In fact, it’s the launch date of that original running shoe, the Nike Air Max, that is celebrated every March 26 as “Air Max Day.” It’s a time for Swoosh fans to commemorate the day we began to see “air.”

Air and space

Aerospace engineer Frank Rudy first approached Nike in 1977 with an idea. What if you captured air in a pocket – a polyurethane bag, in this case – to cushion every impact? Nike was intrigued, company co-founder Phil Knight tried out an Air-cushioned pair of prototype running shoes, and the new Air-Sole technology debuted on the Air Tailwind in 1978. The technology made its way into the basketball world as the Nike Air Force 1 in 1982.

But while the innovation was exciting to the shoemaker, it wouldn’t catch full flame with the public until the “Air Revolution” marketing campaign of 1987 introduced the Nike Air Max running shoe. That was the first time “air” became visible, as Nike designers had carved out a window in the midsole under the heel. The public was fascinated, and the shoe line was so popular that it sparked subsequent styles that varied a bit from year to year like a line of automobiles.

Once and again

So hot were some of those styles that Nike re-releases them even today. The Air Max 90, the Air Max 95, and the Air Max Plus are just a few that pop back up in searches every so often, and always in new, exciting colourways. (So check back often to see what’s new and what’s next!)

The Nike Air VaporMax is one of the Swoosh’s newest variations on the theme, as it’s the first Nike shoe to forego a midsole and put the Max Air cushioning in direct contact with the upper. It lets everyone see that you’re literally walking on Air from heel to toe.

What it all means

Nike has developed another aspect of the “Air” theme, the idea of being light on your feet, and of “flying” toward a hoop on a basketball court.

It’s the idea of being almost superhuman, of being lighter and faster than everyone else, of a daydream, that’s carried by a simple three-letter word you can find on Nike shoes, shirts, hoodies, jackets, and more.

The smallest of kids can dream pretty big. And they can take a step toward those dreams in kids Nike Air Max.

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