Usually associated with a single style, the visibility of Air Max units is also a functional advantage that Nike has leveraged across different models.
When Air gave way to Air Max, it established one of the most successful footwear sagas, created some of the most established models in sneaker history and developed with them an entire cultural association. However, in addition to the Air Max 1, 90, 93, 95, and 97, many other models featured visible air.
In the beginning it was air, Nike Air 1979
Since its inception in 1979, Nike Air has provided a functional advantage. With Air, you can run more miles while avoiding injuries and increasing comfort. Air Max came almost a decade later and did the same thing, with functionality as the main benefit. Air Max meant taking air’s cushioning capabilities to the max. The Air Max units, which were lighter and more resistant to change than regular foams, offered a practical advantage. The goal has remained consistent since the first Air unit: remove foam and replace it with air.
Air Max, functionality
However, the first appearance of the Air unit diverted attention, even within Nike itself – was it a gimmick to attract attention, and did it make sense? The solution was simple: you only had to try an Air Max to notice, above all, its comfort. As with the first Air units, the first Air Max was designed for running.
Air visible, the other styles
That 1986 Air Max 1 was followed by its update, Air Max 1 and then Air Max II (Air Max Light) in 1989 and Air Max III (aka Air Max 90) to create one of the most successful sagas in the history of sneakers. From the very beginning, Nike wanted to take advantage of the Air Max in other activities. Thus emerged Air Max Walker (for walking), Air Ace (tennis), Air Elite (aerobics), Air Revolution (basketball) or different Trainer, always with the visible Air unit that became a definitive feature for models such as the Nike Tech Challenge for Andre Agassi, Air Max Penny 2 for Penny Hardaway or Uptempo and models that now return with force as Air Max SNDR and Terra Humara.
Each evolution of Air Max technology appeared in models of every athletic discipline, with stellar appearances in training and even outdoor. During the nineties, the Air aesthetics and functionality became visible in models that now return to create the same impact. Long live the visible Air!