A legacy through and through, the Nike Air Force 1 receives a major upgrade in terms of design and function.
An iconic sneaker that has stood the test of time (34 years to be exact), the Nike Air Force 1 has its roots in basketball and remains a stalwart in today’s sneaker culture. One of Nike’s most recognizable silhouettes, it has also given rise to several iterations, notably the Lunar Force 1 that sees the addition of a Lunarlon midsole, and the Air Force 1 Vac Tech that uses a seamless upper.
Despite its classic appearance, weight was always an issue with the Air Force 1. Nike has apparently found a solution to this, by marrying the original silhouette with its Flyknit material to halve the weight of the shoe, while making it more flexible and offering an improved fit.
The new Air Force 1 Ultra Flyknit retains the leather swoosh logo as well as the concentric circles and 52 stars from the original’s outsole, while the “AIR” lettering on the midsole is now debossed instead of embossed. Injected unit rubber tooling replaces the old method of polyurethane tooling and helps to bring the weight down further.
Available from January 29th onwards at selected Nike and sneaker stores, the Nike Air Force 1 Ultra Flyknit retails for S$239 (men’s low-top) and S$269 (men and women’s high-top).