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 Air Max 95 OG “Neon” – Arriving at Retailers

Nike Sportswear has four of its most famous classic running originals on tap as we move into the new year. Air Maxes 1 and 90...

By Aaron Hope December 27, 2012
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Nike Air Max OG Pack

The best way to ring in a new year is sharing a kiss with your beloved, and Nike Sportswear will extend that into a humongous...

By Aaron Hope December 16, 2012
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Nike Air Max 95 – Cool Grey – Black – University Red

It’s a well established fact that the Nike Air Max 95 is one of the most popular sneakers in England, and following up on a...

By Aaron Hope December 10, 2012
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Nike Air Max 95 OG “Neon” – Release Date

Beginners to the whole Nike Air Max thing can have a pretty easy time of picking up some of the most revered styles in that...

By Brendan Dunne December 5, 2012
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Nike Air Max 95 EM – Cool Grey – Volt – Black

First World Sneakerhead Problem: “I already own the OG Air Max 95 Neons“. Yes, news of the re-issue of the Neon 95 was reason to...

By John Kim December 3, 2012
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Nike Air Max 95 “Neon”

Nike Sportswear’s ready to kick off the 2013 calendar year with some intense Air Max heat. We’ve been covering all the hot Spring 2013 releases,...

By John Kim December 2, 2012
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Nike Air Max 95 Premium “Blackout”

We’re right in the heart of the last-minute Black Friday preparations, and that means several unhyped surprises quickly making their way to retail to influence...

By Aaron Hope November 21, 2012
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Nike Air Max 95 EM – Cool Grey – Hyper Red – Sail

Engineered Mesh is an innovative material intended for Nike’s high-performance footwear products, but NSW’s getting in the mix with the release of classic Air Max...

By John Kim November 16, 2012
2231

Nike Air Max 95 “Neon” – 2013 Retro

Not to say your sneaker collection is invalid if it lacks a pair, but Neon 95s are certainly essential to any rotation. The OG Neon...

By John Kim November 5, 2012
9943