Friday, January 30, 2009

Air Max 1 Maxim




Why did they coin it the Maxim (don't people think of the magazine right away)? I have no idea. All I know is that these are definitely a fresh spin on one of the best classics.

Hypebeast:
The Nike Air Max 1 has been a classic sneaker for years now and has had a lot of time, since its inception over two decades ago, to gain favor in the eyes of sneaker aficionados. With the Nike Air Max 1 Maxim, the Air Max 1 transcends “classic” to the label of “icon”, joining the Nike Dunk, Air Max 90, Air Force 1 and Cortez. The above shoe, which is an Air Max 1 in an original colorway (featuring some buttery suede) equipped with Flywire and other tech upgrades…which is why the shoes name has been modified to the Maxim Air Max 1.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Air Jordan 1 Premier (Infrareds or Max Orange?)




There seems to be some confusion as to what the actual bright red/orange colour is named on this release. Either way, they seemed to have changed the materials completely losing its SHINE from the previous patent leather looking sample. These look to be some type of nylon/canvas.

Nike ACG Terminator Hybrid







So it's 20 years of All Conditions Gear that we're celebrating this year. Here's another hybrid release that they've done a great job with, turning the bulky basketball shoe classic into a lightweight, water resistant, technical shoe made for the elements. 

Laker Kobe Bryant Sells Ankle Insurance

Funny stuff.. enjoy.

Nike Air Wild Pegasus




These fusions look more Wildwood then Pegasus to me, but I get what they're trying to do... apparently this year is the year of ACG. What is it.. like the 25th Anniversary or somethin? Have to admit.. haven't been on the up and up lately.. which also explains the lack of posts. Anyway.. I'm a huge fan of Wildwoods.. an ACG fav. Wish they would come out with more colourways that feature a super bright colour midsole... its especially pleasing on the Wildwood.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Inside the NIKE iD Boot Room

Freakin BEAUTIFUL video! Wish they could do the same with an in depth look into the design of running shoes, basketball shoes, volleyball shoes, etc. Anyway.. lets enjoy this one for now...



From Hypebeast:

While professional football players don’t have the same number of custom colorways as their NBA counterparts, nevertheless they play in the top flight is often rewarded with custom boots made by master craftsman. With much of the top-quality boots from the Nike football collection like the Total 90, Mercurial Vapor and Tiempo all undergoing Italian construction, we’re given a look into the production process from start to finish as each step along the way is documented in gory detail. The video is capped off with the presentation of the boots to Cristiano Ronaldo (Mercurial Vapor), Cesc Fabregas (Tiempo) and Wayne Rooney (Total 90).

Air Jordan 2009 with Designer Jason Mayden

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Air Jordan 2009 Unveiled


Welp.. looks like they didn't change much from the samples... ah wells! I'm sure they'll look better in person or on feet then they do in the pictures.

Jordan himself came out to show off the new shoe.




Some tech and info about the shoes (taken from sneakernews.com):

AIR JORDAN 2009

The all new AIR JORDAN 2009 shoe is born from the inspiration of Michael Jordan’s unstoppable will. When Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, he was driven to practice harder and longer and earned a spot on an All-American Team his senior year. When critics scoffed at his return from retirement in 1995, Jordan quieted his opponents by leading the Bulls to their second Championship three-peat. Jordan does not back down from challenges – he rises.

Pioneered from this philosophy, AIR JORDAN returns and presents the world with the answer to the Jordan Brand’s challenge of creating the most original basketball shoe on the planet. The AIR JORDAN 2009 honors the franchise’s tradition of innovation through its cutting-edge technology features. The shoe introduces Articulated Propulsion Technology (APT), a revolutionary heel system inspired by the carbon fiber prosthetics used by Paralympians and developed to allow an explosive forward movement. The heel is also split, which ensures superior responsiveness by keeping at least one half of the heel in contact with the ground at all times.

The polished design of the AIR JORDAN 2009 shoe complements its performance elements and overall engineering. The design technique of blown glass inspired the TPU (Thermo Plastic Urethane) chassis on the outsole. Using this method, each shoe is individually unique and guarantees the ultimate limited edition experience: a one-of-one collection. In addition, the AIR JORDAN 2009 flaunts polishable panache leather on the upper, a nod to the franchise’s trademark elegance. The AIR JORDAN 2009 continues Jordan Brand’s forward-thinking respect for the environment with the launch of its second Considered Design shoe. Designed under the Considered Design ethos of combining sustainability with performance and innovation, the shoe seeks to reduce waste and allow for the use of environmentally-preferred materials – without compromising athletic performance. The Considered Design ethos is one of several company-wide corporate responsibility targets that NIKE, Inc. has implemented to sustain long-term growth and innovation.



AIR JORDAN 2009 Performance Features

Upper

• Overall design contours the foot and allows for superior responsiveness, quick reaction time and maximum support.
• Pleating on the satin upper reinforces the durable construction and molds to the foot for a secure lockdown.
• Foam inserts in the heel provide further lockdown by hugging the Achilles tendon.
• Injected dot grip on the outer heel makes pulling on the shoe easy and effortless.
• Moisture-wicking, breathable liner ensures comfort and stability.





Midsole/Outsole

• Heel employs cutting-edge Articulated Propulsion Technology (APT) that allows the athlete to explosively and quickly propel forward.
• Split in heel ensures outstanding responsiveness by allowing one side of the heel to react to lateral movement while the opposite side maintains contact with the ground.
• Carbon fiber plate in the arch provides support and compliments the heel’s performance enhancing design.
• TPU (Thermo Plastic Urethane) chassis offers additional structural support.
• Articulated forefoot Zoom Air unit cushions foot to maximize comfort.
• Outsole grooves flex naturally with the grooves of the foot for exceptional traction.
• Multi-directional herringbone patterns grip the court for optimal movement.

AIR JORDAN 2009 Design Features

• Blown-glass-inspired TPU chassis is unique in every shoe, creating a one-of-one limited edition collection.
• Polishable panache leather and white satin pleating on upper nod to Michael Jordan’s ability to be both a gentleman and a fierce on-court competitor.
• Strategically placed stitching reinforces construction while offering high-end European-style aesthetic.
• Stitching on upper is sewn in two rows and three rows to represent #23.
• Metal mesh implies the sport of fencing, known for its exceptional defensive element.
• Heel detail references Michael Jordan’s statue in front of the Chicago Bulls’ United Center: The left shoe reads “Greatest there ever was,” and the right, “Greatest there ever will be.”

Considered Design

• AIR JORDAN 2009 is Jordan Brand’s second basketball shoe designed under the Considered Design ethos.
• AIR JORDAN 2009 shoe’s design and development seek to reduce waste by using smarter pattern-efficiency and the compression molded pre-form process in the midsole.
• AIR JORDAN 2009 maximizes the use of environmentally-preferred materials, such as Prime Asia leather and environmentally-preferred rubber.
• The design emphasizes repurposed materials, including reground rubber from footwear manufacturing waste.


A special limited edition of the AIR JORDAN 2009 shoe will launch on January 31, 2009, with a suggested retail price of $230. The AIR JORDAN 2009 will then launch nationwide on February 14, 2009, with a suggested retail price of $190. For more information, please visit www.Jumpman23.com.

Air Hoop Structure




NEAT! The only other cross-genus hybrid shoes I can think of are those bulky Air Max 90 boots, some gortex Blazer boots or any random Jordan upper stuck on top of some cleats (I don't know if you can consider those hybrids?). At any rate, these Hoop Structures must be the first retro running shoe RE-DESIGNED to become a modern performance basketball shoe. Very interesting direction. Hope they actually make production and see the light of day. Lets keep our fingers crossed!

Monday, January 5, 2009

B-dubs





These Air Max BWs in the OG persian violet colourway are absolute gems!! And they're back in stores... sometime this January. They're already up on ebay, but by the sounds of it, they're supposed to be GRs.

Reebok EX-O-FIT Hi J Strap LE


Kanye says 2009 is all about the STRAPS. Reebok is fit to the task with theses EX-O-FITs. I'm diggin them.. but whatsup with the super long names from Reebok lately?