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History of Air Max DN

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History of Air Max DN

Aug 27, 2024

What would the Nike brand be if it weren’t for generations of outside-the-box thinkers and dreamers who continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible? One of the latest innovations from the Swoosh is the Air Max Dn — a shoe incorporating the next level of time-tested Air Max technology. And that’s just the short version of it. Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about the Nike Air Max Dn and how it came to be.

Window to the Sole

Window to the Sole

We all know the story: A NASA scientist presented the Air cushioning system to Nike’s co-founders in the late 1970s, and then designer Tinker Hatfield decided to challenge limits and create a visible window so wearers could see the Air in their sneakers.

Totally Tubular Nike Dn

Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time tubular Air units have been in Air Max shoes. In a very Y2K move, the 2002 Air Max shoes had a clear rubber outsole fitted with tubular Air units encased in both the rubber lugs and the midsole foam. At the time, though, sneaker enthusiasts still preferred the look and feel of the Air Max 95s and the 97s, so that new approach basically faded into thin air. 

And then new generations of sneakerheads arrived with an appreciation for retro revivals and futuristic technologies.

The DNA of Nike Air Max Dn

The DNA of Nike Air Max Dn

Nike literally reinvented the concept of Air with the Dn. Short for “Dynamic Air,” the Air Max Dn is Nike’s love letter to its younger sneaker audience. It takes that tube Y2K Air concept and makes it better, more comfortable and more sustainable. 

The Nike Dn cushioning system uses four tubes, or chambers, of Air complete with varying pressures — 15 psi for the back tubes and 5 psi for the front chambers. What that means is that pressure shifts in these tubes offer seamless transitions, better propulsion, maximum bounce and tons of comfort.

Dynamic Dynasty, Sustainably Made

Dynamic Dynasty, Sustainably Made

Nike doesn’t do anything without tons of research, and this Air employed everyone from engineers and designers to scientists and athletes. But Air wasn’t the only undertaking here. In addition to all the technical features, like a TPU heel counter and shank arch clip, Nike also wanted to give wearers a shoe with an equally dynamic silhouette. The Air Max Dn includes: 

  • A multilayered mesh upper that features a haptic print for a futuristic, textured aesthetic. 
  • The shank plate, which bisects the upper at the arch, injecting both style and stability, complete with the brand’s trademark Swooshes. 
  • Plush Pylon foam encasing the Air chambers, with a rugged rubber outsole wrapping the heel. 

The sneaker line is also part of Nike’s ongoing efforts to use recycled materials where possible from post-consumer or post-manufactured waste. The Air Max Dn features at least 20% sustainable materials while still exceeding standards for durability and performance. 

Nike Air Max Dn Colorways and Collabs

The Nike Air Max Dn release date was officially on Air Max Day: March 26, 2024. To hype the shoes, Nike enlisted some help from NYC-based streetwear brand Supreme. This wasn’t the first time they partnered with the company. In 2002, Nike tapped Supreme to help release its Dunk SB edition — a collab that set the shoe’s skateboarding edition on a path to success. 

So it made sense that the Swoosh collaborated with Supreme to help launch the Air Max Dn. A sleek, largely tonal black Nike Dn, complete with oversized, yet stealthy Supreme branding launched exclusively at Supreme, a month before Nike began offering the sneakers. 

Since then, the Dns have dropped in a variety of colorways, with more on the way: 

  • The “Volt” edition provides that futuristic neon-green tone for which the Swoosh is well known, and blends it with metallic silver and hits of black. 
  • Largely composed of black and “Smoke Grey,” the “All Night” colorway includes “Crimson” chambers embedded in black foam. 

A Particle Grey shoe gets lightened up with impactful hits of orange gradient at the arch and the heel.

The Air Max Dn reviews are in, and the shoe’s cloud-like comfort and futuristic design are winners in the sneakersphere. Explore an array of colors and sizes online at Hibbett, or visit your nearest location to cop a pair of the kicks — and coordinating Nike apparel.

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