Air Jordan XXXI: Familiarity, With a Twist

When you think of shoes, a couple of things instantly come to mind. The terms “Just Do It,” “three stripes” and “Chucks” are all considered to be iconic, but none resonate more with our generation than the “Jumpman.” With that knowledge, it might be quite shocking to know that it has been 31 years since the first pair of J’s were released in 1985. In its first 30 years being at the forefront of sneaker culture, we have seen the Jordan brand constantly innovate and adapt in order to become the global brand it is today, to still be prevalent, especially with the upcoming release of its newest shoe, the Air Jordan XXXI.

Although its design features a heavy throwback to the original AJ1, the brand’s commitment to innovation is still very much alive. Being a basketball shoe, comfort is key and the Air Jordan 31 has this in abundance. Through its extremely soft synthetic heel and flexible upper woven potion, the shoe screams pure luxury for your feet. New to this year’s incarnation of the brand is the introduction of “FlightSpeed” cushioning.  While it does not necessarily feel like “improved cushioning” compared to its predecessors, the addition of FlightSpeed does provide more impact protection than ever. This does come at a price though, as the overall balance does feel a tad off compared to the AJ30.

Overall, the 31’s fully delivers in terms of performance on and off the court. With its classic design and the reintroduction of the always recognizable “Swoosh” on a Jordan shoe, the 31 proves that the old is new once again.