have
changed, Wilson remains grateful for those moments that shaped her into the
athlete she is now. She fondly remembers the first time she made it off the
bench with only 20 seconds left in the game.
“That
was my defining moment,” Wilson said. “From that experience I really wanted to
get more time on the court with my teammates. It motivated me to work hard and
focus on my craft, and it’s helped me become the player I am today.”
But while her road
to stardom was influenced by key moments on the court, her path to leadership
was influenced by a specific person. Without hesitation, Wilson will tell you that
her biggest role model and shero was her grandma.
“She
was so special to me,” Wilson said. “And the beautiful thing is she never
watched me play basketball, but she always had a listening ear and led me in
the right direction. I hope I’m half the woman she was.”
Acknowledging the Present
Wilson’s college
career with South Carolina ended in 2018 after making it to the quarter finals
of the national basketball tournament. Although it ended sooner than she would
have liked, it didn’t hinder her move to the pros. She was the first overall draft
pick in 2018 and was selected by the newly formed Las Vegas team.
Less than 10
games into the 2018 season, Wilson set a record with 35 points and over 10
rebounds in a single game (only the second rookie in league history to do so).
By the end of the season, Wilson led her team in points, rebounds, and blocks making
her an obvious contender to win Rookie of the Year, which she did. But despite
the addition of the young superstar, the team finished in ninth, one spot short
of the playoffs.
During that
inaugural year, the Las Vegas team faced challenges adjusting to a new coach
and a new city, but Wilson looks forward to the potential of the upcoming
season.
“We know each other now,”
Wilson said. “We know how each of us plays, and we can feed off each other, so
I’m excited to see our chemistry in the game.”
Embracing the Future
Wilson’s past has
impacted who she is today, but those are only the early chapters of her story. There
are records to be broken and glass ceilings to shatter, and Wilson is prepared
to forge her own way.
“I think mentally I’ve changed the way I approach
certain things in life, not just on the court, but off the court as well,”
Wilson said.
She’s looking
forward to her future playing professional basketball and seizing opportunities
to advocate for female empowerment.
“I
didn’t understand the voice I had until I got to the professional league, and I
saw how people listened,” Wilson said.
“So, I’m not going to just sit here. I’m going to speak on empowering women
because we deserve a change. There has to be a change.”
Wilson also looks
forward to seeing her non-profit organization, the A’ja Wilson Foundation, grow
and make a difference in the lives of kids struggling with learning disabilities
and bullying.
“I
was diagnosed with dyslexia in high school, and I absolutely hated it,” Wilson
said. “It took a long time for me to come to terms with it. Once I found the
resources, they really helped me overcome the fact that I had a learning
disability. So, I wanted to start the A’ja Wilson Foundation to ensure schools
have those resources.”
The foundation is
still young, but, working with her parents, Wilson is excited to be raising
money and dreaming of the impact it’ll have down the road.
Wilson understands that the moments and mentors of
her past have helped bring her to where she is now and that, by investing in
the lives of the next generation, she can pass on the torch.
“The reason I play, and the reason I am who I am is because I want young kids, both boys and girls, to look up to me and say, ‘Okay, she did it the right way. She succeeded, and it can be done,’” Wilson said.
Wilson has only begun writing her story and making a difference in the world around her. And as she continues to be a leader, on and off the court, you won’t be able to ignore this superstar.
Happy Air Max Month! Five years ago, Nike officially declared March 26 Air Max Day, and the entire month of March became known as Air Max Month. Since then, Nike has taken the opportunity to debut new Air Max technologies and showcase new takes on old favorites. Across the globe, Nike celebrates by hosting special interactive events for Air Max fans everywhere, with the highlight being March 26, the day the Air Max 1 first launched in 1987.
This year, I thought it would be fun to look back at Air Max technology from the early 2000s. Usually sneakers come back around and become popular again after about 20 years, but that hasn’t been the case for a lot of the early 2000 Nike running models. For whatever reason, the sneaker community is nowhere near as enamored with these models compared to those from the ’90s, which shows how truly special that decade was for sneaker technology. That’s not to say the early 2000s shouldn’t be revisited – in fact, in such a saturated sneaker market, it’s worth taking a look back at the beginning of the twenty-first century to see if there were any hidden gems that are worth a retro.
2000
The turn of the decade represented a turning point for Nike Air Max running sneakers. There were still some familiar lines, like the Triax series, the Tailwind, Air Max, and the Air Max Plus. Each continued to live on into the 21st century after a strong run in the ’90s. For easy shopping reference, Eastbay catalogs featured technical descriptions underneath every sneaker. For the runner’s information, the sneakers were broken up into different categories: Cushioned, Cushioned Support, Support, or Lightweight. There was also a tiny diagram that showed where the Air bubbles were located – either in the heel, forefoot, or both. For reference, when going through the old pages, Eastbay labeled the month and year in the top or bottom corner underneath the page number. For instance, “0400” stood for April 2000.
In 2000, Air Max Plus technology took center stage with the massive hit Air Max Plus. Nike also released the Air Tuned Sovereign and Air Tuned Precision for women, and the Air Tuned Sirocco and Air Tuned Max for men. The Air Tuned Max and Air Tuned Precision were special because they were the first sneakers to feature full-length visible Tuned Air units. The goal of Tuned Air was to give the runner a more stable ride compared to other Air Max models without compromising cushioning.
The Air Max Tailwind line continued in 2000 with the Tailwind 5, which featured Tuned Air instead of an Air Max heel unit. There was also a visible Air-Sole unit in the forefoot, for the runner seeking great cushioning, durability, and support.
The Air Max 2000 running shoe continued to evolve with both better cushioning and support, and also featured a visible full-length Tuned Air unit. It was part of the Alpha Project – Nike’s multi-year strategy to advance technology and design in thoughtful and creative ways. The Air Max Tailwind 6 again featured Tuned Air in the heel and some pretty flashy colorways, like the glacier/navy/coast for women and the grey/maize/white/navy for men.
2001
The Air Max in 2001 started to look much different, with straight lines instead of the zigzag pattern seen on the AM 2000. Heading into its fourth year, the Air Max Plus continued to be a hit and Nike continued to release new colorways. That year, the Air Max Plus 3 made its debut, featuring Tuned Air in the heel. It was nowhere near as popular as the original, though.
2002
In 2002, we were introduced to the Air Max Glare for women, the Air Max Tailwind 7, the Air Max Plus 4, and the Air Max Plus Slip-On inspired by the OG.
2003
Out of all the models, the Air Max featured in the 2003 catalogs deserves the most attention and is most deserving of retro consideration. The introduction of visible Tubular Air gave the sole a dramatically different look, and while the Tubular Air didn’t catch on it transformed into the fresh and modern sole we know today.
Also of note in 2003 was the Air Max Bambino for women, with a price tag of just $89.99. The Tailwind also returned to Air Max cushioning in the heel as opposed to Tuned Air in ’03, and Nike released a fifth version of the Air Max Plus featuring a double-lasted stretch synthetic upper.
Throughout these catalog pages, it’s worth noting that Nike was not retroing any models yet. It was pedal to the metal, full steam ahead, with all new models every year (except for a few new Air Max 95 colors and the continuation of the successful Air Max Plus). We are definitely in an interesting time period right now, where sneakerheads crave the latest models, but also want sneakers from the past. Only time will tell if consumers will continue to want the old and the new – I’m hoping it’s both.
