Nike Air VaporMax

So, may I ask, in light of all the recent comments about having so many pairs and kinda feeling a slave to it all....What is the purpose for you guys for buying the shoes in he first place?? I only ask as I've now purchased 3 pairs of VMs (Navy, TB and Oreo). I probably see myself buying a couple more colourways and that is it. Afer that, I'll be happy to just wear and enjoy them till they fall apart. For you guys that have 30+ pairs of sneakers, is it just purely to collect, like a stamp collection that will appreciate in value or do you buy to wear? There are some CW of VMs that I don't like, so I don't buy them cos I wouldn't wear them. There's no judgment here, just kinda want to know what's the driving motivator.....
 
zonzon said:
IMG_1988.JPG
Click to expand...
Now those look cool. Future CW or cheap knockoff?
 
tartaris said:
So, may I ask, in light of all the recent comments about having so many pairs and kinda feeling a slave to it all....What is the purpose for you guys for buying the shoes in he first place?? I only ask as I've now purchased 3 pairs of VMs (Navy, TB and Oreo). I probably see myself buying a couple more colourways and that is it. Afer that, I'll be happy to just wear and enjoy them till they fall apart. For you guys that have 30+ pairs of sneakers, is it just purely to collect, like a stamp collection that will appreciate in value or do you buy to wear? There are some CW of VMs that I don't like, so I don't buy them cos I wouldn't wear them. There's no judgment here, just kinda want to know what's the driving motivator.....
Click to expand...


Great question. I'm 43 so I've been in it for a while. As time passed I can remember many instances in my life that were around shoes. It started for me as early as junior high school. I remember getting the Bo Jackson Air Trainer 3 medicine ball when I was in junior high. That was my first visible air Nike and I was ecstatic.

It continued in high school with the Air Trainer SC white/black/teal model. About that time other athletes hit their prime and I noticed. Jordan was playing great and his shoes looked great. I remember sitting in math class and checking out one of my classmates white/black/fire red Air Jordan 5 with the 3M tongue. Man that shoe was perfect but I never got it because I was wearing Bo's at the time. Agassi and his hot lime Air Tech Challenge 3 were one of my all time favorites. I remember being the first one in high school with those and people looking at your shoes Ooooing and Aweing. It actually got me out and playing tennis too because I wanted to be like Agassi. While I didn't get every shoe, I liked them all. I didn't get Robinson’s Command Force or Command Force 180 but I liked them. I remember a guy in art class with the Command Force on. I grew up with all those cool shoes when Nike hit its stride. Even when Nike introduced ACG and the Mowabb I had to get them. Because I didn't get the Jordan 5, I got the black infrared 6. I recall trashing that shoe delivering pizzas in 1991. Ha!

Through college I worked at Champs Sports and made some great friends that are still friends today. Working at Champs was the best. I remember the first concord Jordan 11 release as people were coming in looking for them. I remember putting shipment away and trying on the new models we got in. It was like family. Eventually I graduated college and moved on but I came back several years later so I could work one Saturday a week for the discount. While the original gang was gone by then I still knew the manager and we're still friends to this day. Eventually my best friend that I worked with at champs sold his over 100+ collection on eBay. I don't remember how many he had but it was stacks and stacks. Then, I began selling mine. I got out of shoes for a while around the early 2000 I was more into gaming and my car. I was also figuring out life at the time. Once I figured that all out and began to get back into shoes again.

For me collecting shoes brings me back to my childhood. It brings me back to the back room of Champs Sports trying on those new shoes and selling them to the customer. It reminds me of the friendships I made. I still take pics and send them to my eBay selling friend to get his opinion on shoes just like we did back in the day. Personally, Ive been buying some of the retros I had when I was growing up - Tech Challenge 3, Bo Jacksons, etc. In other instances Ive bought the shoes I never had - Command Force, Jordan 5, etc. I admit my collection has gotten out of hand and its hard to determine which ones go and which ones stay. I've removed a good 30+ from my collection already by selling or donating.

As for Vapormaxes, they remind me when I worked at Champs and we were always waiting for the next big thing from Nike. I recall a Nike rep telling us about an Air Max with a full length air sole which turned out to be the 97. To me the Vapormax is just the next step in that full length air sole and why I love them so much. Quite frankly I could remove the majority of my collection with exception of my favorites and be content with keeping my Vapormaxes. I love them that much.

I didn't mean this to be so long but I guess its been almost 30 years since I wore that Air Trainer 3 medicine ball. Lots of history and memories for me.
 
Last edited:
ARK said:
Great question. I'm 43 so I've been in it for a while. As time passed I can remember many instances in my life that were around shoes. It started for me as early as junior high school. I remember getting the Bo Jackson Air Trainer 3 medicine ball when I was in junior high. That was my first visible air Nike and I was ecstatic.

It continued in high school with the Air Trainer SC white/black/teal model. About that time other athletes hit their prime and I noticed. Jordan was playing great and his shoes looked great. I remember sitting in math class and checking out one of my classmates white/black/fire red Air Jordan 5 with the 3M tongue. Man that shoe was perfect but I never got it because I was wearing Bo's at the time. Agassi and his hot lime Air Tech Challenge 3 were one of my all time favorites. I remember being the first one in high school with those and people looking at your shoes Ooooing and Aweing. It actually got me out and playing tennis too because I wanted to be like Agassi. While I didn't get every shoe, I liked them all. I didn't get Robinson’s Command Force or Command Force 180 but I liked them. I remember a guy in art class with the Command Force on. I grew up with all those cool shoes when Nike hit its stride. Even when Nike introduced ACG and the Mowabb I had to get them. Because I didn't get the Jordan 5, I got the black infrared 6. I recall trashing that shoe delivering pizzas in 1991. Ha!

Through college I worked at Champs Sports and made some great friends that are still friends today. Working at Champs was the best. I remember the first concord Jordan 11 release as people were coming in looking for them. I remember putting shipment away and trying on the new models we got in. It was like family. Eventually I graduated college and moved on but I came back several years later so I could work one Saturday a week for the discount. While the original gang was gone by then I still knew the manager and we're still friends to this day. Eventually my best friend that I worked with at champs sold his over 100+ collection on eBay. I don't remember how many he had but it was stacks and stacks. Then, I began selling mine. I got out of shoes for a while around the early 2000 I was more into gaming and my car. I was also figuring out life at the time. Once I figured that all out and began to get back into shoes again.

For me collecting shoes brings me back to my childhood. It brings me back to the back room of Champs Sports trying on those new shoes and selling them to the customer. It reminds me of the friendships I made. I still take pics and send them to my eBay selling friend to get his opinion on shoes just like we did back in the day. Personally, Ive been buying some of the retros I had when I was growing up - Tech Challenge 3, Bo Jacksons, etc. In other instances Ive bought the shoes I never had - Command Force, Jordan 5, etc. I admit my collection has gotten out of hand and its hard to determine which ones go and which ones stay. I've removed a good 30+ from my collection already by selling or donating.

As for Vapormaxes, they remind me when I worked at Champs and we were always waiting for the next big thing from Nike. I recall a Nike rep telling us about an Air Max with a full length air sole which turned out to be the 97. To me the Vapormax is just the next step in that full length air sole and why I love them so much. Quite frankly I could remove the majority of my collection with exception of my favorites and be content with keeping my Vapormaxes. I love them that much.

I didn't mean this to be so long but I guess its been almost 30 years since I wore that Air Trainer 3 medicine ball. Lots of history and memories for me.
Click to expand...
Tl;dr plz
 
tartaris said:
So, may I ask, in light of all the recent comments about having so many pairs and kinda feeling a slave to it all....What is the purpose for you guys for buying the shoes in he first place?? I only ask as I've now purchased 3 pairs of VMs (Navy, TB and Oreo). I probably see myself buying a couple more colourways and that is it. Afer that, I'll be happy to just wear and enjoy them till they fall apart. For you guys that have 30+ pairs of sneakers, is it just purely to collect, like a stamp collection that will appreciate in value or do you buy to wear? There are some CW of VMs that I don't like, so I don't buy them cos I wouldn't wear them. There's no judgment here, just kinda want to know what's the driving motivator.....
Click to expand...

I’m a sucker for creative process, design and a story. It’s what got me into collecting. It’s also what I do for a living - so for me, the sneakers and every nuance from development to consumer facing marketing, is half work/half passion. NT is not just a place for me to talk with you, it’s my focus group. When I consult for Nike or Adi, I reference you guys all the time - it’s made me more informed and more empathetic than anyone in the room.

Living in NYC and soho in particular, provides an unbelievable amount of access - that helps feed the beast too.
 
tartaris said:
So, may I ask, in light of all the recent comments about having so many pairs and kinda feeling a slave to it all....What is the purpose for you guys for buying the shoes in he first place?? I only ask as I've now purchased 3 pairs of VMs (Navy, TB and Oreo). I probably see myself buying a couple more colourways and that is it. Afer that, I'll be happy to just wear and enjoy them till they fall apart. For you guys that have 30+ pairs of sneakers, is it just purely to collect, like a stamp collection that will appreciate in value or do you buy to wear? There are some CW of VMs that I don't like, so I don't buy them cos I wouldn't wear them. There's no judgment here, just kinda want to know what's the driving motivator.....
Click to expand...
For me it was a little bit of everything. Growing up in an Asian household my parents really value money and on top of that we didn't have much growing up in Oakland. And I also enjoyed the creative process to some of these shoes.

I remember in 1990 at about 11-12years old when the Jordan 5 was released and one of my friends bought a black pair and we all gathered in a circle checking them out and actually trying it on haha. I even remember watching "Who's the boss?" And Tony Danza was wearing the 5s in them haha. I remember watching most of MJ's games and championships. Everyone literally wanted to "be like mike" when that commercial was out. But all I could do was just admire it and wish I could afford them. It wasn't until prob junior year 95/96 in high school when I got a job at Walmart and was able to buy a pair of decent Jordan's, but didn't really start buying/collecting till after college in 2002.

Anyways, to make a long story short I bought them because of memories, to wear, to collect, the story behind them and just to satisfied my inner child. I'm prob all over the place with this reply but it really brought back all those memories, and it's time to move on but it will always be a part of me as well.

Edit: just realized my post sounded like I only collected Jordan's, but I never really had that many J's. But it was that era that got me into Nike and just shoes in general.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: ARK
The more I see the off white vapormax the more I like it

Wasn't crazy about it at first but I love the deconstructed look
 
tartaris said:
So, may I ask, in light of all the recent comments about having so many pairs and kinda feeling a slave to it all....What is the purpose for you guys for buying the shoes in he first place?? I only ask as I've now purchased 3 pairs of VMs (Navy, TB and Oreo). I probably see myself buying a couple more colourways and that is it. Afer that, I'll be happy to just wear and enjoy them till they fall apart. For you guys that have 30+ pairs of sneakers, is it just purely to collect, like a stamp collection that will appreciate in value or do you buy to wear? There are some CW of VMs that I don't like, so I don't buy them cos I wouldn't wear them. There's no judgment here, just kinda want to know what's the driving motivator.....
Click to expand...

So from everything from late 2003 to late 2015 when I got into shoes, the influence/motivator was because it was ONLY the product and athlete's names on it. From late 2015 to now, I went beyond the mentality of just the product, and embedded the culture of sport, ESPECIALLY running and how the brand works for me. I'll keep everything short about how it manifested throughout the years.

It started when my friend pointed out that my second ever pair of Nikes were the "T.O's (Terrell Owens) and Mike Vicks "during middle school, which was the Air Max Specialist promoted in a Nike Gridiron [now Nike US Football] commercial. That got me glued onto signature shoes, but not Jordans at all. Everyone had Jordans, but I did not nor was I interested and believe it or not, but from that day back in late 2003 to present day, I've never owned a pair of Jordans. It went from Vicks to LeBrons (because of the dog fighting scandal), Kobes, KDs, and Hyperdunks (endorsed by several athletes). From 2008-2012, I was a freaking hypebeast. I'll admit it; I fell for a lot of hyped items, and played catch-up with everyone else collecting the same thing. In 2011, I worked at Nike for a bit and got into running shoes and sportswear, because they pushed the running culture, and that was the first time I stood in running shoes for 8 hrs and not have my feet tired. Again, didn't change anything about my mindset; I was still the same. From 2013 - late 2015, it was a lot more toned down, but again, all about the product.

When late 2015 arrived, I ended up being frustrated from my old job at that time, because the local company I was working at was crumbling and the founder that I worked closely with was an absolute pain to work with. She took a personal shot at me accusing me of lying about my hours. I hated that company for the longest time, but in order for me to cope with my anger, I started running. A few months later, I ran with Nike Run Club, and from there, my whole perspective of the brand changed. It wasn't about just what Nike has to offer in terms of products, but it was the path to understanding how Nike and running syncopates with each other, especially with Nike's history of it, and how/why they build their shoes, so this is beyond the storytelling of how a product was made. I looked at their running shoes to see how maintains their culture they've created for the future. March 2017: enter the VaporMax.

Like I've mentioned before, at the time I was running, I was running in the Pegasus 31s first before getting into the Pegasus 32s, and the Vomeros along with other running shoes such as the Zoom All Out Flyknits and LunarEpics (which didn't work out for me). This also applies to the recent testing of the Zoom Flys, and my now-growing interest of the Vaporfly 4%. I wanted to see not just how the product worked, but how much it would benefit me to keep my personal goals going. The VaporMax was the newest and most surprising edition (as mentioned in my review on page 87 or 88 of this thread, but it could be somewhere else in here now), and I fell in love with the shoe so much that I fell back into the college phase of playing catch-up. Then as mentioned before, I took a trip, got out after a 3-4 month shopping spree, and just dropped the majority of my stuff since I cleared my mind.

So in a way, there was a saving impact for me at the same time I was looking beyond the product. Imagine if your boss tries to accuse you of something on a professional level when it sounded deeply personal. I can only imagine how bad it'd be for me right now if I didn't resort to running. The moment you look at a brand differently to see how they benefit your life-long goals whether to stay active, relieve stress, and/or become better somehow some way, it becomes a completely different story, especially when they host a Nike Run Club event every week for you to participate. Well... used to, at least, but they left a long-lasting impression for me.
 
hreveur said:
anyone got a pair & felt a lump in the left or right foot? got a pair of TBs, my right foot is fine but my left foot has a like a bump in the middle of the shoe. wondering if it's normal & something that i will wear out over time.
Click to expand...

Mine has that too. On the ball of my left foot it feels like there is a bump or something. I've only worn them twice so I wasn't sure if it was just how it felt of if something is wrong with them. TBs size 11.5 fyi
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

therealest1
Nike Air Max 90 Drift
Replies
1
Views
732
ta2and0
ta2and0
therealest1
Nike Air Max Plus Tiempo - July 2024
Replies
0
Views
906
therealest1
therealest1
therealest1
Patta x Nike Air Huarache Plus
Replies
2
Views
2K
modus47
modus47
therealest1
Nike Air Max Sunder
Replies
4
Views
727
1978S
1978S
therealest1
  • Locked
Nike Air Span 2
Replies
1
Views
545
Arthur Shelby
Arthur Shelby

Thread Gallery

View Full Gallery

The ultimate sneaker enthusiast community.

NikeTalk was created as a way of giving back to both the sneaker enthusiast community and to the greater global community of which we are all a part.

NikeTalk is NOT affiliated with Nike Inc. in any way, shape, or form. All opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Nike, Inc.

© 1999-2024 NikeTalk.com

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom