Air Force 1 Alternatives

Air force 2s, Nike court royale 2 low new balance 480 air flight 289

Air Force Ones have been a fashion staple in many communities since they hit the streets in 1882. Rap songs have been written about them, with rappers such as Dr. Dre wearing a new pair of all whites every day, they are featured in several films, and with their recent rise in popularity in the white Gen Z demographic, thanks in large part to TikTok, you might find yourself wanting to cop a pair, if you haven't already.

But if you’re anything like me, you don’t want to be rocking the same pair of shoes as everyone else, think that once you hit size 11 and higher AF1s tend to look far too chunky, and finally you enjoy having more than 1 pair of shoes in your rotation If so, you’ll be interesting in this list of 5 air force 1 alternates.

I think I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least give a couple honorable mentions, beginning with Nike Dunk lows. They have been a classic sneaker staple since 1985, when it was originally released as a high top basketball sneaker. Given the Jordan 1’s meteoric rise to popularity soon after, the dunk was later co-opted as a skating shoe. The reasons it won’t make the top five are because it is also wildly popular thanks to TikTok, many of your friends or you yourself may have a pair, and it is in fact so similar to the Air Force 1 low in silhouette that it hardly feels like an alternative, rather its child.

The second honorable mention goes to the Nike Court Vision Low. To the casual sneakerhead, and for all intensive purposes, this is a diet Air Force 1. I mentioned how AF1s become like Dutch clogs the bigger the shoe size, but you won’t encounter this issue with the Court Visions. These shoes are designed for tennis, and so are intentionally made lighter and smaller, but still with the classic look. With fun bright colors on the Swooshes, these shoes provide a great alternative. The reasons the Court Vision can’t quite crack the top five are that again, it is in reality, an Air Force 1 but smaller, and the toe boxes crease extremely easily.

Air Force 2

Many people are completely unaware that the Air Force 2 exists, let alone there are in fact 7 shoes in the Air Force family (AF1, AF2, AF3, AF STS, AF5, AFXXV, AF09). The Air force 2,released in 1986, is one of my favorite Nike’s of all time, and there are several features that make it a better choice than its predecessor. To begin, they are much more comfortable than the original. The tongue of the shoe has much more cushion, and there are two straps on either side that allow it and your foot to stay in place. The thinner midsole actually lends itself to comfort, as the midsole on these shoes is very hard. Aesthetically, the shoe is much smaller and narrower, and it comes in a wide plethora of classic colorways.

When it was released,it was met with indifference or disdain, often getting called a robot shoe. This is excellent for those looking to purchase them now, because while you’ll rarely see anyone rocking a pair, they are not all that difficult to find. Your best bet would be to search them on secondhand seller sites, such as Ebay, Depop etc. The worry amongst some buyers with these sites is authenticity, but Ebay recently has offered a service that authenticates its sneakers. Furthermore, with shoes that are not as widely known, no one is making fakes of them, as they are not sought after.

Nike Court Royale 2 low

This shoe was originally released in the 70’s as a tennis shoe. Because of this, it is light and comfortable, while not sacrificing the classic silhouette that put such a definitive stamp on this era of nike. The sole of the shoe is narrower at the arch, with a slightly thinner midsole. Much of the upper paneling on the AF1 is sacrificed on the Court Royale 2 for a slicker, lighter fit.

Nike has its hand in a multitude of sports in regard to sneaker production, from basketball to skating. As a result, the less popular sports (at least in the U.S.) fall to the wayside. This is excellent news for the casual sneakerhead, because Nike’s tennis shoes can easily be found for a low price. On Nike’s official website, a pair can go from $55-75, and on sites such as GOAT, Ebay, or StockX, they can be found for even lower.

Nike Air Flight 89

I realize I listed chunkiness one of the reasons for my disdain for the AF1, and at first glance the Air Flight 89 appears almost chunkier than the AF1. However, once you put on the shoe, it is shockingly lighter, as well as narrower. This is likely due to the shoe’s basketball roots, as it was introduced in 1989 as a Jordan alternative. In fact it takes much of its sole and midsole from the Jordan 4. As a result, the Air Flight 89 boasts more visible features that make it stand out, including Nike’s famous air bubble in the heel.

This is a pair of shoes almost no one in your acquaintance is likely to have, as they were overshadowed by the vintage Jordan era in the 90’s, and have received little hype since. However many fashion forward celebrities such as Kanye wear these, and so it is not due to a lack of style that these continue to fly under the radar.

As far as finding yourself a pair, this is the most inconvenient shoe. Much like the Air Force 2, the Air Flight 89 has not had many general releases, and so they can be a bit trickier to find. However, resale sites such as Depop and Ebay are the best place to find an older pair for between $60-100, and if you don't mind paying more, GOAT is a great option as well.

New Balance BB480

For most, when they hear New Balance, the image of a dad’s lawn mowing shoes comes to mind. But is that a bad thing? If there is one thing consistent with dads from all walks of life, it is that they will sacrifice all sense of fashion in the name of comfort, and for years New Balances have been the dad shoe of choice. Now, with a sportier look and retained comfort, the New Balance BB480 is a sleek replacement to the AF1. The toe box of the shoe is strikingly similar to the AF1, which is shocking given it is not a Nike shoe. In fact much of the upper holds a strong similarity to the AF1, while at the same time being much thinner and more comfort friendly. The shoe was originally released in 1980, and with New Balance’s resurgence in popularity of late, it was recently re-released. However, it is often overlooked by the BB550. This means that the shoe can be easily purchased from a Foot Locker or Dicks for $50-70.