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Zoom Air. Shox. Free. Lunarlon. Over the years, Nike’s introduced a handful of industry shifting cushioning technologies, but few of them have had the staying power of the Air Max line. What began as a revolutionary performance mechanism soon blossomed into an iconic symbol of street style, eventually earning its spot as the best of both worlds for runners and sneaker enthusiasts alike.
It wasn’t always easy, and many of Air Max’s biggest developments took years to perfect, but Nike’s willingness to push the envelope has resulted in what is perhaps the most well-known running shoe of all-time. To our generation, Air Max is a household name, and believe it or not, its legacy is only continuing to grow. As Nike and Finish Line get set to roll out the latest flagship sneaker, the Air Max 2016, the future is looking brighter than ever.
Unlike other shoes that might excel in one particular area, the versatility of the Air Max range managed to win over both serious, competitive runners and stylish sneakerheads who hadn’t been on a track in years. The Air Max line’s combination of a striking, visible Nike Air unit and forward-thinking design cues helped it earn a permanent spot in the locker room and on the runway, and it’s this same dual-purpose appeal that’s allowed it to remain relevant for decades.
Illustrations by Marcus Allen
Air Max 1
Year Released: 1987
Standout Feature: First ever visible Air unit
With the Air Max 1, which is sometimes referred to as the Air Max 87, Tinker Hatfield flipped the footwear industry upside down, literally, by training his focus on the sole of the sneaker and creating the first visible Air unit of its kind. Hatfield’s inspiration came from the Pompidou Centre in Paris, a complex known for its unique deconstructed architecture.
Not only was the Air unit visible, but it was bigger than ever before. According to Nike’s advertisements from this time period, the sneaker’s Air unit was three times bigger than those found in previous sneakers, hence the name “Air Max.” This increased Air volume meant a more cushioned landing for runners as they hit the ground, but it didn’t hurt that it looked really cool, too.
The “wow” factor of the first of its kind—visible Air unit paired with Tinker Hatfield’s clean lines and sleek shape—proved to be a hit with style circles almost immediately. Years later, the Air Max 1 was used as the canvas for several popular Nike collaborations, making its lifestyle appeal unparalleled.
Air Max 90
Year Released: 1990
Standout Feature: Increased Air volume
A “bigger is better” attitude was introduced on the Air Max 90, as the design team behind the sneakers—once again led by Tinker Hatfield—looked to outdo their previous innovations. The self-imposed challenge worked, as the Air Max 90 introduced a larger volume of encapsulated Air and bold, new colorways that would go on to define the series. For runners, this meant increased comfort, but on the streets, new trends were brewing.
The Air Max 90’s “Infrared” style has earned iconic status over the years, and the “Laser Blue” and “Concord” makeups also deserve a nod for their head-turning designs. The idea here was that the vibrant pops of color would draw attention to the Air unit, letting everyone know that Air Max had officially arrived.
Air Max 180
Year Released: 1991
Standout Feature: More visible Air than ever before
As great as the “Infrared” window was on the Air Max 90, by the following year, Nike had already found a way to strip away more foam and make the Air unit bigger than ever. Enter the Air Max 180, which introduced 180 degrees of visible Air cushioning and gave athletes a softer and closer to the ground ride than ever before. Designed by the team of Tinker Hatfield and Bruce Kilgore, the 180 was a labor of love and according to Nike’s Director of Cushioning Innovation Dave Forland, it was actually one of the most difficult Air Max sneakers to make.
Like its predecessors, the Air Max 180 was also extremely popular in the streets, and it was actually used on the very first Kanye West sneaker collaboration, although only a handful of samples are said to exist.
Air Max 93
Year Released: 1993
Standout Feature: 270 degree heel visible Air unit
The “bigger is better” ethos continued on the Air Max 93, but this time around, inspiration came from the strangest of places: plastic milk jugs. The contoured shape of the milk-jugs design led the team to explore advancements in blow-molding technology, which eventually resulted in a 270 degree Air bag that extended to the back of the heel. This provided bouncier, more protected cushioning for runners, who also benefitted from the addition of an inner bootie for an improved fit.
The Air Max 93 hasn’t taken off as a street icon in the way some Air Max sneakers have, but that doesn’t mean it’s not dope. A lot of this can be chalked up to Nike’s staggered retro releases, which can make it a challenge for fans to really get into the nuances of the design.
Air Max 95
Year Released: 1995
Standout Feature: Debut of forefoot visible Air
Designer Sergio Lozano took the reins on the Air Max 95, drawing his inspirations from human anatomy and bone structure to create one of the most memorable Air Max sneakers of all time. The radical design was supported by even more progressive technology, as forefoot visible Air cushioning was introduced for the first time ever. Even the looks were taken into account for runners, with reflective 3M Scotchlite overlays on the tongue and heel for added visibility at night.
Speaking of its looks, the Air Max 95 is a sure contender for the most stylish Air Max ever. The sneaker’s striking gradient design and neon-green flagship colorway can be spotted from miles away, and its minimal approach to branding, which saw a small Swoosh appear toward the heel, was nearly unheard of at the time.
Almost immediately, the 95 was embraced by runners and fashion-forward sets alike. Sneakerheads loved the shoe, as did rappers and more notoriously, criminals in the UK. To this day, it remains a go-to pair for those in the know.
Air Max 97
Year Released: 1997
Standout Feature: Debut of full-length Air unit
Nike set off the Air Max’s 10th anniversary properly with the introduction of heel-to-toe visible Air cushioning. After a decade of pushing toward more Air, the Air Max 97 marked a huge achievement for the brand and gave runners more of the industry-leading cushioning than ever. It also provided more safety than ever, upping the 3M Scotchlite seen on the AM 95 for an all-over 360 degrees treatment.
From a style perspective, the Air Max 97’s speedy look and heavy levels of glowing 3M have made it something of a cult classic.
Air Max 2003
Year Released: 2003
Standout Feature: Lightweight upper material manufactured by Teijin
The Air Max series’ major innovations picked back up in 2003 with the introduction of a new carbon-based fiber developed by the Japanese company Teijin. Said to be inspired by track spikes and automobile parts, the material provided waterproofing without added bulk. Meanwhile, the Air bag remained unchanged from the Air Max 97, a testament to the full-length unit’s performance.
From a style standpoint, the Air Max 2003 didn’t make the biggest impact, but that could all change with a proper retro push.
Air Max 360
Year Released: 2006
Standout Feature: 360 degree Caged Air unit
The people wanted foamless, 360 degree Air, and in 2006, Nike finally delivered in the form of Caged Air on the appropriately titled Air Max 360. It was almost 20 years in the making, and the hard work paid off with the highest level of cushioning the brand had achieved up to that point. Meanwhile, Nike paid homage to the journey with a flagship colorway inspired by the original white and red Air Max 1.
Like the Air Max 2003, the Air Max 360 is known more for its performance and technology than its looks, but it’d fit in well alongside some of today’s more futuristic designs.
Flyknit Air Max
Year Released: 2013
Standout Feature: First Air Max sneaker with a full Flyknit upper
In 2013, Nike released an update to the annual model, the Air Max 2013, built with a full Flyknit upper. The knitted technology had been introduced just a year prior, but it didn’t take long for the Nike Running team to find a way to implement it into an Air Max sneaker. On the road, this resulted in more breathability than previous models and a lightweight sock-like fit.
Meanwhile, on the streets, the addition of Flyknit gave the Air Max series a stylish makeover that was reminiscent of the series’ design breakthroughs in the ’90s. To emphasize the gradient pattern used on the Flyknit uppers, Nike extended the color fade to the full 360-degree Air bag, a technique that would become a staple of the Air Max line in the years that followed.
Air Max 2015
Year Released: 2015
Standout Feature: Updated tubular Air unit
In 2015, Nike reconfigured the 360 Air cushioning with a tubular construction and deeper flex grooves to make the tooling more flexible than it’d ever been.
The gradient Air bag introduced on the Flyknit Air Max was a key design cue on the Air Max 2015, as Nike used it to symbolize blazing speed whether you’re actually running or just swagging in the streets.
Air Max 2016
Year Released: 2016
Standout Feature: Revamped engineered mesh upper
The latest entry into the Air Max legacy in the 2016 model, which sticks with many of the things that made the 2015 version so great. The majority of the updates here are aesthetic, like the repositioned Swoosh branding, but the engineered mesh upper has also been tweaked for improved breathability.
Whether you #DareToAir in the gym or in the street, Air Max sneakers and Finish Line have you covered with just the right balance of performance and style. It remains to be seen how the Air Max 2016 will fare with stylish sneakerheads, but we’re expecting big things. To get the hype started, use this opportunity to show us how you #DareToAir by sharing your very own favorite Air Max moment.