The history of nike air max cushioning

Nike Air Max 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. Nike Air Max technologies, is designed to take extreme, repetitive impacts and minimize their effects on the body. Air Max units are made through a technique called “blow-molding", allowing for the greatest volume of Air without weakening the Air-Sole unit.

The 1993 model was the first to have the fully visible heel Air. 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 commercial. The Air Max ´95 referred on the human anatomy. With the spine of the shoe similar to the human spine and the original materials to represent skin, muscle fibers etc. Though many stores were sceptical to stock the shoe due to its high technology, suede material and high price, they took a chance and it became the first shoe to be more than £100.00 in retail stores.

Especially the Air Max BW has been a popular clothing item among gabber music scene. The Dutch Hip-Hop song Het land van (by Lange Frans & Baas B) states that Air Max will never go out of fashion in the Netherlands. Nike Air Max are very popular in Hip Hop and Chav Culture. Also, Air Max were extremely popular in Serbia in first half of the '90. In spite of extreme inflation, average monthly pay was around $1, and shoes were around $100, most popular crime in those days was taking off shoes from someone.

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. Different types of Air Max cushioning include "Air Max2" which doesn't 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 "Tuned Air," which is a system of individual pods supposedly "tuned" to different areas of the foot.

There was also 180 Air in the early 1990s which was visible through the bottom of the shoe 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.