The 25 Best Nike Air Trainer 1s of All Time

Year Released: 2012

This year the Air Trainer 1 has seen a few colorways release and the one that stands out most is the Safari Print version. Going full-on Safari inspired doesn't always work for most silhouettes, but the mix of quality materials and the fact that it released in conjunction with the Air Safari, ensured that this one popped off nicely, even if landing a pair was a little on the tedious side.

Year Released: 2011

Not many colorways of the Air Trainer 1 release, though we all might have more in our closet if they did. The best thing about that is that Nike seems to keep the color combos tasteful, which can't be said for some of the other iconic sneakers that were originally released in the '80s. One of the few 2011 Air Trainer 1 releases was this Neutral Grey and Dark Shadow joint. While it might not be 50 shades of grey, this color combo is about as sexy as it gets with a general release Air Trainer 1.

Year Released: 2005

One of the 2005 Air Trainer 1 releases that made a statement was the premium release, nicknamed the Picnic Pack. A similar colorway of the Air Trainer III released, but not the Air Trainer II, because three's company and two's just not enough of a party, especially when we're talking picnics. Materials on the Picnic Pack were no joke, though, despite the failed attempts at humor in the previous sentences.

Year Released: 2007

One of the few "inspired" colorways on the list of the Best Air Trainer 1s of All Time is this "Dawn of the Dead" version that dropped in 2007. Colors come from the 1978 horror film of the same name. Appropriately, these dropped around Halloween, which made them the perfect kicks to wear with your zombie costume. If you were pushing the zombie trend in 2007 you were way ahead of the game, so you probably copped these early in preparation for the apocalypse.

Year Released: 2003

There are only a handful of colorways that are always winning combinations. The Knicks and Mets blue and orange is one of them, despite neither team ever having a winning combination of their own [HEY! —Ed.], at least fans can look fresh while they fear the next failing move by ownership. The NYC Air Trainer 1 is no exception, white uppers with blue and orange accents is worthy of fighting over like Carmelo fights to take 23,568 shots per game.

Year Released: 2004

Nike decided to experiment with the color blocking on a number of silhouettes in 2004 with what has become known as the Orca pack. The Air Trainer 1 "Orca" was the first time we saw the Trainer 1's traditional panel coloring switched up. Black on the heel and white throughout the mid and forefoot made these killer whale nicknamed kicks, well, um, killer.

Year Released: 2004

In 2004, Nike dropped a series of future classics with the "Book of One's" pack. The Air Force 1, Air Max 1 and Air Trainer 1 each got treated with new colorways, capped off by a unique logo on the tongue featuring "ONE'S" across the tag. The grey based colorways of each have become some of the most collected releases since but the Air Trainer 1 "Book of One's" is still slept on by a lot of 'heads.

Year Released: 2003

Prep school, boarding school or country clubs and whatever collared-shirt required establishments that you're trying to get into, the "Twisted Prep" Air Trainer 1 Pack gives you a preppy-approved pair of kicks. Released in 2003, two colorways of the prep-inspired Air Trainer 1 released, one in a combination of greys with green and pink accents (Polo much?) and the second with a Light Bone and Mahogany combination. Ironically, these have become a status symbol of sorts amongst AT1 collectors, so if you don't have 'em, you ain't gettin' into the cool kids club.

Year Released: 2004

This Asia-only Co.jp release from 2004 had you on the hunt if you were a Trainer 'head. The curry-like overlay panel was a color that had never been seen before on the Air Trainer 1 and was the perfect accent to an otherwise simple colorway. Nicknamed the "Lumberjacks" because they can help you cut down trees, you didn't need to be Paul Bunyan to know these needed to be copped.

Year Released: 2009

JD Sports is no stranger to SMU colorways (that's special make up for those that didn't know), meaning, they get to pick out their own exclusive colorways to sell (lucky bastards!). One of the best they've ever stirred up is a simple twist on the original Nike Air Trainer 1 colorways. Blue seems to be a rare find on the Trainer 1 for some reason, but in 2009 JD Sports swapped out the traditional Chlorophyll or red details on the iconic AT1 colorways in favor of Photo Blue. The combination was simple but undeniable and if you grabbed a pair, props to you.

Year Released: 2007

The Tech Pack Air Trainer 1 from 2007 is the brightest of the bright. Two colorways of this pack dropped, one with a yellow overlay panel and another with pink. If real men really wear pink, the pink Tech Pack Air Trainer 1 should be the true statement of your manhood. And this was well before Kanye made it cool...er...manly, that is, to wear leather hot pants and hot pink.

Year Released: 2003

The Shima Shima Air Trainer 1 dropped with a handful of other Nikes (Dunks and Air Max 1s) as a European exclusives in 2003. The first series was a Midnight Navy on white and grey colorway that would have been dope just like that but the thing that made the Shima series crazy was the striped inner lining. For the Trainer 1, that was new territory and the second release had the same thing going on, flipped with Baroque Brown and Taupe. In the States, if you got your hands on these then, you were stuntin' the way Cash Money Records was back then.

Year Released: 2006

Before everything that had a hint of teal was considered "South Beach" inspired, Nike SB dropped this summer banger. The "Bamboo" Air Trainer 1 got its nickname from the official box color but the teal and yellow accents made this Nike Skateboarding release one of the best drops of the summer that year. And if you had the bones to swap in a set of yellow laces on these, you were killin' it in 2006.

Year Released: 2009

Materials are always a good way to switch up sneaker designs but seersucker hadn't ever really made much of an appearance on kicks until this 2009 release. This red and white "Seersucker" version of the Nike Air Trainer 1 released alongside a blue and white Seersucker Air Max 1 and both designs hit the pavement with gum bottoms. The combination was slept on by a lot of 'heads but that made scooping them up for those in the know no problem at all.

Year Released: 2003

Like the Brunnet Air trainer 1, the "Python" Air Trainer 1 was part of an effort (OK, maybe it was just coincidence) to step up the game of the classic Nike trainer. Premium materials, culminated by the faux-snakeskin that gives this 2003 release its nickname, makes the Python Air Trainer 1 one of the most easily identifiable and highly sought-after releases on this list. The Python Trainer 1 is rumored to be a tribute to the elusive and mysterious Nike Air Python that dropped—sort of—in 1987.

Year Released: 2003

Nike SB has only dropped a handful of Air Trainer 1 colorways, most of which have been well received. The colorway that started it off for Nike SB was the "Paul Brown" Air Trainer 1. The nickname comes from the colorway on this silver-box SB. Along with the brown hues, the Obsidian Swoosh, liner and accents make this the perfect fall colorway and it probably matched that awesomely ugly plaid button-up in your closet at the time.

Year Released: 2003

The Brunnet Nike Air Trainer 1 is one of the first (and only) true premium Trainer 1 releases to use an entirely leather upper. No suede, no nubuck, just a classy mahogany colored leather that is more common to high-end dress shoes. The premium come-up took the Air Trainer 1 from gym shoes to ready for dinner at Morton's...or at least from the value menu to some of the regular priced sh*t at McD's.

Year Released: 1987

Classic. The original red-accented colorway of the Air Trainer 1 doesn't really need much explaining: just like Chlorophyll, only different. You didn't have to know Diddley to see this one was a must-have.

Year Released: 2008

DJ Clark Kent reached into the Nike vault for a trio of releases that have now become somewhat legendary amongst sneakerheads, one of which was the Air Trainer 1. At the time, the Trainer 1 wasn't receiving much love from 'heads in the street or the heads at Nike but lined up with the 112 Pack Air Force 1 and 112 Pack Air Max 1, the 112 Pack Air Trainer 1 uses 3M, elephant print and Volt in a way that's hard to deny, even if you're a professional hater.

Year Released: 2004

Limited releases for the Nike Air Trainer 1 don't really come around much. Thankfully, the silhouette has remained relatively untouched in that regard. One of the few that can be accounted for is the 2004 "Beautiful Ones" Air Trainer 1. It's rumored that about 25 pairs of these were created for friends and family of Talib Kwelii to celebrate his second album, entitled The Beautiful Struggle. If you can't see the reason for the nickname, you might have a beautiful struggle of your own going on.

Year Released: 2005

HUF has since moved on to creating their own line of skate shoes, but back in the day they partnered up with Nike SB for one of the most creative Air Traner 1s ever created. Using their San Francisco roots and an up-and-coming designer by the name of Benny Gold, they created the "Gold Digger" Air Trainer 1. Gold foil underlays were masked by mesh, hiding the buried treasure, so to speak. These days, the Gold Digger Trainer 1 is still somewhat of a hidden gem, in the sense that it's one of the most underrated AT1s (and for that matter SBs) ever.

Year Released: 2000

Michigan's Fab Five had long since come and gone, but the Wolverines were still shining for all the wrong reasons when the Michigan colorway of the Nike Air Trainer 1 dropped in 2000. Despite losing a bunch of minor championships, post-season eligibility and all respect from college basketball fans who think kids don't get slipped a little spending money, Nike still broke off the school a few inspired colorways, which of course, had to be paid for, you know, for legal reasons. Legal or not, the Michigan Air Trainer 1 is fresh no matter what.

Year Released: 2001

One of the earliest retro colorways of the Air Trainer 1 was this Co.jp (Japanese) release that was almost impossible to get without having some sort of connect. The Safari Co.jp Air Trainer 1 is arguably one of the best colorways ever depending on who you ask. Although if you ask some salty sneakerheads that never got a pair, they'd probably say it sucked, but they'd be lying.

Year Released: 1988

The Black Elephant Print Air Trainer 1 was one of the early colorways created in the late '80s—and the first forgotten apparently, because Nike has yet to show these any retro love. Of the early Air Trainer 1 colorways, this one with the red and green accent colors would be straight-up crack for the sneaker fiends of today. Nike even mixed it up with the two-color logo on the heel. Although it would have some ridiculous nickname now, this is one that could be at the top of the list if it weren't for the legendary players that wore the Nike Air Trainer 1.

Year Released: 1987

If you're surprised that the Chlorophyll Air Trainer 1 is considered the greatest of all-time, welcome to the world of sneakers. Not only is the colorway about as timeless as can be, it has the slight edginess of Chlorophyll as an accent color, which in the '80s, was taboo in the game of tennis which still hadn't quite gotten past its close-minded, all-white-everything beliefs. Aside from being worn by John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Bo Jackson and a list of other athletes, the Chlorophyll Air Trainer 1 ushered in the entire cross-training category, which promptly blew the F up. This is a must-have for sneakerheads and parents who couldn't admit to liking Johnny Mac until after he calmed down from his 'ARE YOU SERIOUS?' rants.