OFFICIAL AIR FORCE ONE THREAD!!!!!

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I’ll try to explain.
From 2009 to now most grey box AF1s have a tongue constructed of two separate pieces that’s stitched together at an angle so the tongue curls up.
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older pairs and current ‘retros’ have a tongue cut of a single piece that lays flat.

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when you tie your laces tight and pop your tongue out anyway there isn’t much of a difference. But I don’t like my laces tied tight and don’t like tongues sticking up. As you can see from the side there’s a considerable difference (at least to me).

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For the past 12 years this has been my biggest problem with general releases. It’s happened on some other models as well. Ruined the recent 11 lows too.

Now, as far as lockdown goes… since I don’t like lacing then up tight, I’d rather they not flop off my ankle when I walk. I can walk around in these 2005 nubucks completely unlaced with zero heel slippage. Not so much with the 2009 black/yellows.

I know we all have our issues with the various changes to the model over the years but these are my two biggest issues that affect wearability for me.


Thank you for taking the time to explain, and for providing pics. I can see the differences. I never noticed any of this over the past 20+ years/never bothered me.

Hard to tell from the black pair, but it's really 2 pieces of the tongue stitched together?
 
Thank you for taking the time to explain, and for providing pics. I can see the differences. I never noticed any of this over the past 20+ years/never bothered me.

Hard to tell from the black pair, but it's really 2 pieces of the tongue stitched together?
I’m 99% sure. I probably should just dissect this pair since I only wore them once and harvested the laces. I gotta stop hoarding.
 
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Thank you sir. Wonder what Nike's thought was behind that.
Not sure. It started on 11s somewhere around 2014. Could be nothing more than a factory change and that’s how the new factory did it. I’ve seen that with New Era fitteds where the new factories make changes in the manufacturing process and NE doesn’t catch it (or doesn’t care).
Also could have been a change in lasts.
There was also that trend when everyone started tucking their pants in and popping their tongues out. Nike might have been chasing that. I don’t remember when that started.
 
These sports specialties are right up my old washed *** alley… (pause?)


sorry if already posted. wish they didn’t have contrast stitching on midsole
 
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