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The original version of the Nike Air Max 1 is returning soon.
After an early look surfaced on social media last month, the sportswear giant confirmed via its SNKRS release calendar that the Air Max 1 ’86 “Big Bubble” will be released for this year’s Air Max Day, which is celebrated annually on March 26.
As the name of the shoe suggests, this version of the Nike Air Max 1 features a bigger Air Max bubble in the midsole as compared to the pairs that have been releasing for decades. There were around 400,000 released pairs of the “Big Bubble” Air Max 1 that released in its original 1986 run, but production of the shoe halted after the designers discovered that the Air unit had a tendency to crack in colder temperatures. The designers then shrunk the Air unit in height and length to the version fans now know today. The Nike Air Max 1 ‘Big Bubble” dons its original white and university red color scheme throughout the mesh and nubuck upper, while the large “Big Bubble” Air unit appears on the heel of the midsole.
“The holy grail of sneaker lore returns along with the true story of visible Nike Air. Using CT scans (yes, really) to dissect 1 of maybe only 400,000 released pairs of the “Big Bubble,” we replicated the Nike Air unit and window used in the ’86 original, so you can step on the bedrock of sneaker history. And don’t worry, you still get the throwback color blocking,” Nike wrote for the SNKRS product description.
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The Nike Air Max 1 ’86 “Big Bubble” will be released on Sunday via SNKRS and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $150.
