The Air Jordan 1 Mid has been around in existence for the longest time. Representing the middle ground between the Hi and Low cut models, the Jordan 1 Mid has carved itself an interesting niche, making itself known for people who want the heel collar without the height of the original cuts. Only, its presence wasn’t really announced as the model is often overshadowed by the Hi’s in almost all cases, even though the Air Jordan 1 Mid gets a myriad of updated tech, newer materials, and ultimately, more comfort.
Credit: Nike
Despite all the niceties, it has always been living under the shadow of its taller brother, and Jordan sees the problem. Hence why its putting up a massive push to place the mids forward and into the limelight. Hell, it even got the ‘Equality’ treatment in Nike’s selection of Black History Month shoes, and even then, especially in the scene, it’s not really celebrated.
The problem is simple, and it boils down to the purists of the Air Jordan legacy. Looking back at all the milestones in Jordan’s time as a professional basketball player, the games where he had the most impact was all in the Air Jordan 1 Hi, with a very specific colourway attached to it. In essence, the historical context is emphasized massively on the highs, and for someone who collects Air Jordan 1s, anything less than Hi is sacrilegious.
Credit: Kicks
We then arrive to the price point. The standard Air Jordan 1 Hi price would retail at about RM 600 and above whereas the Mid takes that down a notch to RM 455, and for some, that is a major difference. Some argue too, that the colours seem like an afterthought or leftovers after the good blockings were used on the Hi, leaving the mid with uninspired, sometimes lazy looking designs.
But then again, this is from the perspective of the niche consumer who’s in the know of the full-depth and history behind the shoe. To the person who likes the Air Jordan 1 because of Michael Jordan or just because it looks cool, the mid is no more different than the high, and that’s completely okay. To the hustlers that want to get the highs, but somewhat are not able to afford it, the mids are there to fill that gap, and that’s okay. The shoe serves as an entry point to the ones who want to get into the Jordan culture, or simply just want to be different. And that’s okay.
Credit: Sneaker Freaker
In the end, it boils down to your preference. Some people just like it, some people don’t and that’s fine. Differing opinions are what makes the scene more exciting, more varied, and as long as we continue this route, we’ll have more and more nice shoes to wear, and that’s always a plus on my book.
