Nike Air Max 1 OG Red '86 Big Bubble - All You Need to Know

by Henry Smith January 26, 2023

Earlier in the year, rumours started doing the rounds that Nike were going to re-release the long forgotten big bubble Air Max 1 from 1986 for the first time.

The shape of the Air Max 1 has been revitalised since the Anniversary Retro's released in 2017, with a huge range of 'new old shape' pairs releasing in the years to follow, before Nike largely halted the production of the silhouette with the exception of a few collaborations until they returned with the Treelines and Madder Roots in 2022.

Whilst Nike made the shape much better than the pairs that released between 2008 and 2016, we never thought we'd see the big bubble again, until now! When the Air Max 1 was first developed, the plan was to have a big window, but testing deemed that it was too unstable, so they instead opted for a smaller window that we've become familiar with in the years since. Nike have since done some rigorous testing on the bigger air bubble and are now confident in releasing a pair to the public.

Air Max 1 OG Red Big Bubble from SNKRS

When do we expect the Nike Air Max 1 OG Red Big Bubble to release?

Nike first gave us a teaser of the OG Red Air Max 1 with the big bubble on a video that streamed on Air Max day in March 2022. Since then, we have seen multiple leaks on social media of the pair and we are confident that the shoe will see a release on the 26th March 2022 on Nike SNKRS and retailers worldwide.

Are there any more big bubble Air Max 1's planned for 2023?

The rumours suggest that Nike don't plan on any widescale releases for the '86 Big Bubble model for the remainder of 2023, keeping it exclusive to the original Red/White/Grey colourway that made the shoe what it is today. However, there has been some chatter on socials that Nike are expected to release some more colourways in 2024, including an OG Royal Blue colourway, although we would expect more given the amount of time and money Nike have invested in the shoes development.

How long did it take for Nike to develop the big bubble Air Max 1?

In the same Nike SNKRS episode where they first leaked the images of the big bubble making a return, Jamie Paige, Nike's product line manager stated that it took them over three years to develop the midsole for the '86 retro, after it initially failed in 1986 due to the air unit cracking in colder climates. However, with new materials in technologies and materials available today, Nike believe they have been able to bring the original concept to life.

Where can I buy the big bubble Nike Air Max 1?

Whilst there is no confirmation on what retailers will be getting the OG Red Air Max 1, you can be sure that they will be releasing on SNKRS and at select Nike retailers. We expect the pair to be released in limited quantities originally, with the possibility of the pair being released to the wider market in 2024.