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’s Remodel Of The Air Max Dn Lives On In “Light Bone”

While new patterns and gradients have brought fresh energy to the Nike Air Max Dn in recent months, a specific experimental build has caught our...

By Matt Varga October 30, 2024
599

Nike Is Pushing Safari Prints Again With The Air Max Dn

It may make it seem like forever ago, but it was only this summer when “Safari” ran rampant through the Nike catalog. Inspired by the...

By Matt Varga October 30, 2024
522

The Nike Air Max Plus Adopts A Neutral Gradient For The Colder Months

We’ve spilled plenty of ink on the Air Max Plus this year. Just in October, we’ve covered nearly a dozen new looks — the major...

By Matt Varga October 29, 2024
478

Finally, Nike Adds Some Much-Needed Patterns And Character To The Air Max Dn

Despite having adopted a torrid release pace since its debut in March of 2024, the Nike Air Max Dn hasn’t explored new and unique design...

By Andrew Rizzo October 29, 2024
1096

The Nike Air Max Sunder “Safety Orange” Won’t Go By Unnoticed

The Nike Air Max Sunder resurgence will continue throughout late 2024 and 2025 with fresh general release colorways. Delving further into bright, high-contrast looks akin...

By Andrew Rizzo October 29, 2024
519

Nike Elevates The Air Max 1 With Lined Fabric

It wouldn’t really be October if we didn’t get hit with at least one all-red Nike shoe. Tinker Hatfield’s Air Max 1 is the model...

By Andrew Rizzo October 29, 2024
291

The Nike Air Max 180 Queues Up A Contrasting Earthy Colorway

While this year, the early reign of the Nike Air Max 180 has been defined by returning to OG colorways, the full-width Air model has...

By Matt Varga October 28, 2024
2175

The Nike Air Max 90 Tweaks Up A 2020 Colorway

Nike Air Max 90 fans had it good in 2020. In celebration of the model’s landmark 30th anniversary, Nike debuted a new re-crafted cut, retro’d...

By Andrew Rizzo October 27, 2024
1219

“Lightening” Jolts This Classically-Styled Air Max 90

Nearly every model in the Nike archive has a colorway that continually inspires new looks on modern editions, whether it’s the Air Jordan 1 “Bred,”...

By Matt Varga October 26, 2024
973