Nike Air Maxim 1+

One of Nike Sportswear's most exciting new products has a lineage that's instantly recognizable. Charged with updating a classic of Nike design...yada, yada, yada...you've heard the press release spiel already. We don't play that copy sh*t round these parts. The Air Max 1 falls into a desert island shoe category - were it not for the wholesale rinsing of this silhouette in any referential colour-blocking or pattern cruelly thrown at it. It works better in traditional Max colours or, in some cases, a a monotone approach. As far as SMUs go, our policy runs as follows - top Atmos's 2003 masterpiece or GTFO. Most of the time the shoes should, as Dirty Harry on selector duties once intoned, "Remove ya!"

The debut Max model is a shoe that's gradually evolved over the years - the bigger bubble was scrapped at an early stage, but there's been gradual alterations in that shape since it reappeared with nylon circa. 1995. We would get our magnifying glasses out for the Maxim, but it's refreshingly free from comparison, being a shiny remake. But is it a sickly imitator a la 'Public Enemy 2000' or a triumphant 'Nine & Two Clips' homage? A 1998 'Lost In Space' or a 2009 'Star Trek'? For us, it's the latter. After the Current (Bermuda?) Influenced Air Max 90 last year and the Flywire variation, it was clear this staple would fall under the spotlight. In other colours it has yet to fully win us over, but we're suckers for Flywire and those colours, especially the blues.

Original samples carried more suede in tribute to the source material, but for production that's been suceeded with something more synthetic and lightweight - incidentally, these are significantly lighter than an Air Max 1. By all accounts, 66% lighter. Sheeeeeeiiit. Once again, thanks to The (Fly)Wire, we're uttering elongated expletives - word to Clay Davis. We don't normally quote all manner of numbers, but it seemed relevant. It was hardly a concrete shoe to begin with, so the effect is startling. Switching that midsole foam to something more contemporary, printing the Swoosh and giving it that Acespan mesh doesn't compromise the core appeal.

For those already gathering phlem to spit at the screen, chill and remember that, as with the 90 and Cortez, one makeover won't plug the glow of the original version. Far from it. In fact, expect the reissue of the red and white, and blue and white Max to hit Quickstrike accounts soon - just in case you forgot what it looked like since its 2006 retro. Stripped down and given added future flavours, the Maxim might look a little flaccid off the foot, but trust us when we say it looks great on.