Nike's Air Max Plus is a cult classic. Don't believe me? You need only walk around any major city in the UK or dabble in some Aussie-heavy TN Facebook groups, and you'll quickly adopt an understanding of big of a global community exists – so why are its best colorways gender exclusive?
If we were only allowed to wear the model of Air Max that was released the year we were born, I'd be kicking myself, wishing I was born a year later. Why? So that it would be a pair of Air Max Plus at my feet.
Originally released in 1998, the Air Max Plus, more affectionately known as TNs, was designed by legendary designer Sean McDowell as a performance running shoe.
A far cry from its original intended purpose, you'll find rave and festival circuits across Europe populated by TNs long before hitting stride up and down a track, yet, its athletic design cues shine with clarity.
Characterized by its Tuned Air tooling – which added mechanical hemispheres to the medial side of the Air Max unit, increasing stability –and the vein-like exoskeleton that extends across the sneaker's mesh inlays.
Debuting with a three-piece colorway selection inspired by the sky's gradients, sunset through to dusk, the sneaker quickly became an icon of the era, achieving cult status across mainland Europe, the UK, and Australia, in particular.
In the decades following its original release, it's continually been shown love by Nike, appeasing its global fanbase.
A silhouette with a rich history of success stories, the likes of "Fireberry," "Hyper Blue," "Tides," "Tiger," "Rejuvenation," and a three-piece Supreme collaboration, fans have high expectations of the Swoosh where TNs are concerned, and rightly so.
Despite its many success stories, the start of the decade saw a growing disparity in the TN catalog. Now, more than ever, the best colorways are gender exclusive.
TNs, which were exclusive to Footlocker for several years, isn't as widely sold as other models within the Air Max family, making it easier to keep track of.
Flicking through the catalog of readily available pairs, you'll notice that colorways in men's sizing tend to lack the gradient flair for which the silhouette is loved.
You'll have no trouble securing a pair of "Triple White" or "Triple Black" TNs in full family sizing; "Magma Orange," "University Blue," and "Mica Green," however, you'll only find them in reduced size runs.
If, like me, you reside in the UK 8-9 sweet spot, reduced sizing isn't a major issue, as you'll be able to slip into both men's and "WMNS" (as per Nike stylization), but, as a result of the reduced offering, these sizes are quickly snapped up by resellers, with an average mark up of £90-100 (approx. $110-120).
Now, when you go hunting for a slick pair of TNs, the type of colorways that live up to the expectation and potential that has pushed the silhouette to its cult status, you'll likely only find sizes below a UK8, leaving a large portion of its fanbase uncatered for.
Worse yet for Air Max Plus fans, is that even further styles, some even fan favorite colorways of old, are only available in older and younger kids sizing.
As the sneaker celebrates its 25th anniversary, Nike will undoubtedly put the pedal to the metal with a slew of new releases. So that every fan can enjoy what's to come, we can only hope that Nike opts for a unisex approach to future releases.
