The next era of skate shoes has arrived.  

Nike is unveiling the Nike SB Air Force 1: a new grail skate shoe that refines the classic Air Force 1 for skateboarding performance, merging a specialized fit with iconic style in a new silhouette that’s built for the board.  

The Nike SB Air Force 1 pairs the look of the classic low-top Air Force 1 with skate-specific innovation and engineering, featuring an Air unit in the heel for impact protection, reduced midsole height for increased board feel, and a modified herringbone tread pattern for optimal grip and flexibility.  

A reinforced padded tongue, internal sit straps and fit pods in the collar lining allow athletes to feel secure on their board — whether they’re riding with their shoes laced or unlaced — and a revised toe profile and durable stitch-turned seams deliver critical control for skaters of all abilities. 

These innovations were driven by feedback from the Nike SB team, whose insights about early samples informed a design that’s comfortable and skate-ready right out of the box — all while staying true to the classic style of the original silhouette.  

"We had to find the right balance between delivering for skateboarders and honoring an icon,” said Mau Rosillo, a member of Nike’s Color Design team. “The design team considered every performance detail — the midsole, the outsole, the treads and the upper — and packaged it into the Air Force 1. If we would’ve lost one or the other, we wouldn’t be here.” 

The Nike SB Air Force 1 is the latest skate-specific offering from the Nike SB team, founded in 2002 to blend Nike innovation with a deep reverence to skate culture. The team has a long history of innovation, working with skaters to retool and develop shoes like the Nike SB Dunk, which offers athletes enhanced durability, better board feel and improved impact protection. 

The Nike SB Air Force 1 adds yet another chapter to the storied legacy of the Air Force 1, which was introduced in 1982 as the first basketball shoe with Nike Air technology and has been an undisputed icon on and off the court ever since.  

The Nike SB Air Force 1 launch campaign was shot by Jonathan Mannion in New York City, featuring members of the Nike SB skate team, including Karim Callender, Ville Wester, Antonio Durao, Casper Brooker, Poe Pinson, Cyrus Bennett, Joseph Campos, Elijah Odom and Troy Gipson.