Nike Air Force 1 Shell

Air Force 1 Shell

The Nike Air Force 1 Shell is a protective boot meant for winter walking. Inspired by seasonal outerwear, the upper is made of a synthetic waterproof shell material that makes it perfect for walking in the snow. Underneath, it features an Air midsole and a rubber outsole, with the AF1’s traditional concentric circle grip allowing the wearer to maintain traction in slippery conditions. Meanwhile, a fleecy sherpa fabric insole warms the bottom of the foot, offering insulation against the cold.

Just above the midsole, a woven nylon mudguard encircles the entire foot, and its ends meet at a seam in the medial midfoot. On the upper, bands of stitching delineate the different segments that form the classic AF1, but there are no overlays between them. Diagonal lines of stitching decorate the top of the collar, which is raised above the ankles, and further strands move upwards on an angle from the midfoot toward the heel. These second lines stop as they meet the elaborate heel strip—a wide band of material with additional stitching, including a zigzag woven down the middle and a crisscross box design sewn at the bottom.

Matching the vertical band in the heel is a similar one that runs up the tongue. This one has three loops near the tip for the elasticated laces to thread through. These laces disappear into the collar at the top of the eyestay, allowing the Air Force 1 Shell to be tightened using a combination of the pull band on the tongue and the toggle protruding from the heel rather than conventional tying. The eyestay itself overlays the rest of the upper and features embroidered ringlets around each eyelet. Similar embroidered rings surround the lace holes on the heel and tongue, as well as the two imitation ventilation ports in the medial midfoot, which mimic perforations but are actually closed off to prevent water from entering the shoe. There is also a further protective covering obscuring the lateral set of eyelets, which is decorated with diagonal stitching.

The Air Force 1 Shell is adorned with its own special set of branding elements, such as the swoosh, which is printed onto the lateral side but not the medial one. There is also a tag with “AF1” on it emerging from behind the lateral edge of the eyestay, and the medial flank carries a unique patch attached via zigzag stitching at a little over ankle height. It contains three sets of text that tell the story of the AF1. The first has the words “Nike AF1 1982,” commemorating the year the first in this iconic line was released. The second contains a set of coordinates, “45.4871’N, 122.8037’W,” which mark a point at Southwest Farmington & Hall, a crossroads in the center of Beaverton near Nike’s headquarters. The final piece is possibly the most surprising. It reads “94FT X 50FT” and sits next to a tiny swoosh. Far from being random measurements, these are actually the dimensions of a regulation basketball court in the NBA, giving a nod to the sporting roots of the AF1. This tiny detail shows that, even though the Air Force 1 Shell is a winter boot, it still owes its legendary foundations to the original design.