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Nike Air Max Light – OG vs. VNTG Comparison

John K. — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:00:18 +0000

Rocking vintage kicks have become a popular method of capturing that true retro styling sought out by sneakerheads and hipsters alike, and so Nike began a controversial collection of ‘VNTG’ sneakers – that is, taking freshly manufactured models and giving them a vintage makeover. You can typically find these Nike VNTG models with softer suede, pre-yellowed midsoles and the 70′s Nike tongue label, but the recently released Nike Air Max Light is hardly from that true ‘vintage’ era. In fact, it’s barely even an 80′s baby, as the Air Max Light (actually the Air Max II) was born just before the turn of the decade, sandwiched between the Air Stability (Stab) of ’88 and the iconic Air Max 90 (III) of ’90. It took eighteen years for the Light to see the light of day, with most of the great releases dropping as Euro exclusives and collaborations – most of the U.S. drops were available at chain retailers in crazy colorways and didn’t induce the excitement a true flagship Air Max would have.

Nike Sportswear finally decided to drop the two original Air Max Light colorways in late 2011, but in the oft-maligned ‘VNTG’ form, but it’s clear Nike got it down pat by pre-yellowing just the rear portion of the two-piece midsole (the rear was built with polyurethane, the forefoot with EVA, which resisted yellowing). Want to see for yourself? Sneaker News has for you a nice side-by-side comparison between the true original and the redone Retro, and you’ll quickly see that the OG has that two-toned yellowing with a truer aged appeal, down to the discolored thermoplastic straps, dingy mesh, and oxidation on the outsole. A picture says a thousand words, and we’ve got a ton of ‘em below, so check out this great Nike Air Max Light OG vs. VNTG comparison below and let us know what other Nike models you’d like to see with the ‘VNTG’ treatment.

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Nike Air Max Light VNTG QS – Available

John K. — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:43 +0000

With Nike Sportswear’s VNTG releases, you can relive the past without the worry of the memory crumbling at your feet…literally. Since Nike started to pre-yellow its midsoles and wear down the suede uppers, the search for true vintage kicks may have slowed down a bit, and the most recent releases of the Air Max Light Quickstrikes, the search may but all be over. These Lights have that true old-school appeal with the softer, aged appeal, and the fact that only the rear portion of the two-part midsole was yellowed is actually quite accurate – only the polyurethane is vulnerable to yellowing while EVA at the forefoot is not. Check out the new shots of these releases below and pick them up now at stateside retailers like WEST or on eBay.

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Nike Air Max Light VNTG QS Pack

Aaron Hope — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:00:30 +0000

Nike Sportswear has earned mixed reviews for the pre-yellowed look it usually applies to Vintage series releases, but Sneaker News readers were particularly vocal in discussing our first look at the red pair from this pack yesterday. It seems many would be thrilled with the Nike Air Max Light VNTG in classic colors with mesh and muted suede tones, but the oxidized rear midsole might be the kind of thing that’ll send some to order a fresh bottle of Sea Glow. But whether you’re for or against the yellowed foam look, it’s hard to argue against getting this oft-overlooked classic with its original Swoosh and shape; will you be making arrangements to grab one or both when this Quickstrike two-pack touches down on Friday, December 2nd at stores like Stickabush?

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Nike Air Max Light VNTG QS – White – Neutral Grey – Sport Red

John K. — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:00:45 +0000

The Air Max Light doesn’t get too much love, but many of readers did appreciate one of our Sneaker News: Classics Revisited segment which placed a worthy spotlight on an OG pair. Arriving at select Nike Sportswear retailers is the Nike Air Max Light in original colorways, given a full VNTG treatment – pre-yellowed soles, softened sueded, mesh uppers, the works. Even the outsole has that chalky residue, which is a result of oxidation. The VNTG effect, oftened maligned, fits right in with the stuck-in-a-storage-box appeal with the Air Max Light, doesn’t it? These are a Quickstrike release so expect them only at select accounts like ShelfLife in Europe, so act fast once you spot them because they’ll be gone fast!

Nike Air Max Light VNTG QS
White/Neutral Grey-Sport Red
482932-100

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Nike Air Max Light – Black – Volt

John K. — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:30:07 +0000

Tirelessly re-used, but hardly old, the Black/Volt combination reigns king among classic Nike colorways. Ever since the Black/Grey/Volt colorway debuted on the Air Max 95, Nike has tried to implement that unbreakable combo to all of its Nike shoes. Dave White calls that combo a favorite, and UK sneakerheads were fortunate enough to get a true Black/Grey/Volt colorway of the Air Max Light, but here’s yet another Light in an equally jaw-dropping colorway; set against a black base, the Volt just pops out of the screen and again reminds us that no sneaker can be questioned when featured in Black/Volt. These are available right now from overseas retailer Titolo so take another look after the jump and let us know what you think of the colorway.

Nike Air Max Light
Black/Volt-White
315827-039

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Nike Air Max Light – Wolf Grey – Anthracite – White

Aaron Hope — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:00:13 +0000

It has begun to feel like less of a European exclusive thanks to the magic of the internet, but the fact is, the vast majority of new Nike Air Max Light releases are European exclusives. The latest such example is this dope new pair of AM Lights, a Wolf Grey and Anthracite mix with white on the Swoosh and midsole that’s either the perfect punctuation for essentially any outfit you could imagine, or perhaps the ideal candidate for that stash of colorful laces you keep for occasions like these. Click through to see more angles and pick up a pair from the only place in the world that carries this colorway: JD Sports.

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Nike Air Max Light – Neutral Grey – Blue Glow

Aaron Hope — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 22:30:37 +0000

Among the sleeper hits in Nike Sportswear’s classic Air Max running lineup if for no other reason than their scant availability here in the states, the Nike Air Max Light is back for another lap around the track. This new colorway for summer manages to meld the AM Light’s classic style with contemporary colorblocking tendencies, offering a tonal grey suede-n-mesh base from which blue accents can burst. Click through to get a better view of the latest Air Max Light and look for these at select NSW retailers in Europe like Titolo.

Nike Air Max Light
Neutral Grey/Blue Glow-White
315827-038

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