Nike Air Max

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The Air Max IV/Air Max 91; nowadays known as the Air Max BW, is the biggest selling Air Max shoe of all time

Two pairs of Air Max, 2003, 2006

Nike Air Max is a shoe by the company Nike that was introduced in 1987 as the first example of Air Max-branded technologies.

The Nike Air Max shoe uses a large air cushioning unit which is visible at the side of the midsole in most models. Especially sought after models include:

Air Max I 1987
Air Max Light 1989
Air Max III (commonly known as Air Max 90) 1990
Air Max IV (commonly known as Air Max BW) 1991
Air Max ST 1992
Air Max 270 1993
1994 version
Air Total Max (commonly known as Air Max 95) 1995
1997 version
Air Max Plus (commonly known as Air Max TN or simply "Nike TN") 1998
2003 version
Air Max 360 2006.

The 1993 model was the first to have the fully visible heel Air unit that was visible in the back as well as on the sides, and the 1995 model was the first to feature visible forefoot Air. The 1997 model was the first to include a full length Air bag.

The Beatles' song "Revolution" was used in a television commercial to promote the shoe. It was the first and only time that a song performed by the Beatles was used in a TV ad.

The cushioned shoe has been a popular clothing item among gabber music fans and the Dutch song Het land van ... by Lange Frans & Baas B states that Air Max will never go out of fashion in the Netherlands.

The shoes have always been high tech for their time so runners have always worn them, but they are equally valuable as a casual shoe. They are generally fairly comfortable and the designs and colors are very inspired in some cases. The 1995 model was extremely popular for a long time and saw many colorways introduced. Its popularity has waned but many people still love the shoe. Originally it was met with some skepticism due to its suede construction, high price tag and neon accent color. International collectors quickly came to love the shoe and eventually it became popular in the USA as well.

Different types of Air Max cushioning include "Air Max2" which does not have the "holes" in the cushioning unit and is of high pressure, "Tube Air" which is visible in several small circles on the midsole of the shoe, "Total Air" which is basically just another word for full Air Max cushioning, "Tuned Air," which is a system of individual pods supposedly "tuned" to different areas of the foot. Air in the early 1990s which was visible through the bottom of the shoe (although smaller portions of Air units are visible through the bottom of many Air Max models) and another type of Air cushioning is the low profile and very responsive "Zoom Air."

Air Max cushioning has been used in shoes for almost all sports by now including basketball, cross training, golf, casual shoes, sandals, tennis, etc.; however the "Nike Air Max" is always a running shoe. An example of a basketball shoe would be "Air Max Uptempo."

On the 21st January 2006 Nike launched the Air Max 360. A revolutionary shoe design that utilised Max Air through out the shoes midsole. Traditionally, running shoes have used cushioning systems combined . Foam midsoles generally last for about 500 miles before their shock absorbing properties deteriorate.

The use of '360' of air cushioning ensures the shoes longevity. This is the logical conclusion to the Air Max story.

[edit] See also

Nike Air Max 2 CB 94

[edit] External links

Air Max 360 mini site - Nike mini site showcasing the history of the Air Max line.
Nike.com - Official site of Nike
Air Max Lovers - Pictures of Air Max Classic BW
Classic-boys - 1000 Pictures, information, culture and library of models of Air Max Classic BW
arkamix.com - Vintage Nike Archive