The birth of Tensil Air, the predecessor to Zoom Air
At the same time, Nike, which had been listening to the voices of serious athletes seeking higher levels, continued to evolve its “invisible air”. The aim was to be “lighter and faster” while still providing cushioning. Nowadays, thick soles have dramatically improved the competitive level of running, but until recently, it was thought that the thinner and lighter a running shoe was, the faster it would be. Nike poured its ideas and technology into incorporating air into the sole. The result was the creation of “Zoom Air”. This was in the mid-1990s.
Zoom Air
Imaged by NIKE
Its characteristic is that the unit is flat and plate-like. The inside, which is set to high pressure, is lined with nylon fibers. Although it is not as thick as Max Air, it maintains its thinness by keeping the fibers pulled up and down, allowing for high resilience when absorbing impact. This air was initially named “Tensile Air”, a reference to the word “tension”. It was first installed in 1994 on the “Air Streak”, which had the characters “Swift” and “Fast” embroidered on the shoe tongue. It was probably the first overseas sports manufacturer to design a shoe in Japanese. In fact, this work was developed with feedback from Japanese runners as a racing specification for aiming for records. In the 1990s, the Japanese marathon world made a great leap forward, becoming a regular medal winner in major international competitions. This momentum also boosted the popularity of Ekiden, a unique Japanese running culture, and the country developed into a long-distance powerhouse that the world can be proud of. Nike was paying attention to this Japanese enthusiasm.
Nike SB spread awareness of Zoom Air
Tensil Air was soon renamed “Zoom Air” and was adopted in shoes in various categories such as basketball, tennis, and cross-training beyond the scope of running. At first, the unit was only in the heel, but the variations increased to a split structure with the forefoot and full length. In 1996, “Anatomical Position Zoom Air” was developed, which analyzes the anatomical movement of the foot and provides effective cushioning and rebound performance in the appropriate position. This was installed in high-end shoes in each category until around 2000, and Zoom’s popularity gradually increased.
Nike’s full-scale entry into the skateboarding market was a major turning point for Zoom Air, which brings out the potential of athletes, and spread its recognition to the streets. In the late 1990s, extreme sports, that is, dynamic sports that seek speed and height, began to gain popularity worldwide. BMX and skateboarding are symbols of this. In acrobatic sports where danger and beauty coexist side by side, riders, who are artists, consider both the functionality and style of shoes to be important. And while traditional sports shoes were strongly influenced by the designers of the manufacturer, the times have changed to aim for shoes that are co-developed with athletes.
Nike SB (short for skateboarding) aimed to make shoes that would not overstate technology. One of the standards was the Dunk. The Dunk is a basketball shoe that was born in 1985. It was the same year as the Air Jordan 1 and looks somewhat similar. However, the crucial difference is that it is a shoe made for students in various regions across the United States, known as a college program. In other words, the Dunk is a basketball shoe with no air, with less functionality than the shoes of top players who play in the NBA. These were convenient for local skaters in the 1980s. The non-air sole was talked about as providing a direct feeling of contact with the ground, as it did not emphasize cushioning. Furthermore, it was accepted for its durability, low price range, and flashy color palette that made a statement. These values and culture remained strong in the late 1990s.
The “Dunk” is a skate shoe with 4mm Zoom Air.
Nike SB’s first product was a Dunk redesigned for skating. The big evolution point was the inclusion of 4mm Zoom Air, the thinnest technology in Nike Air, in the heel. Lightweight and simple. This is the same concept of Zoom Air that was aimed at in running shoes. The trend in skate shoes in the 90s was that the silhouette became increasingly fatter with the increasing decoration in the name of function, but in reaction to this, riders wanted a simpler fit. The removal of meaningless details reduced the impact of the high development costs of Zoom Air, which had the side effect of keeping the price of the shoes down, and as a result, they were able to land at a price that even young skaters could afford. However, it is ironic that SB’s Dunk became the best product to boost the sneaker resale market.
Compared to the 1980s, skate tricks and styles have become bolder and more intense since the 1990s. Skateboarding is said to be one of the sports that causes the most impact on the body. It fits comfortably, is flexible, and is resistant to impact. But it also values the feeling of contact with the ground. The result was a high-tech, classic Zoom Air-equipped Dunk with a thinner sole than a regular Dunk.
Air Max 360
Imaged by NIKE
The Air Max 360 is finally here after a quarter century of expanding Max Air
On the other hand, Max Air has continued to pursue further enlargement, aiming for an evolution that is the polar opposite of Zoom Air, which is “bigger and thicker” in the 21st century. As a result of exploring how far the presence of air itself can be integrated into shoes, the final goal was an “all air” sole that does not use foam material in the midsole. This was exactly the commercialization of the concept of the prototype shoe that Frank Rudy showed to Nike in 1977. For about a quarter century, they have been obsessed with the visible area of the air unit. Visible air spread from the heel to the forefoot, and finally, at the end of 2005, they announced the “Air Max 360” with 360° visible air. The air content is about 15 times that of the “Air Max” in 1987.
Air Max 360 outsole
Imaged by NIKE
This long-cherished wish could have been achieved a little earlier, or rather, it should have been possible. However, due to facing a social issue, it had to take a detour. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), which had been used to inflate the air since around 1990, was the ideal gas for cushioning, but due to concerns about global warming, Nike decided to change to a gas that posed less risk to the environment, and it took longer than expected to commercialize the product.
Since 2006, when 360° visible air was achieved, new Air Max models have continued to be released once a year, but the focus has been on evolving the materials used in the upper, and the athletic style has been strengthened. In 2013, an air unit with flex grooves that improve the flexibility of the sole was released to solve the problem of the integrated air unit not being able to follow the movement of the foot. The mass of the air was also reduced by about 15%, making the shoe more suitable for running.
Vapormax
Imaged by NIKE
Then in 2017, the Vapormax was born through new technological developments. Until now, it was necessary to cover the air unit with a layer of rubber to increase durability, but this work does not require this, and it is now possible to maintain a flexible shape. Therefore, the air unit can be used alone as an outsole, and the shape of the unit can be freely placed on the sole of the foot, which is an innovation. This year was the 30th anniversary of the birth of Air Max, and it was unveiled on a grand scale all over the world. In Japan, Vapormax was displayed as the main character of the major event “AIR MAX REVOLUTION TOKYO” held at the Tokyo National Museum Hyokeikan in Ueno, Tokyo, where various contents such as music and fashion, video and art, and sports were exhibited in a wandering style.
The relationship between basketball shoes and Zoom Air
The first basketball shoe to feature air was the Air Force 1. The advertisers, led by NBA player Moses Malone, appealed to the public about how air is a capable technology that can absorb the impact of landing on the fierce battlefield of the basket where large bodies collide. It was a promotion that accurately and realistically conveyed the features of air, but the image of “AIR” that comes from Michael Jordan’s signature shoe, Air Jordan, was different.
It supports Jordan’s superhuman jumping ability and brings out his dynamic play full of speed. He has air superiority on the court and separates himself from the defense. You can receive a more abstract and sensory message that seems to bring something more than his potential. In fact, Jordan did not like excessive cushioning. Rather, he placed importance on a sense of unity with the court, so the Air Jordan 1 also had air only in the heel and not in the forefoot at his request, so the sole is slightly thinner towards the toe. After that, it was equipped with visible air for a while, but after the Air Jordan 7, the air unit disappeared from the sole, and from the 1996 “Air Jordan 12 (1996)”, Zoom Air was installed. Basketball shoes also began to require instantaneous cushioning that bounces off the court.
Air changes with Kobe and LeBron, new stars
In the 2000s, Jordan retired. Two young heroes, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, signed big contracts with Nike, and their signature models were made into a series as if competing with each other. The appeal of Jordan, who shone overwhelmingly in the 1980s and 1990s, was his freedom to not be bound by fixed positions such as pure guard or center (at least that’s how it seemed). As if inheriting that will, LeBron and Kobe also created a modern basketball style that runs freely around the court, and became its symbol. Nike is a company that always designs shoes for the future with stars who break such concepts. Zoom Air, which responds to the all-round play of the two, became the technical foundation of basketball shoes.
The versatility of the air was then enhanced by the two men’s styles and preferences. Kobe, who wanted lightness, evolved basketball shoes just like running shoes and football cleats. The Zoom Kobe IV made an impact as the lightest low-cut design for basketball shoes at the time, weighing just 326g. Although it looks simple, it is equipped with various technologies to seek more speed in the game. As for the sole, Zoom Air was used in the heel and Lunar Light foam in the forefoot, placing emphasis on rebound rather than absorbing energy. This allowed for even sharper movements. Since then, the series that evolved based on the IV has become one of the most beloved shoes by NBA stars.
The Air Zoom Lebron II is LeBron James’ second signature shoe.
Imaged by NIKE
On the other hand, LeBron, who combines power and speed, has developed a series by cleverly using Zoom Air and Max Air. The function and design of the shoes change significantly with each new release, which makes the announcement exciting. His first signature was the Air Zoom Generation in 2003, which was equipped with Zoom Air until the sixth series in the series. However, from the seventh series in 2009, Max Air was installed in full length, resulting in a major model change. Furthermore, from the ninth series in 2011, the story of the placement has become the focus of attention, with Zoom and Max coexisting, or only the new Zoom Air being installed.
Nike GT Hustle 3
Imaged by NIKE
The latest basketball shoe, the GT Hustle 3, newly announced this year, has a structure that stores energy and increases return by creating a double layer of air under the foot. According to a scientific study by the Nike Sports Research Laboratory (NSRL), the same amount of exercise consumed less oxygen compared to when wearing the previous GT Hustle 2. This energy saving improves the overall quality of playing on the court. For a basketball player who is very active, the distance he runs around the court in one season is equivalent to 12 full marathons. The role of air is no longer just cushioning. From instantaneous speed promotion, brilliant step work, to fatigue burden. In order to support all the needs of athletes, air has evolved rapidly and uniquely since the 2010s.
2024-06-06 09:13:03
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