Throwback Thursday - Nike Air Flight High
Posted by Matt Halfhill | Jun 26, 2008 Recently we have given alot of coverage to the upcoming Nike Air Flight Lites, but I thought it would be a perfect time to see the original shoe of the Nike Air Flight line.Many took notice for the 25th Anniversary of the Nike Air Force 1, but a line that is as equally as significant to Nike will celebrate its 20th Anniversary next year. Nike Flight was launched in 1989 to support the quick cutting, high flying athletes on Nike’s roster.
This shoe, the Nike Air Flight High is better known today as the “Air Flight ‘89″, but the high top has not been seen since its original release almost 20 years ago. Ironically, at the time of the models release Nike heavily campaigned the high top version rather than the low. |
Nike Air Flight High
Nike Air Flight High
Nike Air Flight High
Nike Air Flight High
Nike Air Flight High
Nike Air Flight High
Nike Air Flight High
Nike Air Flight High
Nike Air Flight High Advertising Material
Jun 26, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Yo these R sick! I copped 2 pairs of da low top Air Flight 89’s last year. (Grey/blk & da wht/red)
I’m lookin foward for these…
watz da price?
Jun 26, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Wow, these remind me of high school… even though I don’t remember seeing them lol
Why didn’t they let me on their basketball team!!!
Jun 26, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I wonder how anyone could turn a ankle in the highs they were making back then. Still seeing a lot of the retro lows these are another classic that take me back down memory lane i had a pair of these and the Air Solo Flights.
Jun 26, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Eventually, they (shoe corps.) have to hit us all with more (true) High top retros.
Jun 26, 2008 at 11:40 pm
It was going to be a surprise, but I’m so hype about this post, I’ll let the cat out of the bag. Matt, I’ve given you a shout out in my new book “Sole Food” scheduled for publication in October.
Jun 26, 2008 at 11:46 pm
MMMM…even though I’m not a big man I miss & love these! The Jordan IV sole, J III heel tabs, premium leather when it was just regular…they just dont make em like they used to! Thanks Nicekicks!
Big Dix
Jun 26, 2008 at 11:48 pm
i love that material they use under the middle lace holes. like it makes the shoe look nuts to me. idk y
Jun 26, 2008 at 11:51 pm
I was wondering when you were going to let these out of the bag!
Jun 27, 2008 at 12:20 am
AWW men the midsole is cracking!!!!
Jun 27, 2008 at 12:34 am
These are way better than the lows, if they came back in a cool bright color would defintly cop
Jun 27, 2008 at 12:40 am
these are dope… true high tops… love em’….
Jun 27, 2008 at 1:29 am
I had these in 8th grade! If they bring these back out, I might buy every color way
Jun 27, 2008 at 2:10 am
Love ‘em, but again, would I necessarily wear these now? I’m not sure. The height scares me a little…
Still a very dope sneaker and this colourway is beautiful.
Jun 27, 2008 at 2:45 am
I had a pair of kicks very similar to those a couple years ago, they were air force 3’s, my stupid feet grew though
Jun 27, 2008 at 6:50 am
man i wish i could go back to the 80s & 90s those are nice i remember those i would copp.
Jun 27, 2008 at 7:57 am
beautiful. i’d kind of like to see the comparison to the solo flights. we all wanted sky-hightops in the back then…
Jun 27, 2008 at 8:04 am
nice, looks a lot like the military fours from the bottom.
Jun 27, 2008 at 8:10 am
I frickin’ love these Flights. So clean, so perfect. I mean, just look at the quality of these shoes.
Jun 27, 2008 at 8:43 am
HAD THESE IN HIGH SCHOOL GETTING THOSE WHEN THEY COMEOUT
Jun 27, 2008 at 8:44 am
HAD THESE IN HIGH SCHOOL GETTING THOSE WHEN THEY COME OUT
Jun 27, 2008 at 8:47 am
Nice post, brings back memories when I was in junior high. I wanted a pair of these bad and the air solo flights too. Hope Nike decides to release these. Hey Matt i love that you guys are posting a lot of the hot kicks from the late 80s and 90s. Any chance you will post the 89 air solo flights?
Jun 27, 2008 at 8:56 am
dose r sick definitely have to cop
Jun 27, 2008 at 9:12 am
personally, i love the really love the old school high tops and sky tops, but these flights never really appealed to me, lows or highs. I know the old school cats love them but they look too front heavy and unbalanced to me. I think that the air bounds are much nicer looking, but of course that’s just my opinion.
Jun 27, 2008 at 9:53 am
I used to rock these back in the day’s they fell very good on your feet makes you want to dunk a ball…
Jun 27, 2008 at 10:04 am
if nike paid attention to the customer, they’d know that the high top silhouettes are making a huge comeback. The higher the better; aka release the REAL MCFLYS!
Jun 27, 2008 at 11:47 am
these are one of the most beautiful pairs of sneakers i’ve ever seen. that military-esque colorway is amazing. i have a thing for early 90s/late 80s high cut basketball sneakers.
i really really wish nike would start retroing more stuff like this.
Jun 27, 2008 at 11:48 am
Classics. Thanks Matt for taking us back almost 19 years (wow). For all of you sneaker heads did you all peep how the 89 flights have the same sole and bottom as the Jordan 4’s. Check out the Jordan 4’s and compare them to the flight 89’s
Jun 27, 2008 at 1:16 pm
they look too high for me on snapshots but in the pic of the dude wearing em they look sick. i want these, just in another color.
Jun 27, 2008 at 1:57 pm
these kicks are pretty tight.
Jun 27, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Totally dope. They should really retro these. This is another shoe that’s in my pop’s collection. I bought my mom the white/white lows for last Mother’s day.
Jun 27, 2008 at 2:21 pm
being younger than these sneakers i think id have a hard time wearing them but they look so fresh always wondered why they dont make shoes that high anymore but guess its less material so less money to make’m or somthing
Jun 27, 2008 at 2:27 pm
air flight 89s are one of my favorite shoes period. i’m 25 so i rocked the retro’s hard in high school haha thanks for another dope post.
Jun 27, 2008 at 2:40 pm
FRESH
Jun 27, 2008 at 2:41 pm
real dope
Jun 27, 2008 at 3:01 pm
woooooooooooooooooooooooo. I LOVE THESE SHOES TOO, I HAD THE WHITE AND RED AND THE WHITE AND BLACK ONES…IF THEY EVER COME OUT, I HAVE TO COP 2 PAIR…
Jun 27, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Highs kill the lows, too bad its not these being retroed instead of the lows.
Jun 27, 2008 at 5:17 pm
i like the lows better.
Jun 27, 2008 at 7:01 pm
answer me something niceckicks.
how do you keep finding all these vintage OG nikes in such perfect conditions?
i always enjoy ThrowBack Thursday, you always keep it clean with the originals, always keep your doing your thing.
Jun 27, 2008 at 8:36 pm
maaaaaan i hope they re-release this color way it will instantly be copped with no problems nor effort in other words imma own these shoes like a pimp with a 2 dolla … you kno what i mean
Jun 27, 2008 at 8:55 pm
ooo the true high top, goes to your knee caps
Jun 27, 2008 at 8:56 pm
I need em!!!!! PLEASE do all sneakerheads a favor and release these!!!
Jun 28, 2008 at 1:17 am
These are so sick iam speechless will get these in a hart beat if brought out
Jun 28, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Yo does anyone rember that commercial with Gerald Wilkins seen in that pic on t.v BACK IN THE DAY……? LOL
Ah when kicks was kicks……….
Jun 29, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Matt,
Thanks for making my Thursdays, Every Thursday. (Except that time there was no throwback thursday, so you gave us two in one the next week.) yous a beast kid
Jul 23, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I wanted these so bad back in 1989. They cost just as much as the Air Jordan IV. For those that don’t know back in 89 these shoes were equal to Jordans.
Oct 31, 2008 at 9:14 am
when these come out? i gotta get em
Nov 7, 2008 at 11:08 pm
YO!! THESE ARE FLATOUT, BY FAR THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOE NIKE HAS EVER MADE! (INCLUDING THE JORDANS) I WANT THESE WHEN THEY COME OUT!!!
Nov 29, 2008 at 5:09 pm
MY VERY 1ST KICKS(ONCOURT)!!!!9 YO…CHOSE THEM OVER A PAIR OF B QUALITY JORDAN III’S… THE BLACK/GREY/WHT COLORWAY…AFTER 6 MONTHS I SPRAYED THEM ALL BLACK (KEPT THE SWOOSH GRAY) AND THEY WERE NECKBRAKERS FOR ANOTHER 3 MONTHS:)))))))))))))))))
EXCEPT THE SWOOSH POSITIONING THIS IS AN OTHERWISE AHEAD OF ITS TIME KICK (TRY TO THINK THAT MANY OF U WEREN’T EVEN BORN)
I WISH THEY MAKE A BLACK NUBUCK COLRWAY ASWELL
Mar 3, 2009 at 1:02 pm
these are straight CRACK!! I love them! I hear they are retroing this year due to the 10th anniversary of flight… I hope so!
Mar 28, 2009 at 6:10 pm
is there anywhere i can buy these shoes? and what are they called?
Apr 16, 2009 at 6:37 pm
YO!! I HAD A PAIR OF THESE IN THE 90′S I EVEN BUGHT THEM IN RED AND PEOPLE USE TO STOP ME IN THE STREETS AND THEY WOULD TELL ME THESE WERE THE HOTTEST SNEAKERS THEY EVER SEEN. THEY DON’T MAKE THEM LIKE TESE ANYMORE I WANT THEM TO COME OUT AGAIN!!
Apr 18, 2009 at 9:09 pm
i got a pair of og’s in a 8.5
May 17, 2009 at 2:09 pm
NWA made these a classic. I hope they bring them back. They are hot kicks!