Nike Air Max 1 Chili 2.0 White/University Red-Black FD9082-101

Description

Now the appetite of Air Max heads is slightly wetted, the eagerly awaited return of the Air Max 1 “Chilli 2.0” is sure to have the community in a frenzy.

It’s been 20 years since the OG version dropped back in ’03, its place cemented among the hall of classic Air Max 1 colourways. Sadly though, unless your pair is blessed by the sneaker gods or you’ve managed to do a sole swap, there is almost no chance of rocking the originals without them crumbling into a million pieces. Luckily, Nike has you covered for the next few years with this new ’23 edition, as the “Chili 2.0” is as close to the OG as we’ve seen in a long time.

The shoe takes design cues from the 2003 “Chili” edition and arrives with a white mesh base and grey and black leather overlays. The most obvious change is the shade of grey suede panelling on the forefoot, this time opting for a much lighter shade than the original darker tones. Of course, the “Nike Air” is embroidered into its usual position, this time using a black thread in place of the previous red that now matches the mudguard and inner lining. The outsole has also been given an update, with a black and white split across the traction that swaps out the red lip which was a key detail on the ’03 pair.

While a number of Air Max heads will be disappointed by the series of changes and the fact that it isn’t a 1:1 retro, it’s still undoubtedly a clean-looking shoe.