This week, fashion powerhouse COMME des GARÇONS unveiled a modernized version of the somewhat slept-on Nike Air Sunder Max.
I remember the Air Sunder Max well; Nike was heavily invested in this silhouette back in 1999. It was designed for cross training, but was also versatile enough to be worn as a streetwear sneaker. Back in ’99, shrouds were all the rage. Every brand was selling a few sneakers that were wrapped up in some sort of lightweight, stretchy material that cinched up with a zipper. They were all very futuristic-looking and pretty ugly.
Air Sunder Max Design Features
The Sunder Max was leading the way in the shrouded sneaker category, with a Lycra spandex upper and a “heel lock fit system.” There were also medial and lateral TRP pods, along with visible heel and forefoot Air-Sole units.
If you weren’t a fan of the shroud, Nike offered a deconstructed version, which also featured visible Air in the forefoot. Plus, there was a Canvas Lo version, which had neither visible heel or forefoot Air-Sole units.
Ranging from $110 for the deconstructed Sunder Mid G down to $65 for the Canvas Lo version, there was a Sunder for every taste and palate. There were bold, bright Sunders, and there were subtle, more understated colorways.
Overall, the Sunder Max has fallen off the radar for decades, until now. CDG has been given the green light by Nike to dig up old silhouettes from the vault and reinvigorate them with modern takes. I, for one, laughed when I saw the newest versions. Of all the sneakers they could choose, they picked the Sunder?? There are literally thousands of sneakers that have never retro’d that CDG could pick from, but I’ll at least give them credit for picking something new and different.
Hopefully, we’ll see some of the OG colorways return as well, and maybe sneakerheads will fall in love with something other than your typical Air Jordan 1 or Dunk.
For more sneaker info and the latest updates from Nike, subscribe to my blog here.
