The Nike Air Force 1 Deconstructed – Where’s the “Equality” in This Shoe?

Thanks to the determined and saw-friendly team over at FastPass, we can now take a look at the Air Force 1 deconstructed.

FastPass elected to chop the Air Force 1 ’07 that released in July of this year (the original AF1 released in 1982).

While many say that the Air Force 1 can feel like a brick on-foot, the shoe does feature 3/4 length Air cushioning — but only in men’s sizing. Women’s pairs only feature a small heel Air unit, which doesn’t seem quite in line with Nike’s whole Equality campaign.

Because those Air units are fairly low-pressure and embedded in the midsole, the unit has no space to expand and contract. That can lead to a brick-like feeling on-foot. Modern sneakers like the LeBron 15 and KD 10 have combined Air with Zoom in setups that allow for the units to contract under load and provide better energy return.

The rest of the Air Force 1 is pretty straightforward, and it’s a product of its time; it uses an independent tongue design, a thick insole for some step-in comfort, and a cupped outsole that is similar to what brands like Converse use.

Share your thoughts regarding the ladies not getting the same cushioning as the men and let us know if you spotted anything interesting in this deconstruction.

As always, you can pick up the Air Force 1 at Nike.com.

Source: FastPass