Ever since Bill Bowerman first poured rubber into his wife’s waffle iron, innovation has been the driving force behind every product Nike creates. By keeping athletes’ needs front and center and never shying away from outside-the-box thinking, the athletic powerhouse has dominated the industry and continued to push boundaries for the past 46 years.
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This philosophy is most visible in Nike’s Air Max line.
See what we did there?
Thirty years ago, designer Tinker Hatfield employed the same ingenuity he learned from Bill Bowerman and used it to create the revolutionary Air Max 1, a running shoe that made Max Air cushioning technology visible for the first time. Runners could actually see the midsole absorbing the impact of heelstrike and bouncing back at toe-off, something that had never been possible before.
With the Air Max 1, Tinker Hatfield married technology and style in a way the industry had never seen. This would be a continuing theme for the Air Max line, with each shoe design telling a specific story.
Combining fashion and function in this way wasn’t without risk, but that rebellious spirit is something the Air Max line has embraced over and over again throughout the last 30 years, and the newest addition is no different.
The shocking silhouette of the new Air VaporMax Flyknit is unlike anything else currently on the market. Through brilliant design and a deep love and understanding for Nike Air Max, the creators of the VaporMax Flyknit have released a shoe that balances cutting edge advancements with the familiar feeling of an old friend. This ability to stay true to the Air Max roots while constantly pushing the envelope and embracing change is what makes the Air Max revolution so successful.
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Here’s a breakdown of the Air VaporMax Flyknit:
Upper
One-piece Flyknit provides a seamless, one-to-one fit that eliminates all unnecessary bulk. Flywire cables embedded in the knit wrap the foot and are adjustable through the VaporMax’s laces for custom support and lockdown you can change on the fly.
The use of Flyknit allows the VaporMax to play with color, combining the material’s soft feel with a rich texture that’s sure to turn heads. The deconstructed, sock-like fit is ultra-sleek and streamlined on the foot, for a fast look no matter how or when you choose to wear it.
Midsole
In designing the VaporMax, Nike decided it was time to throw out the middle man, removing nearly everything standing between your foot and the Air cushioning unit. The Air bag is also strategically contoured for natural flexibility, so the shoe moves with you through your running stride. The result? VaporMax is the lightest version of Air cushioning to date.
Full-length Air doesn’t sound like a new idea, but the VaporMax is strikingly different any of the previous versions. The strategic contouring of the midsole offers more than increased flexibility — it’s also eye catching and unique, helping you stand out from the crowd.
Outsole
Rubber pods are placed only in high-wear areas of the outsole, providing the durability you need without extra weight to slow you down.
To wear the Air VaporMax Flyknit is to make a strong statement. It says you’re adventurous, bold, daring. It says you’re a leader — someone not afraid to take the road less traveled and ruffle some feathers along the way. Sound like you? Then step into the style, speed, and flexibility of the Nike Air VaporMax Flyknit.
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