The Difference: Air Jordan 5 Retro 'Fire Red'

The Air Jordan 5 ‘Fire Red’ launched in 1990, a continued evolution of the Air Jordan line. Similar to previous silhouettes, smooth leather uppers and a visible Air unit in the midsole provided a solid base for the shoe. The AJ5 also introduced new elements that would start to reflect style and performance both on and off the court. Aesthetically, a reflective tongue showcased a bright pop accent, while shark-tooth shapes on the midsole were inspired by the American WWII fighter plane the P-51 Mustang. A lace lock was included to help cinch the laces in place, while portions of the outsole included a new clear translucent rubber with herringbone patterns for traction. All of this was tied together with Nike Air stitched on the back heel, and Jumpman logos on the tongue and outsole.&nbsp;

Jordan dominated the league in the Air Jordan 5, averaging 33.6 points per game along with 6.3 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game. He also scored a career high 69 points vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers, and tore through the playoffs before losing to the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. Off the court, the Air Jordan 5 found itself on the feet of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, as well as an ad campaign with Spike Lee’s Mars Blackmon character.&nbsp;
The Fire Red colorway is beloved, taking on the core Chicago Bulls' colors with a clean design. Retroed throughout the years, it has been brought back many times—some true to form and some with a few small tweaks.

2000
The first retro of this colorway, it returned true to form, including the NIKE AIR on the back heel, lace lock and clear outsoles. The new Jordan Brand silver boxes housed this retro, the only difference in an otherwise great replica of the original.

2008
Part of the Countdown Pack, which celebrated the launch of the Air Jordan 23 with two shoe packs that had models adding up to ‘23.’ This Fire Red 5 iteration was packaged with a Black/Red Air Jordan 18. This CDP retro saw two main changes from the original - the addition of a stitched ‘23’ on the heel, and a Jumpman logo replacing the Nike Air logo on the back. The box was a double slide-out package that housed both shoes with Jordan graphics throughout.&nbsp;

2013
Returning again for the 23rd anniversary of the shoe, this iteration of the Fire Red 5 looks almost identical to the original model, except the Jumpman logo on the back heel of the shoe instead of Nike Air. The box would see a return for the first time since 1990, with a clamshell design featuring a black top with red Jumpman logo and a bottom half showcasing a paint splatter graphic.

2020
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Air Jordan 5 Fire Red returns true to form, including the Nike Air once again appearing on the back heel. A pure feeling of nostalgia, this 2020 iteration is closest to the 1990 original, with the shoe and box mirroring the OG.

There have been debates on the Air Jordan 5 Fire Red over the years, with Nike Air versus the Jumpman logo, or which box is better. But unmistakably, this is a popular colorway of a classic Air Jordan silhouette, and the ‘Fire Red’ 5 is always welcome no matter which iteration it is and what the differences are.&nbsp;

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