Nike's Zippered Air Max 95 Is a Time-Tested Techy Twist
Nike has turned the Air Max 95 every which way but loose this year in honor of the goated sneaker turning 30. From bubblelicious classics to muscled-up Yu-Gi-Oh! collaborations, 2025 is the year of the Air Max 95. (And the snake!)
Now, the Swoosh is reaching back in time to honor the 95’s storied history with a reissue of the zipped-up Air Max 95 Z. The Air Max 95 Zip is here. Again.
First released in 2001, the Air Max 95 Z was an experimental take on the original AM 95 released six years prior. Like most Air Max sneakers, the AM 95 Z has laces, just neatly tucked behind a techy zipper mechanism that recalls the Air Max Sunder, which was first released in 1999 and is in the midst of its own comeback season.
The fact that these zip-tastic uppers still land as futuristic 20 years later is the working definition of what it means to be ahead of your time.
The new Air Max 95 Zip sneaker, available soon on the Nike website, comes in "Triple Black" and "Loyal Blue," and maintains the wavy paneling and exposed air bubble that make the 95 what it is: An icon. Like the OG Air Max 95 Z, the Air Max Zip’s tucked laces are functionally savvy as well. While there is nothing wrong with an exposed lace, a zip-covered vamp keeps laces neat and tucked all day. The zipper also lends itself to a more uniform look all around.
Unlike other sneakers that forgo laces completely, where a zipper is involved, the Air Max 95 Z begs the question: Por qué no los dos?
The combination of laces and a zipper is like having the best of both worlds: The fit flexibility of laces, with the delightful homogeneity of a zipper shroud. An unmatched duo, truly.
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