crooked tongues magazine News Features

The Nike Delta Force is a perfect example of a shoe once considered mundane that seems to have aged remarkably well. While it was never an advanced creation on its 1987 debut (though the Air Delta Force from 1988 gave it some steroids in the design and technology department and 1989's Air Delta Force ST is a beast), it carries a certain charm. Sat around the $45 mark in the shadow of the soft leather and perforated panels of the Air Force 2, released the same year, it's always been our assumption that this was just a low pricepoint no-frills variation of that shoe. It definitely shares a lot of the same DNA. They even gave this a spot of insole Air in 1988 on the AC update. We think it was Dante Ross in Bobbito's 'Where'd You Get Those?' who indicated that ownership of these would be frowned upon by neighbourhood critics assuming that you were too poor for Forces. This is a formerly bland shoe that really has blossomed of late.

Reintroduced into the SB line and inline, even Supreme couldn't make a success of this shoe, despite some excellent work. The SB Aegean/Thunderstorm makeup is a classic variation too. There were crazy amounts of Lows, pumped out like Court Force and Terminator takedowns too. Nobody seemed to care that much. The Nitro Microphone Underground 3/4 was one of the great collaborations in Quick and Hyperstrike forms. A little while ago, we saw the original white and navy Hi make a reappearance, but while these impending grey and oranges might get a little loose on the contrast stitch, they're lively enough to make the shoe interesting again, and they're vastly more interesting than much of the OG palette. These are set for release next month...