Why does nike feel the need to bastardize retros with air max?

[al bundy5]

Hello fellow niketalkers,
I'm sure you've all noticed nike's latest way to ruin retros: stuff an air max unit on every one.

Don't get me wrong, air max has it's place, it's just not on shoes that were never designed to have it. 

I don't really get this trend. Is it because it sells more or hypebeasts think it's more comfortable?

Why does nike think everyone wants a shoe that's pillowy and unresponsive?

 

[lil black jean jacket]

HYPE IMO

 

[manifresh]

Def feel you on this man I hate when they do this seems like every damn retro that comes out they put some kind of air bubble on it. The ndestrukt I loved that shoe and they go and put air max on it I mean cmon. Same thing for those griffeys and the am 95s. Seems that if they get tired of retroing a shoe they just retro it again but with a air bubble on it to change it up. Messes up the shoe

 

[ballahb]

Regular shoe + air max = 30+ "Justifiable" price increase

 

[leonidas]

They all look fake as hell with a 360 sole. Like #!$ ? This needs to stop. Sooner or later it will be retro Js with a 360 sole ..

 

[prison mike]

Originally Posted by Ballahb

Regular shoe + air max = 30+ "Justifiable" price increase

This.

 

[mazz305]

I dunno & I cry inside a little everytime they do it.

 

[jbv1]

There is a factory in Asia filled with excess stock of air sole units so they have to use them up somehow.

Just kidding, they figure today's market wants to "see" the gimmick/contraption they are paying the sometimes ridiculous price for.

As I've stated before there is a wheel they spin in Beaverton with pictures of shoes on it that they spin to determine which retro to put out + what type of visible air sole unit they will graft onto it to spur sales....

 

[rcjbbp1313]

simple, they sell out and make them loads of cash because of idiots liking garbage shoes that match their garbage coogi outfits

 

[cocotaso1]

i don't get it either, they are acting like air max is a new technology.

 

[1994ss]

There's demand for it I guess. I mean Nike wouldn't do it unless they're selling.

 

[trydan]

Nearly all nikes retros are sub standard in quality and dont hold a candle to the og of any model. Why it happens I dunno, many reasons, none of which exonerate them from producing shoes with quality and comfort levels that we had come to expect from the fakes. Mabye they will change and get thier act together in the future, but for now, all I have to say about it is:

RIP Nike

 

[al bundy5]

Originally Posted by Trydan


Nearly all nikes retros are sub standard in quality and dont hold a candle to the og of any model. Why it happens I dunno, many reasons, none of which exonerate them from producing shoes with quality and comfort levels that we had come to expect from the fakes. Mabye they will change and get thier act together in the future, but for now, all I have to say about it is:

RIP Nike

I often wondered if  fakes and some of these retros are any different in quality. The xivs they recently released were a joke. Fakes are probably better than those. And the xi cdp, if I didn't get them from nike I would swear they were cheap fakes

 

[khalil1988]

they definitely #@%%%@ up the game with that i hate seeing good sneakers like the griffeys with that dumb air max sole they only look right
on air low top max running sneakers

 

[khalil1988]

I was tempted to buy those griffey max fury but i cant that sole just throws them off for me

 

[jayzrdead]

simple math take a $125 retro add a $10 max air bag(wholesale) and its now a $160 shoe.

 

[al bundy5]

Watching the bulls vs miami from the 1996 playoffs. Seeing the proper shake ndestrukt makes it even worse that nike can put out garbage such as the bastardized retro version.
It looks sort of similar but it hasn't got character like the og, the colors are hideous, and I'm not going to give my money to nike for them to patronize me with even more air max retros.
Everybody should just stop buying this junk, it's the only way nike will stop with this nonsense

 

[ninjahood]

Originally Posted by khalil1988

I was tempted to buy those griffey max fury but i cant that sole just throws them off for me

i almost bought da mariner colorway...but da idiot sold me da wrong size

*returned*

 

[mmg]

the hood buys up pretty much anything with a 360 sole.....

also that air max bubble sells well with foreigners coming from euro and such .....

 

[1stwitit]

IMO, they are running out of groundbreaking ideas.
There are enough people who will buy these retro +
Models for Nike to continue to produce them. I think
They are buying time until they find the next big thing.


Side note: remember when Nike used to put the feedback
Postcards in their sneaker boxes? Nike is a power house now,
They don't care what we want.

 

[dankenstien88]

I think it does have a little to do with appealing to the average consumer that wants to "see the air" in his/her Nikes. 

I really think its more of a cost cutting measure than anything though. Its obviously  cheaper to produce one or two styles of midsoles and slap it on to every release then it is to mold a different midsole for every model.  (Car manufaturers do this with parts all the time to cut production costs)

Doing this on retros also cuts down design costs while maximizing retail price. By re-using old uppers no designers or engineers have to be paid. By using "New" 360 technology Nike can now charge $160 for a shoe that retailed at $95 originally.  

... And the best part for Nike is.... Most consumers have NO IDEA that the 360 hybrid shoes they are wearing are actually just a 15+ year old design with a see through midsole. They really think they are paying for the latest and greatest in innovative footwear.



Its a shame too... IMO 360 SUCKS for any real athletic use!!!   I have this fear that when Nike finally retros my beloved GPs they will be no longer be "Zoom Flight 98s"... I can see it already "Air-Max Glove"

.  

   

 

[toughmoney]

Originally Posted by Leonidas

They all look fake as hell with a 360 sole. Like ##% ? This needs to stop. Sooner or later it will be retro Js with a 360 sole ..

Kind of late aye?

 

[bip roberts]

First, as usual, the term "hypebeast" has completely lost all it's meaning. "Hypebeasts" aren't copping these sneakers you are talking about.

But, anyway, vote with your wallets, people. I read all this stuff about what Nike is putting out is trash - and you're right, it is. But, if you think something is trash, to the point that it might as well be fake, then curb your thirstiness and don't buy it. Save up and buy half as many pairs, but only what you really think is worth the money - and invest in OGs.

This isn't about "starving the beast." Don't give me the whole - "but it doesn't matter, Nike is too big" nonsense. This is about making you happy. If you are buying things you are complaining about AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, then why are you buying? ...For whom are you buying?

Then there are the other folks who actually don't mind the trash because they don't REALLY care, but they just like to come on places like NT and complain about the same stuff they eat up because it makes them seem more OG if they complain about how it is today. There are tons of people on NT in that camp too.

If it sucks, don't participate.I literally spend thousands of dollars a year on sneakers - but only a small percentage of it goes to Nike because I'm usually buying older models on the secondary market. I feel good about my purchases. I purchase a few retros that I think either were done well enough, or that I want badly enough to forgive the shortcomings. And, at the end of the day, I'm very rarely unhappy with my purchases down the road.

 

[al bundy5]

To me, I hypebeast is someone who will buy regardless of quality, style, design or self opinion and bases his purchasing decisions purely on hype.

I agree with you and I do put my money where my mouth is. The last few jordan retros I bought made me feel like I was scammed by nike, they were nothing like the ogs I had or always wanted. So inevitably they went back to nike. They can sell their cheaply made shoes to someone else. The worst offender of the lot was the xiv. The "metal" tipped laces were cheap plastic! The playoff xiis were also garbage, but no doubt a cash cow for nike. Comparing them to the ogs, you realize it's not really the same shoe. It looks similar but it just isn't. It's like those guys who modify their Toyota mr2 to look like a Ferrari or Lamborghini. Looks the same, but under the hood you find a 2 litre 4 cylinder engine, instead of massive V12 6 litre engine

Obviously nike needs to make a profit, otherwise they wouldn't bother, but cheapening the shoes to the point they look fake is pushing it.

I have started to go the route of buying og models (just purchased ginger xvis). But there are a few drawbacks: It can very expensive, trying to find your size can sometimes be impossible, and even if you do find a pair, it's occasionally unwearable due to ageing, bottoming out airbags etc.

 

[emier2]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy5

To me, I hypebeast is someone who will buy regardless of quality, style, design or self opinion and bases his purchasing decisions purely on hype.

I agree with you and I do put my money where my mouth is. The last few jordan retros I bought made me feel like I was scammed by nike, they were nothing like the ogs I had or always wanted. So inevitably they went back to nike. They can sell their cheaply made shoes to someone else. The worst offender of the lot was the xiv. The "metal" tipped laces were cheap plastic! The playoff xiis were also garbage, but no doubt a cash cow for nike. Comparing them to the ogs, you realize it's not really the same shoe. It looks similar but it just isn't. It's like those guys who modify their Toyota mr2 to look like a Ferrari or Lamborghini. Looks the same, but under the hood you find a 2 litre 4 cylinder engine, instead of massive V12 6 litre engine

Obviously nike needs to make a profit, otherwise they wouldn't bother, but cheapening the shoes to the point they look fake is pushing it.

WOWWWWWWWWWWWW its like you read my mind.

I have started to go the route of buying og models (just purchased ginger xvis). But there are a few drawbacks: It can very expensive, trying to find your size can sometimes be impossible, and even if you do find a pair, it's occasionally unwearable due to ageing, bottoming out airbags etc.

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