Today is the day folks, Air Max Day! We know everyone flocked towards the Sean Weatherspoon Air Max 97/1 that dropped this morning like birds on crumbs. Hyped Air Maxes remain some of the most coveted releases every year. To celebrate the legacy of Air Max it’s only fitting we take a look back at an all-time classic, 2005’s Foot Patrol x Air Stab.
Youngins in the game probably have no what the Air Stab is, but they were Nike’s second shoe to use Visible Air. The massive popularity of its contemporaries overshadowed its greatness so they never make top-10 lists. A couple features separate it from the Air Max 1. Most notably, the icicle shaped lines that break up the Visible Air units on the heel. Peep the play-by-play below of this beautiful deadstock pair provided by Portland’s Deadstock Coffee (peep their page here). let us know in the comments if you’d cop if retro’ed! Above everything else, enjoy Air Max Day!!
London’s Foot Patrol designed the shoe in-house. Sky blue, purple, black and white make up a majority of the upper with near perfect blocking. Adding to the rarity was the fact that they released only at Foot Patrol.
A great play on textures throughout the upper sets these off. High quality suede works well with smooth leather and corse ballistic nylon (similar to the Jordan 11). The overall construction feels rich and premium. Just a touch of maize on the eyelets provide a nice contrast too.
A close up view highlights the subtle speckle on the midsole and the crisp craftsmanship.
Speckle along the heel clip branding seen here sits atop the Stab’s signature ‘icicles’. White leather also dresses the sockliner.
The heel is where all the Stab’s glorious materials come together. Nylon, leather, suede, plastic and rubber collide around Nike’s signature Air heel branding.
Lastly, a translucent, glow-in-the-dark, outsole rounds out this 13 year old classic.
Robbie Falchi
Sneaker History