Zipped Up: Nike is Bringing Back the Air Max 95 Z

Published September 8, 2025 at 7:02 PM

Nike has made it very clear that this is the year of the Air Max 95. It’s the 30th anniversary of the 95, and The Swoosh is celebrating like it’s going out of style, releasing tons of colorways, bringing back classic retros, adding new collaborations, and turning the silhouette into a skate shoe and soccer cleat. The big bubble party isn’t slowing down this holiday season either, thanks to the return of the zipper-clad Air Max 95 Z.

The Air Max 95 Z first debuted in 2001 with three colorways of patent leather 95s covered in a lace protection panel that zipped up to encase the laces and tongue. For the return, Nike is bringing out the 95 Z in three new colorways, Black, Loyal Blue, and Phantom, each clad with shaggy suede across the lower half of the upper and monochrome zip-up panels covering the rest.

Nike Air Max 95 Zip SP Black
*Images via Brendan Dunne*

In the original release, the colorways were constructed in two-tone blends, revealing the same colorway from the side panels underneath the protection panel on the laces and tongue. This time around, Nike is keeping the same colors but switching the materials, adding the same shaggy carpet suede onto the tongue. Tying everything together is the big bubble tooling, which increases the size of the Air unit in the heel to closely resemble the original sole unit of the Air Max 95.

The Air Max 95 Z Pack will be released in the Holiday 2025 season through select Nike retailers in-store and online. Available in men’s sizing, the retail price is set at $200. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.