Why Is Nike's Low-Rise Uptempo Sneaker So Good?
The original Nike Air More Uptempo sneaker is great. It's got backing from several NBA players, including Scottie Pippen (Pippen wore them so much that people called them his signature shoes and even nicknamed the model the "Scottie Pippens."). And it's the looks as one of the craziest Nike designs ever, thanks to those unforgettable bubble "Air" letters on its sidewalls.
Just when you thought the icon couldn't get better, Nike enters with a slick low-top version simply known as the Air More Uptempo Low.
We first met the Air More Uptempo Low back in 2023 through an AMBUSH collaboration. The spin from Yoon Ahn's brand preserved the general Uptempo look but with a few small tweaks. Specifically, the letters shrunk, while other details, like the tongue and new outdoorsy laces, were enlarged.
Overall, the AMBUSH pairs saw the model go skate-meets-hiking shoe.
AMBUSH got three colorways for its collab, including a black and white iteration nodding to the Uptempo's most timeless, no-fuss color scheme.
The Air More Uptempo Low era didn't end with the AMBUSH linkup, either. It was just getting started. Fast forward to 2024, Nike began to roll out general release versions, which were more genuine to the Uptempo we've known and loved since 1996 (but low-rise style now).
Let's be real: not all famously higher-top sneakers look good as Lows. But that's not the case at all with the Air More Uptempo Low. This low-profile sneaker looks really good.
The Nike Uptempo Low is not that much different from the original, only taking the traditional mid-ish look slightly lower to show off those ankles fully. So, it's still the same Uptempo, really, just with a refreshingly shorter vibe.
It's even got the normal graffiti-style letters and chunky Air-infused soles. And like its big brother, the Air More Uptempo has a flair for solid color schemes.
So far, Nike has blessed sneakerheads with crisp all-white, the trendy black and white a.k.a "Panda," and even a delicious chocolate "Baroque Brown" version of the Air More Uptempo Low. And hopefully, more to come.
They say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." But they never said don't shorten the Uptempo and make it a clean, low-top classic.
