Air Jordan 2009 - New Version of the Official Air Jordan Sneaker

If you're a big sneakerhead, you've probably already heard about the new Air Jordan 2009 that will be releasing in the very near future.  The specieal edition LE version is slated to drop on January 31st as a limited release, so I thought it would be a good time to put up a post about the next generation of the greatest shoe of all time. 

Although the official Air Jordan sneaker was rumored to stop at XX3 to commemorate MJ's jersey number, Jordan Brand has decided to keep the shoe going in a new way by using the year it is released as part of it's official title.  It basically breaks down to AJ 1-23 as the OG Air Jordan's that honor MJ's career and legacy and anything in the future will be the sequel or continuation of sorts.  The new joints from this point on will still be the "real" Air Jordan (when compared to other styles such as Team Jordan or trainers, etc.) but probably won't be as coveted as all of the previous versions.  I still think the Air Jordan will always be a sought after shoe but I have a feeling that it will go back to it's routes and become a great basketball shoe worn by ball players instead of just being a collectible that is traded and sold at ridiculous prices by people that might not even play basketball.  That always aggravated me for some reason...   

I wasn't too sure about the look of these at first glance but the style is definitely growing on me.  I like the sharp lines and somewhat simplified design which make it look futuristic and new.  It almost reminds me of a hot sports car like a Lamborghini or Ferrari.  You will definitely look fly wearing these on or off the court.

The AJ 2009 does have a more subtle style than most of the Air Jordan's that have released in the past 5 years or so but I still think it has a lot of cool and unique features that make this a really hot shoe.  For instance, the "blown glass" look to the upper sole that gives it a unique look and makes each shoe slightly different from the next.  They also continued on with the Considered standard which means that Nike and Jordan Brand follow the standard to “Create products that make less waste and create products that cut down on environment-harming chemicals.”

The Carbon Fiber sole and a crazy heel piece combine to form a high tech energy return system that is something straight out of a car manufacturer's design book.  Check this shit out: 

"Jason Mayden:  One of the key features is definitely the ATP technology, inspired by April Holmes. April Holmes is a brand Jordan track and field athlete who competes with prosthetic legs. The reason that we looked at the technology in her legs in particular is because MJ always talked about turning a weakness into a strength. When you see someone who doesn’t have all their limbs and they’re still dominating in track and field that’s definitely an amazing story, an amazing inspirational story as well as an innovation story. 



So the way that this heel piece functions is it’s an energy return system (loosely based on April’s carbon-fiber leg) that propels you forward a little bit during each transition. The heel is split, and we have it constructed in a way that there is a camber to the shape to give extra grip when the athlete cuts back and forth. The camber across the heel allows the footwear to stay in contact with the ground, and helps for fast reaction time." 

That's dope right there!  Be sure to check out this fairly lengthy interview with the Air Jordan 2009 designer Jason Mayden over at Complex.com.  It's a great in-depth article about the shoe itself as well as a background on Jason's move up the ranks at Nike to become the designer for the G.O.A.T.  It's an awesome read when you have some time.

The limited-release Air Jordan 2009 (available on Jan. 31), will have a black-metallic gold colorway and cost $230 a pair. There will be a general release of the white colorway which will happen during NBA All-Star Weekend on Feb. 14 and the price will drop to $190.