The Air Jordan 35’s thin and stretched tongue allows the user to easily wear the pair. (Photo courtesy of Sneaker News)

SIZE and FITTING

The pair runs true to size, and fits good in the heel. It also has an average fit in the forefoot. The tongue’s features are inspired by the Air Jordan 5’s specs. The tongue is thin and the 3/4 sleeves-like style allows the foot to slip in with ease since the tongue is also stretchable. The pair also has an internal lacing feature that tightly wraps and cinches up the uppers, along with an external typical lacing.

OVERALL RATING

Air Jordan’s decision to bring back premium materials and integrate them with modern technology is a good move for the brand and will linger in the long run. While the implementation of modern synthetics resulted in a good performance for the Air Jordan 34, Air Jordan fans and sneaker enthusiasts will always root for premium materials on the brand’s flagship shoe line.

There is nothing wrong about having full mesh uppers and modern materials, but for pairs that have US$180 price tag or more, fans deserve to enjoy more from the pairs that they cop especially from a brand like Air Jordan.

Air Jordan 35’s birth might also open up another chapter for the leading brand. The integration of mixed materials, and introduction of new technology will surely change the landscape of the shoe game for both collectors and basketball players. If its emergence becomes successful, future Air Jordan pairs will surely have better performance with the potential of having higher price tags.

The brand also made the pair special as it marks its 35th anniversary. There are lots of notable details and inspirations which can be seen in the pair. Aside from the shape and signature netting from the Air Jordan 5, the new Air Jordan 35 has a tab on the heel imprinted with the Nike Air logo on one side, and the Jumpman logo on the other.

The holographic Jordan logo on the medial portion represents Air Jordan’s transition from on-court to off-court type of shoes. The braille present on the Eclipse plate reads as “1990 to 2020,” which signifies the year the Air Jordan 5 was first released, and this year, when the Air Jordan 35 will be released.

Lastly, there are relevant numbers imprinted at the back of the tongue, namely the “84-03” print which represents the years when “His Airness” got drafted and retired for good, and the “30-6-5” which signifies MJ’s career averages.

The color coordination, particularly for the “Center of Gravity” colorway, was decided based on the tech pack. Each technology must have a scheme that is different from the other techs of the pair to form the tech pack which resulted in this colorway.

The Air Jordan 35 nets an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5. While it is good to integrate premium materials with modern synthetics, the new techs implemented are still up for trial-and-error. Also, while its traction’s performance is top-notch, its thin outsole compound will limit its use, especially when played outdoors.

The best thing about this pair is how it draws inspiration from the Air Jordan 5, and at the same time pay homage to MJ while implementing innovations.

WHERE TO BUY

The Air Jordan 35 will be released globally on October 17 with US$180 price tag. The pair will be up for cop at selected Nike stores.