2000-2001 Air Jordan XI sole being pre-yellowed

[Girl Thats Jules]

I was having a discussion the other day with some friends and this came up. These guys were younger so they didn't believe that the early 2000s XI didn't have blue-tinted soles and sometimes, in extreme cases, looked like they were pre-yellowed out the box. (not intentionally of course.) (and not the Columbia or black-red mid-tops)

What was JB trying to do here? Was it just laziness or was it intentional? Should the clear sole have made some of them a retro+? Even though that wasn't designated on some of the boxes.

Can someone elaborate on this more or post some type of picture?

Maybe the OGs can: rainking M marztharealist JRepp23 pwguy MJO23DAN ijapino scollard23

Thank you.

 

[engineer]

I’m not sure anyone has any insight into why, but you’re absolutely right that the concords and space jams were faintly yellow when new. Definitely didn’t have that grayish milky og sole.

The Columbia pair was also way off. It was ever so slightly blue but it was definitely different from the concords and space jams.

 

[q-ball2220]

Def wasn’t icy blue, it def was a slight yellow tint out the box

 

[engineer]

Crazy thing is 5s and 6s were like perfectly clear that year. No yellow, no blue, not even slightly milky. Probably as “clear” as we’ve ever seen from Nike.

 

[Girl Thats Jules]

Crazy thing is 5s and 6s were like perfectly clear that year. No yellow, no blue, not even slightly milky. Probably as “clear” as we’ve ever seen from Nike.

Yea, definitely. I think after the Infrared 6 everything went down hill. (they used the milky background on those which was good imo)

 

[rcjbbp1313]

The OGs had blue tint but the first retos did not, i like them all but would love a good replication of the OG blue on the soles.

 

[JRepp23]

What was JB trying to do here? Was it just laziness or was it intentional? Should the clear sole have made some of them a retro+? Even though that wasn't designated on some of the boxes.

It was def intentional. The 99 retros were the last to get the "near original" treatment that we all speak of nowadays. The only shoe past that time was Black Red 04 13s. They were pretty close to 98s imo. They alter every retro just enough not to give the 1:1, at the same time making you want to buy the next release of the exact shoe.
The concord is a perfect example. As there are many more also.
2000. Near Ice sole, near correct pl cut, 23. Close shape.
2011. Blue tint sole, low pl, 23. Horrible shape.
2018. Blue tint sole, correct pl slightly higher, 45. Great shape.
The next release imo. Ice milky sole, correct pl, 23, Great shape.
The point is they will never give the same shoe the same exact treatment. That is by design. They will always change something up to get us to want the next version.
Dont get me wrong, there is a lot of laziness and lack of attention on JB side of things for sure. They use cheaper materials that may age differently than a past release. The execution is lacking in the shape department. Sometimes they get the small details right, sometimes not.
The retro+ debate can never end really. Is the Black Varsity 6 a retro+? Or the Black Infr23 6? Some may say yes. But some will also say its OG due to the color blocking more than the actual color of red itself. It is all debatable.

 

[Girl Thats Jules]

It was def intentional. The 99 retros were the last to get the "near original" treatment that we all speak of nowadays. The only shoe past that time was Black Red 04 13s. They were pretty close to 98s imo. They alter every retro just enough not to give the 1:1, at the same time making you want to buy the next release of the exact shoe.
The concord is a perfect example. As there are many more also.
2000. Ice sole, near correct pl cut, 23. Close shape.
2011. Blue tint sole, low pl, 23. Horrible shape.
2018. Blue tint sole, correct pl slightly higher, 45. Great shape.
The next release imo. Ice sole, correct pl, 23, Great shape.
The point is they will never give the same shoe the same exact treatment. That is by design. They will always change something up to get us to want the next version.
Dont get me wrong, there is a lot of laziness and lack of attention on JB side of things for sure. They use cheaper materials that may age differently than a past release. The execution is lacking in the shape department. Sometimes they get the small details right, sometimes not.
The retro+ debate can never end really. Is the Black Varsity 6 a retro+? Or the Black Infr23 6? Some may say yes. But some will also say its OG due to the color blocking more than the actual color. It is all debatable.

You're right about that. Even some colorways that seem to be perfect remakes have stuff missing that is probably intentional.


Also we may not have gotten ANY OG colorways of the 6 if they didn't fix the Infrareds in 2000. (after complaints) It was already printed on the boxes too. The troll job was already in-effect and most people didn't know.

 

[JRepp23]

Keeping the 3m off the 2000 was a good sign of things to come. It is not like they couldnt get the material.

 

[jordan4eva23]

I don’t think we will ever see a clear sole like the pre-2000 shoes again

 

[JRepp23]

Also we may not have gotten ANY OG colorways of the 6 if they didn't fix the Infrareds in 2000. (after complaints) It was already printed on the boxes too. The troll job was already in-effect and most people didn't know.

Personally, I would like a reverse infrared that they originally tried to give us then. I love the White/Infra so a Black version I would like to have. Since they gave us a pretty good 2019, I dont think it would piss too many off. But knowing the brands tactics, it would be super limited.

 

[engineer]

Personally, I would like a reverse infrared that they originally tried to give us then. I love the White/Infra so a Black version I would like to have. Since they gave us a pretty good 2019, I dont think it would piss too many off. But knowing the brands tactics, it would be super limited.

Completely agree. Never understood the hate for the reverse infrared. Now is the time though. If they wait more than a few years after the 2019 pair then everyone will complain that they want the regular color blocking back.
On top of what you pointed out, there’s also the bonus of a contrasting infrared NA.
Maybe one day.

 

[Girl Thats Jules]

I didnt even know about the 6 releasing. I had gotten all of the four colorways of 5s but I didn't even know about the 6s.

My buddy pulled-up to my house late at night with them out of nowhere. I think it was in September.

 

[wizards23brown]

I would love to see a reverse infrared release, almost as much as a new white infrared release!!

 

[engineer]

I didnt even know about the 6 releasing. I had gotten all of the four colorways of 5s but I didn't even know about the 6s.

My buddy pulled-up to my house late at night with them out of nowhere. I think it was in September.

I missed the drop too and they sold out pretty quick by me. I remember the Footaction manager at my mall called around and found them at a different store and had them sent over for me. I miss stuff like that.

 

[Girl Thats Jules]

I was a few days late on the white/navy too.

The first retros that really sold out around my way were the concords. But the first Jordans I saw sell out were the white-red 13 and the white-blue 13 in 1998.

 

[JRepp23]

Nike/JB no different from anyone else in manufacturing. You do something a certain way, you learn the hard way it may have been a mistake. The type of outsoles produced for the 2000 Concord, Columbia and Jams looked amazing fresh out of production. But maybe to their lack of knowledge of aging led to the result of the yellowing prematurely to those shoes produced. They intended for them to be super icy clear. But the aging affect would be undetermined at that time.
Best theory I got.

 

[ccastro02]

This was my pair a few years back. This is exactly how they looked when they released late 00'. Weren't much icier than that..

 

[engineer]

I wouldn’t say exactly like that but pretty close to how it looks in the first picture. Those look fantastic for being a recent pic.

 

[ccastro02]

I wouldn’t say exactly like that but pretty close to how it looks in the first picture. Those look fantastic for being a recent pic.

This is from 2014. Wish I never sold them. smh.