Kicksology 101: Air Jordan Cushioning Part I

Full Length Zoom Air - Air Jordan Alpha 1

Nike Basketball clearly markets themselves as elites in performance footwear. Kitchen designers like Eric 'E' Avar and Tinker Hatfield discover new and innovative ways to make 'the perfect shoe'. That's what Nike Basketball has been about for years.

People buy Nike Basketball products for specific reasons to cater to their needs. Are you an outdoor player looking for something lightweight and durable? Try the Hyperfuse. Are you a center looking for more ankle support and impact cushioning? Try the Hypermax. Are you a small guard or a slasher type player looking for something lightweight, low-cut and supportive? Try the Zoom Kobe V.

The Air Jordan however, has been less about marketing performance and more about marketing the sheer fact that they're...well...Air Jordans. For years, Michael Jordan and the 'Air Jordan' have been a household name across the globe for it's popularity and style. The 'Jumpman' logo has established itself as one of the most recognizable logos in the world next to Coca-Cola and Mickey Mouse. Don't get me wrong Air Jordans still perform in a way that a basketball shoe should perform, but most people buy new and retro J's for sentimental and re-sale value rather than performance and wear.

With Nike Basketball footwear sporting materials like Flywire, XDR and Lunarlite Foam, it seems the Air Jordan has become obsolete and outdated in the performance catagory and has become strictly a collectors item. Although that's not entirely true, people still ask the question "Can you even still wear J's for basketball anymore?". Well kids, the answer is "yes", you can. But it all depends on what you're looking for. You have to know what you're wearing.

With that in mind, let's first start with a quick lesson in basic cushioning.

Nike Air 

Examples of a standard Encapsulated Air Units

This is the bread and butter of all Nike technology and where it all started. The Nike Air system is, as Nike reps describe it as, a patented "pressurized gas encapsulated in polyurethane". Which, to me, loosely means "air inside a plastic bag". Nike uses a combination of inert gases in dense molecules to pressurize the bag and can compress without any gas escaping. These Air units are normally placed in the heel and forefoot of the midsole. They work to cushion the foot by compressing and reducing the force of the impact upon landing of the foot, which then springs back in its original shape.

Air Jordan XI dissection: 

Full Length Encapsulated Air Unit [Top]

Phylon midsole and carbon fiber shank plate [Bottom]

Zoom Air

Articulated Zoom Air Unit [Left] 

Jumpman Trifecta's Full Length Zoom Air Unit [Right]

Zoom Air is more complex. It consists of thousands of vertical fibres sandwiched between 2 horizonal fabric layers that is sealed inside a polyuethane film. Pressurized gas surrounds these fibres creating a flat, thin, low-profile air bag that provides a closer to the ground feel than the conventional Nike Air system. The gas surrounding the fibres creates a force within the bag in a way to put tension on the fibres without the bag popping or expanding. Upon impact, the bag compresses and relieves tension on the fibres, which then causes the gas in the bag to expand and returns the tension into the fibres causing them to spring back immediately after impact. This method of impact cushioning is designed for high speeds and quick foot transitions required for more faster players and guards without weight being a problem.

These two kinds of impact cushioning units encompass the design of each Air Jordan. Since Jordan Brand doesn't advertise as much as Nike Basketball does in the performance column, you usually don't know what you're wearing on your feet, even when you put it on. Every Air Jordan is slightly different in terms of the technology and types of cushioning used for for the shoe. For some players out there that are looking to actually wear a pair of J's on the court, it's important to know what's on your feet. Otherwise, why not just rock 'em with a pair of jeans and call it day?

Air Jordan I (1985)
Heel: Encapsulated Nike Air Unit
Forefoot: none

Air Jordan Alpha I (2009)
Heel/Forefoot: Full Length Zoom Air

Air Jordan II (1987)
Heel: Encapsulated Air Unit
Forefoot: none

Air Jordan III (1988) - Air Jordan VI (1991)
Heel: Visible Air Unit
Forefoot: Encapsulated Air Unit

Air Jordan VII (1992) - Air Jordan IX (1994)
Heel: Encapsulated Air Unit
Forefoot: Encapsulated Air Unit

Air Jordan X (1995) - Air Jordan XI (1996)
Heel/Forefoot: Full Length Encapsulated Air

Air Jordan XII (1997)
Heel/Forefoot: Full Length Zoom Air

Air Jordan XII Retro (2003+)
Heel: Zoom Air
Forefoot: Zoom Air

Air Jordan XIII (1998)
Heel: Zoom Air
Forefoot: Zoom Air

Air Jordan XIV (1999)
Heel: Zoom Air
Forefoot: Articulated Zoom Air

Air Jordan XV (2000)
Heel: Zoom Air
Forefoot: Zoom Air

Air Jordan XVI (2001)
Heel: Visible Blow-molded Air
Forefoot: Zoom Air

Air Jordan XVII (2002) - Air Jordan XVII SE (2003)
Heel: TPU-encased Visible Blow-molded Air
Forefoot: Zoom Air

Air Jordan XVIII (2003) - Air Jordan 18.5 (2004)
Heel/Forefoot: Full Length Zoom Air w/ Doubled Stacked Heel Zoom

Air Jordan XIX (2004) - Air Jordan XIX SE (2004)

Heel/Forefoot: Full Length Zoom Air w/ Doubled Stacked Heel Zoom

After 2005, Jordan Brand introduced new waves of technology such as Independent Podular Suspension (IPS), tunable IPS, and Articulated Propulsion Technology. All of which were used in the Air Jordans to follow. But that's all for now. I hope this helps clear up some issues regarding what you're actually wearing next time you lace up a pair of J's. Technology does matter.

One.

Stay tuned for Air Jordan Cushioning Part II - Independent Podular Suspension