Nike Air Alpha Force 88

[the collector33]

I remember having this Nike catalog back then.

I'm pretty sure I still have this catalog. I used to love calling Nike back in the day and requesting a catalog for all the sports.
I was in 7th grade when these came out, one of my all-time favorite bball shoes. It's killing me the royal pair isn't dropping. I guess i'll settle for the grey swoosh.

 

[jshortt]

I'm pretty sure I still have this catalog. I used to love calling Nike back in the day and requesting a catalog for all the sports.
I was in 7th grade when these came out, one of my all-time favorite bball shoes. It's killing me the royal pair isn't dropping. I guess i'll settle for the grey swoosh.

For being one of the OG core colorways, it feels like they've really neglected the royal ones with some of these legacy models. The Revolution was the only one I really remember seeing a retro of.

 

[green rhino123]

For being one of the OG core colorways, it feels like they've really neglected the royal ones with some of these legacy models. The Revolution was the only one I really remember seeing a retro of.

Agreed. Thankfully they released the AF89 as well.

 

[the collector33]

Agreed. Thankfully they released the AF89 as well.

They absolutely butchered the true blue Flight 89. I passed on those just out of spite.

Royal blue was a staple color for 80's bball shoes. Converse, Reebok, Nike, everyone used it for every release it seemed. Why they are ignoring it here AND giving us two red versions that look identical is a head scratcher.

 

[ta2and0]

An another lifestyle model spotted on Sneakernews and I actually like these somehow….

https://sneakernews.com/2023/08/10/nike-air-alpha-force-88-black-coconut-milk/

 

[green rhino123]

They absolutely butchered the true blue Flight 89. I passed on those just out of spite.

I'm not sure what that is.

306252-100
White/Drk Ryl Bl-Wlf Gry-Vrsty
2012

There have been similar retros but they changed some things.

 

[jshortt]

Agreed. Thankfully they released the AF89 as well.

They absolutely butchered the true blue Flight 89. I passed on those just out of spite.

Royal blue was a staple color for 80's bball shoes. Converse, Reebok, Nike, everyone used it for every release it seemed. Why they are ignoring it here AND giving us two red versions that look identical is a head scratcher.

I'm not sure what that is.

306252-100
White/Drk Ryl Bl-Wlf Gry-Vrsty
2012

There have been similar retros but they changed some things.

They did a pretty good job on the first run of Dark Royals, but thd second one I remember being pretty rough. They've messed up both versions of the Varsity Reds that released.

 

[the collector33]

They did a pretty good job on the first run of Dark Royals, but thd second one I remember being pretty rough. They've messed up both versions of the Varsity Reds that released.

Yes, the 2012 pair was nice. I had those. I think I actually wore them to Final 4 when Kentucky won it. This last retro they gave us was bad and they crapped on the red pair as well.

And for some reason i've always called the dark royal Flight 89's "true blues".

On any old-school release like this and Flight 89's, I wish they would give us a couple of OG colorways, true to OG specs, and then go off the wall with all the odd-ball releases. Make all the changes you want but please just make a few that are true retros.

I guess we are getting a couple of OG colorways on the AF88 so I should stop complaining, just not getting the one I want lol.

 

[jln912]

Yes, the 2012 pair was nice. I had those. I think I actually wore them to Final 4 when Kentucky won it. This last retro they gave us was bad and they crapped on the red pair as well.

And for some reason i've always called the dark royal Flight 89's "true blues".

On any old-school release like this and Flight 89's, I wish they would give us a couple of OG colorways, true to OG specs, and then go off the wall with all the odd-ball releases. Make all the changes you want but please just make a few that are true retros.

I guess we are getting a couple of OG colorways on the AF88 so I should stop complaining, just not getting the one I want lol.

Nice profile picture man . Air max2 is one of my top 5 most wanted retros of all time . But yeah getting some OG colorways of the 88s is nice . Strange they aren’t doing the royals. But like the person above said Idk why they seem to constantly butcher the flight 89s so much. Those seem to retro somewhat often too and we just never really get a solid retro like we are of these 88s

 

[green rhino123]

The highest quality AF89 retros were some of the first ones imo...

630381-101 White/Black-Varsity Red

630381-001 Black/Medium Grey


1978S

 

[1978S]

The highest quality AF89 retros were some of the first ones imo...

630381-101 White/Black-Varsity Red

630381-001 Black/Medium Grey


1978S

This man knows.


Those 1999 White/Blacks were amazing.

I know if Nike retroed them they'd come out horribly.

 

[jshortt]

The highest quality AF89 retros were some of the first ones imo...

630381-101 White/Black-Varsity Red

630381-001 Black/Medium Grey


1978S

This man knows.


Those 1999 White/Blacks were amazing.

I know if Nike retroed them they'd come out horribly.

Yeah, that whole first run of Flight 89 retros from 99-2000 were great, but that shouldn't be a shocker to anybody.

 

[jln912]

This man knows.


Those 1999 White/Blacks were amazing.

I know if Nike retroed them they'd come out horribly.

Those are amazing . Is that an OG colorway ?

 

[green rhino123]

I know if Nike retroed them they'd come out horribly.

I still hold out some hope for the best.

Spoiler

 

[1978S]

Those are amazing . Is that an OG colorway ?

Yes. THE best OG colorway IMO.

I had the OG's in 5th or 6th grade.

 

[green rhino123]

Yeah, that whole first run of Flight 89 retros from 99-2000 were great, but that shouldn't be a shocker to anybody.

The Black/Grey colorway had that old school tumbled leather/synth or what some of yall refer to as "ballsack leather" while the 2012 had smooth synth...
almost like the regular AAF retro vs AAF BE retro.

 

[the collector33]

Yes. THE best OG colorway IMO.

I had the OG's in 5th or 6th grade.

Absolutely, 1000% the BEST OG colorway.

I had this retro and the black grey when they dropped way back when. The white pair is in my top 5 of all-time, just a classic. I just sold them earlier this year on ebay. The midsoles were gone. I actually had to vacuum up the crumbled pieces in my closet lol. I held on to them just for the nostalgia. But man the materials on those were top notch. They really don't make them like this anymore.

 

[singer10]

Bringing all these unnecessary color ways out, but not the royals.
It would be cool if they tied Billie’s name to the Air Force Vs, Flight 89 highs, or maybe another SC Trainer II retro for the next collab. I’d love to own those again in my lifetime, and I’m not getting any younger.

 

[duke40]

This man knows.


Those 1999 White/Blacks were amazing.

I know if Nike retroed them they'd come out horribly.

I remember passing on the Jordan 5 retro and grabbing these. Played in them too, and they were BEASTS even in 1999.

 

[duke40]

Friend of mine found these in France last month

 

[seandon23]

I didn’t know BE had a flight 89 retro. Couldn’t fool me with that leather

 

[jln912]

Friend of mine found these in France last month

That toe box….

 

[brian8598]

Went to my local spot to check these out in person. They had the first release as well as both of the Billie Eilish pairs. I would have chosen the first release if they had my size, but the white/red/black Eilish pair's fake leather was soft/supple enough. They had my size, so I grabbed a pair. As confusing as this release is, and as much as I'd rather have the original release pair, I'm glad to have them.

 

[jshortt]

Alright, wore the Billies for several hours today with quite a bit of walking involved. Here's what they look like at the end of the day...

 

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