AIR MAX DAY 2023
Air Max 1 '86 OG 'Big Bubble'
Air Max 1 '86 OG 'Big Bubble'
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”, NIKE replicated the Air unit and window used in the ’86 original.
ABOUT THE 'BIG BUBBLE'
Hiding in the shadows of one of Nike’s biggest stories (that of revealing Nike Air to the world) is the fact that for the first few months of its release, the Air Max 1 featured a noticeably bigger window. So, like why did the window shrink? With a launch date in place and manufacturing already started, Nike engineers (to their dismay) discovered that an exposed Air unit had a tendency to crack in cold temperatures. Adjusting on the fly, engineers quietly “shrunk the window both in length and height” and began using a new Air unit to prevent the great cracking catastrophe.
Hiding in the shadows of one of Nike’s biggest stories (that of revealing Nike Air to the world) is the fact that for the first few months of its release, the Air Max 1 featured a noticeably bigger window. So, like why did the window shrink? With a launch date in place and manufacturing already started, Nike engineers (to their dismay) discovered that an exposed Air unit had a tendency to crack in cold temperatures. Adjusting on the fly, engineers quietly “shrunk the window both in length and height” and began using a new Air unit to prevent the great cracking catastrophe.
Released on March 26th, 1986, the ultra-rare Air Max “Big Bubble” hit the shelves and thankfully didn’t bust (most likely because of the rising spring temps). After the initial run, the Air Max 1 as we know it secretly replaced the original, taking hold as the leader of the Air Max pack. And the “Big Bubble”? It faded away - until now.
(As you can see in the photo, the Air unit of the '87 shoe is way smaller than the Big bubble showcased on the 2023 version).
(As you can see in the photo, the Air unit of the '87 shoe is way smaller than the Big bubble showcased on the 2023 version).
To celebrate this historic release, we decided to dive into the past and give our community a chance to come see some of the most iconic Nike Air models.
Thanks to the collaboration with well-known collector Alberto Ulmi aka @Vintagecollector78 we had the chance and the honor to present a real archival og display.
