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Manifesting the Next Cult Retro Sneakers

From 1986’s Nike Convention to the 1999 New Balance 1000, a selection of forgotten and disregarded silhouettes worthy of resurrection.

WRITER: Drew Hammell
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Over the last 10 years, the sneaker world has ballooned with weekly releases of retro silhouettes, one single shoe imagined and reimagined in a plethora of colorways. The retro revolution took off in the mid-to-late ’90s when Nike began bringing back classic models like the Air Jordan 1, 2 and 3 for the first time. Back then, few people were interested in these remakes. In fact, the Air Jordan 2 sat on shelves and was deeply discounted for well over a year when the first retro released in 1995. 

Since the early 2000s, however, the retro market has exploded. Today, people of all ages are chasing after every Air Jordan 11, Nike Dunk, New Balance 550 and adidas Samba they can get their hands on. Some like the OG colorways, while others prefer new color stories. Which begs the question: why don’t brands revisit previously untapped models from their archives, introducing the silhouette to a new generation and giving older fans the chance to quench their nostalgia with a reissue of a childhood favorite?

As retro mania continues to inform the direction of the sneaker landscape, footwear historian, writer and collector Drew Hammell delves into the archives of Nike, adidas and New Balance, uncovering forgotten and disregarded silhouettes worthy of resurrection.

Nike Convention (1986)

The mid ’80s were a dynamic time for Nike’s basketball efforts. The Air Jordan 1 was blowing minds, the Dunk was an instant hit and the baddest players on the college basketball court were sporting the Nike Terminator. Lost in the shuffle of these classics was the Nike Convention. 

With similar design features to the Air Ship and AJ1, the Convention came in a variety of colorways, and both low and high-cut versions. There was also a Team Convention series, which featured colorways developed for use with college team uniforms. The one main difference between the Convention and MJ’s first signature? The Convention didn’t boast an Air-Sole unit. Still, with the popularity of the Air Ship, Air Jordan 1 and Dunk, it makes ample sense for Nike to bring the Convention back into the fold.

Nike Air Max2 (1994)

From the Air Max 1 and Air Max 90 to the Air Max 93, Air Max 95 and Air Max 97, certain Air Max runners are universally loved today. Yet others are not even part of the conversation. Enter 1994’s Air Max2. The silhouette was the first Air Max runner to feature multiple chambers with different Air pressures for a more balanced, cushioned ride. Perhaps more importantly, the Air Max2 was the last Air Max sneaker designed by the legendary Tinker Hatfield.

Despite never coming back as a retro, a glimmer of hope remains. Basketball icon Charles Barkley’s Air Max CB 94 released the same year and has retroed several times. The Air Trainer Max2, endorsed by Ken Griffey Jr., also released in ’94 and has since been retroed. Because these two models have resurfaced, there’s a chance Nike might reevaluate their stance on the Air Max2.

adidas Response Trail (1996)

The Response Trail was the SUV version of adidas’ successful Response running shoe in the mid ’90s. Each year, adidas dropped a new Response Trail model with features like adiPrene cushioning, a water-resistant mesh upper and a rugged outsole. Given how popular this line was—the designs from 1996 to 2001 were especially eye-catching—it’s surprising to see that the Three Stripes hasn’t dug into the vault to bring back some of these shoes, especially with gorpcore continuing to influence global style trends.

Nike Air Much Uptempo (1996)

The Nike Air More Uptempo is one of Wilson Smith’s greatest sneaker designs, receiving the retro treatment year after year. Lost to time, however, is the Air Much Uptempo, a low-profile version of the bulbous silhouette worn by Gary Payton and Reggie Miller during the ’96 Olympics. With such a strong pedigree, this one seems like a no-brainer for Nike to retro.

Nike Air Super Zoom (1997)

After the success of the Air Zoom Turf training shoe in 1996, Nike released the innovative Super Zoom in 1997. Designed for Barry Sanders, one of the greatest running backs of all time, the Super Zoom featured a full-length Zoom Air unit and full-length lateral and medial Phylon support wings for lightweight stability. It was Nike’s ultimate gameday turf shoe and a perfect match for Sanders’ playing style. The sole is almost identical to that of the iconic Air Zoom Flight Five, designed for Jason Kidd. This was not a coincidence as Nike designers were free to utilize features from one shoe to another if it worked well. Over the years, Nike has retroed both the Air Zoom Turf and Air Zoom Flight Five, leading me to believe that the Air Super Zoom may just be due up for a retro. 

Nike Air Max Light 3 (1997)

Debuting in 1997, the Air Max Light 3 was an innovative lightweight running sneaker that packed all of Nike’s latest cushioning technology into one shoe. Featuring a low-profile Phylon midsole with Zoom Air in the forefoot, the Air Max Light 3 also had a big dual-pressure Air-Sole unit in the heel. With so many Air Max models and Zoom Air models to choose from in ’97, the Air Max Light 3 got lost in the shuffle and seems to have fallen off of Nike’s radar completely since. The 2019 atmos x Air Max2 Light showed some promise that Nike may begin to resurrect more AM Light runners, but the Air Max Light 3 remains, as yet, untouched.

Air Max 98 TL (1998)

Another deep-cut Air Max runner is the Air Max 98 TL. Released after the Air Max 98, “TL” stood for “Total Length” Air and featured a new anatomically designed dual-pressure full-length Air-Sole unit with a lateral crash pad system that cushioned and guided the foot upon impact. With the AM98 TL’s 25th anniversary quickly approaching, 2023 is as good a time as any for Nike to revive this forgotten model.

Nike Air Terra Goatek (1999)

Dropping back in ’99, the Air Terra Goatek was an innovative trail runner featuring traction technology touted as working just like a goat’s hoof on rugged terrain. Part of Nike’s Alpha Project, the Terra Goatek pushed the limits of what a trail runner could be. The hard, BRS 1000 carbon rubber outer portion of the sole gripped on soft trails, while the softer, inner portion of the sole provided traction on hard surfaces. The Goatek also featured a heel Air-Sole unit and Zoom Air in the forefoot. The Goatek sole technology was also utilized on the Nike Air Terra Humara 2 in 2000—the same sole used for Drake’s Nike Hot Step Air Terra. With such a storied lineage, Nike would be remiss to not bring back this one.

New Balance 1000 (1999)

Released in 1999, the New Balance 1000 was designed to provide both cushioning and support for runners who slightly overpronate. It had a synthetic mesh upper, an Ndurance medial EVA post, heel and forefoot ABZORB cushioning, and Stability Web for lightweight torsional stability. In short, the New Balance 1000 was jam-packed with technology. And with the runaway success of models like the 990, 992, 993 and 2002R, it’s safe to say that if New Balance enlisted design extraordinaires Salehe Bembury or Teddy Santis to rework the 1000 with a modern twist, it would be a huge hit.

Nike Air Jet Flight (2001)

Arguably one of the greatest performance basketball sneakers of all time, the Air Jet Flight released in 2001. Featuring a Phylon midsole with an Air-Sole unit in the heel and Zoom Air in the forefoot, it was versatile enough for quick-cutting guards like Steve Nash, as well as larger agile forwards like Dirk Nowitzki. As a testament to the fanfare that still surrounds the silhouette, Nike was planning on bringing them back a few years ago. However, at the last minute, the Swoosh decided not to move forward with it, leaving the nostalgia-inclined among us tentatively hopeful for another shot further down the road.