We Want These Nike Sneakers to Come Back

If you had the power to peruse Nike’s archives and pick one sneaker to remake, where would you go? Would you dip into obscure, regional-exclusive Air Force 1s from the dawn of the 2000s? Or further back, to unobtainable early collaborations like Wu Tang’s Nike Dunk Highs?

Nike isn’t granting anyone that power just yet, but the brand in April announced a new line called Cult Classics, the first batch of which will consist of coveted retros like the “Linen” Air Force and the “Reverse Duck Camo” Air Max 90. Nike describes the shoes that will make up the Cult Classics releases as culturally relevant, “community-made symbols of past, present, and future moments.”

For now, the criteria around the shoes are sort of vague. Nike says that the first wave of Cult Classics will feature “expected” retros, where successive ones will be reissues of shoes people want to have the opportunity to buy again. And, Nike says, upcoming Cult Classics projects will be “informed by the community” who will “have a say in the future of the program.”

As Nike’s made the promise that consumers will have a say in the future of the program (Nothing could possibly go wrong there, right?), we thought we’d throw out some early suggestions on sneakers we’d like to see included.

We excluded anything from Air Jordan or Nike SB, as those lines appear to be outside the bounds of consideration for Cult Classics. Some of the picks are admittedly not that widely beloved, but we’re allowing ourselves to be selfish for the sake of this fantasy. Here are selections from the Complex staff on sneakers we’d want to see come back as part of the collection, just in case anyone at Nike was wondering.

Year: 2004

It’s totally possible there are only, like, 17 people total in the “sneaker community” who care about the Nike Air Burst, but I’m not ashamed to say I’m one of them. It also feels likely that Nike’s not going to dust off this model—which is seldom retroed and hasn’t been seen since 2009—just for the sake of Cult Classics, but Nike did put the upcoming remastered Air 180 in the first Cult Classics preview, so I’m not giving up hope on this. Air Burst fans aren’t in a place to be picky right now—we’ll be happy with any number of colorways: the hemp-inflected “Crepe Pack” pair, the Air Max 1-looking blue or red, or even (as a treat) the greyed-out Slim Shady collab. —Brendan Dunne

Year: 1988

This is the OG Nike Air Max sneaker that the brand has never showed love in the form of a retro. It gets lost in the mix. First released in 1988, the Walker Max looks a lot like its predecessor, the Air Max 1, which came out in 1987. Many would assume that Nike wouldn’t make another Air Max sneaker until the release of the Air Max Light in 1989, but the Walker Max falls in between both. Although not a true running shoe, the Walker Max aesthetically fits in the Air Max runner lineage. One of its main differences, however, is that it has an all leather upper with a perforated toebox instead of mesh. The heel unit also has an extra padding piece. The original colorway of the shoe is white, blue, and grey. The only time that Nike has really acknowledged the Walker Max was for the second Air Max Day in 2015, when they posted an archive of vintage Air Max models and included a yellowed and crumbling pair. —Matt Welty

Year: 2006

I was only ten years old when the shoe was released, but I’ve always regretted not getting my hands on the “Kiwi” Air Force 1. The patent leather pair has the superb green bean Swoosh and a deep red on the upper, creating a sharp contrast to the shoe. The white midsole keeps the simplicity of the colorway intact, while the green outsole brings it all together. I’ve always appreciated the “Kiwi” Forces because at first glance these colors don’t really seem to go together, but if you understand color theory then you can see this palette is in perfect harmony. We’ve already seen Nike bring back some classic Air Force 1s over the years, but this is definitely a gem that deserves to be resurfaced.  —Breeana Walker

Year: 2009

It’s hard to imagine anyone not from Long Island caring about this sneaker or potentially even knowing that it exists. But if you do hail from there, this sneaker is the perfect reminder of Long Island beaches being one of the best things the state of New York has to offer. The shoe has a sand-colored upper, a monochrome brush design on the back, Jones Beach’s logo on the tongue, and a translucent outsole featuring a silhouette of the 51st state. I waited in line at Extra Butter in Rockville Centre when these shoes first dropped in 2009 and wore them until they looked like a pile of wet sand. I even copped the retro again in 2017. Now, seven years later, I’m ready to throw my money at another pair of “Jones Beach” Forces. I doubt Nike is in any hurry to bring them back for a third time, but I bet any Long Islander in your life is as eager as I am for another drop. —Ben Felderstein

Year: 2003

I was only eight years old when these things were released. So to get this out of the way for all those old heads out there, no, I wasn’t there. But when I was old enough to really get into sneakers and discovered this one, it became one of those unattainable, grail-level pairs I wished I could own some day. There are plenty of great Air Max 1s that Nike needs to take out of the vault immediately. But if you ask me, the best of the bunch is Atmos’ “Viotech” Air Max 1 B from 2003. The gold mini Swoosh on the toe and purple Swoosh on the side panel pop beautifully off of the tan leather and brown suede upper. The colorblocking is immaculate. It sits on gum bottoms. These things are pretty close to perfect. We’ve seen Nike riff on this colorway with a LeBron 18 Low in 2021. But (Arthur Kar on “On BS” voice) who needs that? Plus, people love earth-toned sneakers these days. This just feels like a retro that makes sense. Bring back the real thing, Nike. I know I’m not the only one asking. —Mike DeStefano

Year: 2012

A shoe I absolutely cooked and wish I had another pair (or two) of is the Nike Flyknit Trainer. Flyknit is arguably Nike’s best innovation since Zoom Air but we haven’t seen one of the most popular Flyknit silhouettes in almost seven years.

The Flyknit Trainer debuted around the London Olympics medal stand in 2012 and saw releases flow up until 2014, and restart briefly with one colorway in 2017. Since then, we haven’t seen the Flyknit Trainer make a real comeback since it went away somewhat abruptly.

For the “Is anything sacred?” crowd, why wouldn’t Nike bring back this coveted model and cult classic with a wider release? The brand’s innovation problem is well-documented and a re-release would not only give the people what they want but also remind us of the rich history of Nike innovation. Nike, if you’re reading this, we'll also take a full retro of the HTM Flyknit Collection. —Oruny Choi

Year: 2002

Hong Kongs. Linens. Taiwans. There are quite a few Air Force 1 Lows from around the turn of the century that legitimately achieved cult-classic status. My personal favorite is 2002’s “Courir” Air Force 1. This France exclusive, its name derived from French footwear retailer Courir, didn’t have any unique detailing. It wasn’t as flashy as some of its contemporaries—or flashy at all for that matter. But what gave it that status was its scarcity in the U.S., quality materials, and just how clean and wearable it was. Pairs have been released since that approximated the look, but they’ve never had the accompanying quality to be worth calling a proper retro. A sneaker as simple as a black and white Air Force 1 Low with a gum sole doesn’t seem like it should be as elusive as it is, but that’s probably part of what makes it so special. —Zac Dubasik