Nike Air Max 97 – Inspired by Japanese trains?

With the Air Max 97 Nike presented shortly before the turn of the millennium a very grand sneaker, which we all still have in best memory. The shoe was designed by Christian Tresser, who was also previously responsible for the Aztrek at Reebok. According to the legend, he was inspired by the Japanese high-speed trains "Shinkansen", which are also known as Bullet Trains, when designing the Air Max 97. That's where the nickname "Silver Bullet" for the OG colorway comes from, by the way. However, when Nike celebrated the re-release of the 97 in December 2016, in keeping with the upcoming anniversary the following year, Nike took comment on the designer's inspiration. In fact, Tresser took inspiration from water waves when designing the upper, and the sneaker's finish is inspired by polished titanium and aluminum from mountain bikes of the time. Ultimately, the Air Max 97 OG "Silver Bullet" is the first sneaker to feature a full-length visible Air Unit, which extends from the heel to the toebox.

Innovation with original vibes from 1997

When creating the Air Max 97, the designer's task was to create the most comfortable Air Max sneaker ever. Thanks to the first completely continuous Air unit, it has met this requirement. As a result, the 97 gives us not only premium comfort, but is also the pioneer for the Nike running shoes we know today. Another innovation was the signature lacing with hidden eyelets, which became known as the "hidden lacing system". The triple layered upper with an extremely slim design was not everyone's favorite at the time and caused a ripple of expectation in the community. Today, however, we can think of no other sneaker that embodies the late 90s vibe as well as the Air Max 97!

Huge selection for the 97s fans

In addition to the OG colorways and other classic colorways of the 1990s, Nike has really dug into the color palette after the twentieth anniversary and brought some really cool concepts to the 97. For example, the Nike Air Max 97 "South Beach" is inspired by turquoise water, white beaches and blue skies from Florida. With the "Country Camo" pack, a number of country-specific camouflage patterns were brought to the sneaker. One of our favorites is the 97 "Power - Reset", which is inspired by the most legendary console of all time - the Nintendo 64. For the minimalist among you, there are of course also more subtle colorways in white, black, blue or pink.

Desired sneaker for collabs - CR7, Swarovski, Off White, and more

For the sneakerheads out there, the Air Max 97 is especially known for its many collaborations with stars from the music, sports, and fashion world. Hardly any other sneaker has had to serve as many collabos as the 97. In collaboration with Cristiano Ronaldo, Nike released the "Golden Patchwork" for example, which is inspired by CR7's childhood shoes with its patchwork pattern. With a lot of sparkle and glitter, on the other hand, Swarovski had made an exclusive women's model on the Air Max 97.

The collaborations with Virgil Abloh's "Off-White" had of course created a huge hype, through which the resell prices have shot into the ceiling. If you still want to grab a pair today, you have to dig deep into your pocket. Similarly successful was the Air Max 97/1 by Sean Wotherspoon, which won the "Vote Forward" competition in 2017 and enjoyed extremely high approval with its colorful cording look. By the way, the Nike Air Max 97/1 by Sean Wotherspoon is always a hot candidate at our weekly "Friday Footwear Faceoff" on Instagram.

Air Max 97 Ultra, Plus & Premium – Which models are available?

For some people, nothing beats the original, but Nike has come up with a few more updates for the Air Max 97. The Nike Air Max 97 Ultra has been equipped with a particularly lightweight upper material, which makes the sneaker much more breathable. It also comes across as a bit more sleek and futuristic than its predecessor. The Air Max 97 Plus is a mix of the Tuned Air released in 1998 and the Air Max 97, with a completely different upper design that reminds us of tiger stripes. Only the Air Max 97 Premium remains completely true to its predecessor, relying on premium materials to bring new life to the sneaker design.

Customize your Nike Air Max 97 with NIKE BY YOU

The creative among you even have the option to customize their own designs, for the AM97. Mudguard, Upper, Lining and even the Air-Unit can be customized to create your own look. Nike charges a surcharge of about 20€, for which you get a unique 97, which you will certainly not see a second time on the street. The whole thing is known to most under the name NIKEiD, but is now called NIKE BY YOU. You can design your own Nike Air Max 97 directly at Nike.

Styles for guys, gals and kids

Whether young or old, the 97 from Nike is available in all sizes and styles. The models specifically for kids are marked with a "GS", while the girls' models have a "WMNS" in the name.

How does the Nike Air Max 97 fit?

Due to the unconventional upper, the Air Max 97 is slightly smaller than other Air Max models. We have found that especially wider feet have problems with the fit. Therefore, we advise you to go up half a size if possible.