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Nike's New Air Max 360 Fulfills Dream: Running on AirNineteen years ago, Nike was trailing as the No. 2 shoe maker behind Reebok International Ltd. Its Nike Air technology, which partially replaced foam cushioning with air pockets, was finding limited success.
Retailers were skeptical about the company's newest gamble: the Air Max running shoe with visible air cushioning in the heel.
Now, comfortably in the No. 1 spot, Nike is launching the eighth incarnation of the sneaker that not only helped catapult Nike back into the lead, but also ushered in a consumer mentality of buying sneakers for show, not just for wear.
But for the first time, the new Air Max 360 lives up to the original idea of a shoe that lets athletes run on air.
Thanks to new manufacturing techniques and cutting-edge design, the shoe, cushioned heel to toe with air pockets, eliminates all foam from the midsole.
The sneaker will be available Jan. 21 at a suggested retail price of $160, although both retailers and analysts said initial shipments likely won't meet demand.
Nike said it plans to ship more pairs in time for fall, said Tom Hartge, Nike's creative director for advanced initiatives.
While Nike remains the dominant running shoe brand, the new Air Max comes as the company's market share in the category has held flat and customers have craved something new, industry analysts and retailers
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13/1/2006 | Viewed 46,552 time(s)
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