NIKE AIR FLIGHT ONE (1) RETRO PERFORMANCE REVIEW

They’re fairly light, very comfortable, look great and they play pretty good too… this is what 90’s performance footwear was all about.

Traction – They started out pretty slick, just like the Rose 7.0. I was hoping that the slippery rubber would break-in and they eventually did… quite nicely I must say. Court conditions really play a factor with their overall traction once the break-in process is complete so expect to wipe regularly if you plan on wearing these on dusty courts. However, the rubber feels durable enough for outdoor surfaces so these may be a fairly good option on the blacktop.

Cushion – I personally loved the cushion setup. With the Zoom Air forefoot and Air sole placed at the heel, cushion is responsive while protecting against impact. There is an EVA insole placed inside that is on the thick side when compared to most Retro releases. It will limit your ability to feel the responsiveness of the Zoom at first but just give it some time to mold to your foot and all will be normal. The only real complaint is that they are fairly high off the ground but stability was not an issue because of it.

Material – While the synthetic upper is durable, it’s pretty cheap and for their price you would expect them to be closer to the original release. This is probably my one gripe with the air flightposite one for sale… the phrase, “They don’t make them like they used to”, rings loud and clear. Luckily, the downgrade in materials did not affect their overall performance so it’s more of a want than a need… but it still would have been nice to see a little more effort.

Fit – They fit beautifully. This is where 90’s era kicks shine. The padding and comfort you receive from the shoes interior is unmatched by todays footwear so “plush” is a good adjective when describing how they feel. Lockdown from heel to toe was on point and that was somewhat of a surprise since heel lockdown was a feature greatly lacking in almost every Air Penny signature model… not that I’m complaining… it was a good surprise.

Ventilation – There really isn’t any. While this will bring down their overall score, you can’t really hold them accountable when ventilation was the least of our concerns back in 1995.

Support – This is another area where the Flight One placed well above average. A TPU shank plate is placed at the midfoot while the Phylon midsole features a small wing – much like the Air Penny 2-3 – for additional lateral support. The little wing is pretty much why the lackluster materials functioned properly.

Overall – The transition wasn’t extremely smooth but everything else worked pretty well. It’s pretty astonishing to think that a shoe designed in 1995 could still be visually appealing and functional on-court…

If brands and designers would just sit down and make a completely functional design, we could still have performance basketball shoes crafted with raw materials today. I mean… every single Air Jordan model has been more than capable of handling on-court action and they’re all made with leathers and nubucks. Just think about it… a shoe made out of leather releasing one more time… you would have a sneaker that looked good off court while playing well on-court… just like the good 'ol days.

You can grab these now at most Nike Sportswear retailers and you can also find them on sale at kd10sale.com.