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Nike VaporMax

Name: Nike VaporMax
Brand: Nike
Rating: 4.5238095238095238 (21 reviews)

112 articles

Walking on air: the ultimate freedom.

The Air VaporMax release

First, Air technology was hidden inside the midsole; in 1987 the Air Max 1 exposed the Air; in 2006, the Air Max 360 replaced foam in the midsole completely; and in 2017, the Nike VaporMax was released, letting people get as close to levitation as sneakers possibly could.

39,000 components

The shoe came from a breakthrough in manufacturing technology that let Nike’s designer Tom Minami, build a single, standalone unit acting both as an outsole and midsole without the need for other materials. While the shoe tends towards simplicity and unity, the VaporMax sole mold is composed of over 39,000 components, took fifteen attempts to perfect, and seven years to complete; it is anything but simple.

VaporMax technology

The VaporMax technology works like a series of pistons. The foot applies pressure which moves through the semi-freestanding tubes to achieve a soft, evenly displaced feeling for the wearer. When the foot comes off the ground the pressure releases, creating a springy bounce. From a design perspective, Minami used a translucent, pillowy aesthetic of the Air Sole to give the impression the wearer is floating, or walking on a cloud.

A lightweight feel

The Flyknit upper with its naturally grooved texture in the original Pure Platinum colourway reflects a similar nod to the skies too. The upper is secured to the foot with Nike’s FlyWire lacing system, but still achieves a lightweight feel thanks to the ultralight yarn and its seamless fusing to the Airbag. This is indicative of a larger streamlining and reduction process that seeks to deliver the actual sensation of walking on air.

Truly modern

The shoe might boast a runner’s sense of cushioning, yet that doesn’t explain the shoe’s massive popularity outside of running circles. That, quite simply, is because it looks cool. Clues to this sentiment are found in Nike x Comme des Garcon collaboration, debuting in October 2016 on the Paris Fashion Week runway. An early release on February 8th, 2017 followed, then a month and a half later, Nike released the shoe itself. It is a telling timeline and suggests that Nike envisages the Air VaporMax as a truly modern sports-luxe shoe.