COMPARED: Nike SB Air Force 1 vs. Nike Air Force 1

Nike SB has made its name transforming classic Nike silhouettes into skate shoes, most notably with the Dunk, but also on the Blazer, Air Max 95, Air Jordan 4, Air Jordan 1, Air Force 2, Tennis Classic, and more. Honestly, the list is impressively long, even if most of those aren’t currently in the SB catalog. Still, the latest SB retool might be the best since the Blazer.

The Nike SB Air Force 1 is currently on the seven-city Creased Tour down I-95 with a select sect of the Nike SB skate team, dropping the shoe early and doing demos at skate shops across the East Coast. On Friday, I popped by the Philly stop of the tour at Nocturnal Skateshop to pick up a pair. Before skating them, I figured it was only right to give the pair a proper comparison against the OG Air Force 1 Low to see just how different the SB remix really is.

Like any self-respecting sneakerhead, I had a brand-new pair of white and gum sole Forces in the basement, so I laced them up and sat them next to the new SB Air Force 1 for a detailed look at the similarities and differences between the two.

The Obvious Differences

Let’s start with the stuff you can see from the product pictures. The most notable difference is the fat SB tongue instead of the paper-thin tongue on the OG Forces. It’s the same thing that makes the SB Dunk stand out from the Dunk Low, and it’s an immediate and radical shift. The second immediate change is the laces, which, also like the SB Dunk, get rounded instead of the basic flat laces on the in-line pair.

Low Rider

The big selling point for the SB Air Force 1 is the lower seat inside of the footbed. As anyone who has ever worn an Air Force 1 knows, the midsole on the shoe is thick. That’s not ideal for skateboarding, which requires at least some board feel in the sole. With that in mind, the SB Air Force 1 is definitely lower than the OG, but it definitely isn’t all internal.

You can feel your foot sit lower into the SB Air Force 1 than the in-line pair, but the silhouette is also simply built lower. The difference is most notable from the back, where you can clearly see the SB Air Force 1 has a shorter heel. The outsoles on both pairs are close in height, but the lower seat and shorter upper make it feel like a regular Air Force 1 was smooshed…in a good way.

Wide Load

Besides the height, the most notable difference in the SB Air Force 1 is the width. Similar to an SB Dunk, the SB Air Force 1 is significantly wider than the in-line model, especially in the toebox. For Air Force 1 lovers who have always had to purchase pairs in half a size smaller than their true size, the sunken and smooshed alterations fix the problem, making it a perfect fit in true sizing.

The wider, lower toebox is a perfect fit for skateboarding, and allows for the addition of more padding throughout. In addition to the tongue, ankle lock padding in the heel is a minor shift that adds major comfort and fit.

A Goldilocks Fit

After looking at the SB Air Force 1 against the in-line Air Force 1, the SB version started to look a lot more like an SB Dunk, so I pulled one of those out of the collection, too. Sitting next to an SB Dunk, the SB Air Force 1 is noticeably thinner and slightly taller, with the Air Force 1 suddenly looking more like the OG in comparison.

If the SB Dunk is a little too baked potato thick for you and the Air Force 1 is a little thin and long, the SB Air Force 1 is truly a Goldilocks fit, merging the best of both worlds without going too big.

As for how it skates? Stay tuned.

Zach Harris

Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com