Nike Air Max

Air Max is a revolutionary footwear cushioning technology created by sports athletics brand Nike. The idea of encapsulating Air into a midsole was first thought up by Marion Frank Rudy, an aerospace engineer. He presented his idea to Nike founder Phil Knight in 1977, who was very intrigued by the idea after testing a prototype running shoe. Air cushioning was used in Nike running footwear as far back as 1978 with the Air Tailwind running shoe. However, the Air was not visible as it was embedded into the sole.

Air Max didn’t come into the picture until 1987. Footwear designer Tinker Hatfield introduced the idea of making the Air cushioning visible to the eye, doing so on the Air Max 1 running shoe. At the time, running footwear was extremely plain, so he chose to do something completely different to align with the changing times of pop culture. Since then, a long history of running shoes have released, many named after the year they were released. These shoes are considered extremely important to sneaker culture as many collectors searched far and wide for limited editions and collaborations with Parra, Sean Wotherspoon, and atmos.

Since its inception, the visible Air revolution has expanded beyond running models – including sports like basketball. Many sneakers with a visible Nike Air bubble can be considered “Air Max,” but modified versions of the technology from over the years have launched with different names. The most popular retro sneakers under the line are the AM 1, the Air Max 90, and Air Max 95. Most of Nike Running’s marquee performance shoes no longer rely on the revolutionary technology, opting for a combination of responsive foams, full-length Air units, and Zoom Air bubbles. In 2024, two new models entered the family with the Nike Air Max Plus Drift and Nike Air Max Dn, the latter silhouette receiving a massive spotlight in the first half of the year as it made its official debut.

Nike’s modern offerings are more lifestyle-focused than before, leaving original designs from the game-changing family to enjoy proper retros, limited editions, and special collaborations.

Nike Air Max

Nike WMNS Air Structure Triax 91 ND – Persian Violet – Black – White – Beet – Available On eBay

Last week, we showed you a pair of Nike Wmns Air Structure Triax 91 in the highly anticipated Persian Violet Colorway. These Air Structures also...

By Sneaker News December 1, 2009
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Nike WMNS Air Structure Triax 91 ND – Persian Violet – Black – White – Beet

French blue, concord, flint and cool greys.  These iconic Nike hues also name four of the most easily identifiable Air Jordans of all time.   Persian...

By Aaron Hope November 25, 2009
190

Nike WMNS Air Max 1 – Suede Pack – White + Beet

There have been plenty of womens releases from Nike that we’ve suggested to any guys who could find a pair big enough to fit.  With...

By Aaron Hope October 18, 2009
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Nike WMNS Air Structure Triax 91 – Persian Violet – Black

If most of the Nike Air Structure Triax 91 releases we’ve seen seemlessly blend the shoe’s era of origin with today’s fashion sensibilities, the above...

By Aaron Hope October 4, 2009
415

Nike WMNS Air Max 90 – Black – Vivid Pink

With the majority of Nike retro runners featuring greys and/or white to add balance, this two-toned excercise in high contrast is something of a throwback. ...

By Aaron Hope October 1, 2009
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Nike WMNS Air Max 90 – Challenge Red – White – Medium Grey

Female sneakerheads have been lucking out lately with a slew of nice Air Max 90 colorways that have recently dropped. This new pair aims to...

By Aaron Kr. August 22, 2009
493

Nike WMNS Air Max 90 – Challenge Red – White – Medium Grey

New Air Max 90 colorways are always popping up, and it seems like lately, the ladies have been getting the better colorways. Here is a...

By Aaron Kr. August 6, 2009
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Nike WMNS Air Max 90 – Grand Purple – Infrared

The latest Nike Air Max 90 for women perfectly captures that two-decades-ago vibe.  Skillfully blending two colours that dominated the early part of the previous...

By Aaron Hope August 2, 2009
576

Nike WMNS Air Max+ 2009 – New Magenta – Grey

With all the excellent retro runners, it’s almost easy to forget that Nike’s Air Max series continues to put out top-of-the-line high-tech releases every couple...

By Aaron Hope August 1, 2009
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