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Buyer's Guide

Nike Air Max 90 Review & Sizing Guide

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Tinker Hatfield's 1990 design remains one of Nike's strongest retro silhouettes — comfortable for its age with strong style credibility — but the narrow midfoot and aging painted midsole technology are real limitations.

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Key facts

Popularity
One of the most collected Air Max silhouettes ever
Comfort
Good for a 35-year-old design; not modern-tech plush
Fit
True to size in length but narrow through the midfoot
Value
Strong at retail for what you get in design and cushioning
Use case
Casual wear, collecting, statement retro styling
Risk
Painted midsole cracks over time; Air unit degrades with age

Full breakdown

Originally released in 1990 as the Air Max III, the Air Max 90 was Tinker Hatfield's follow-up to the Air Max 1 and Air Max Light, designed to look faster and more aggressive than its predecessors. Its enlarged Air window and the bright Infrared accent quickly became signatures of the model. Decades on, it remains a foundational early-1990s running silhouette that crossed over fully into everyday streetwear.

FAQ

How does the Air Max 90 fit?

True to size in length but narrow. In a large sizing thread the top comment said they have never had an AM90 that was not true to size, but wide-footed buyers consistently need to go half a size up; one wide-footed owner said the standard size felt badly cramped. Fit also varies by build, with Gore-Tex versions running noticeably stiffer and narrower than standard mesh, so buy half up if your feet are wide.

Is the Air Max 90 comfortable?

Good by retro standards, not by modern ones. Owners describe the 2020 Recraft as very comfortable, and one wore a triple-black pair for three months straight with no issues. The heel Air unit absorbs impact decently, but expect a firmer, flatter ride than a modern foam runner, so it suits casual wear rather than long days on your feet.

Does the Air Max 90 midsole crack or crumble?

It can over time. The polyurethane midsole is prone to hydrolysis, especially during long storage, with early signs being midsole cracks and a foggy Air unit. The painted foam on modern retros is prone to cracking and flaking compared with 1990s originals. Buy a pair you intend to wear regularly rather than shelve, since rotation extends midsole life, and avoid long humid storage if you want it to last.

What is the best Air Max 90 colorway?

Infrared, by a wide margin, since it is the original 1990 launch colorway and remains the most collected. In a large favorites thread it dominated, and one collector who owns nearly 200 pairs of AM90s still rates it first. Nike retros the Infrared roughly every five years, so buyers can usually wait for a fresh release rather than paying resale.

Air Max 90 vs Air Max 1 - which should I get?

The AM1 is slimmer, lower-profile, and the safer everyday shoe for clean styling. The AM90 is chunkier, bolder, has a larger Air window, and works better for wide feet. One styling discussion described the AM1 as more casual and versatile while the 90 is more technical looking. Choose the AM1 for an all-purpose sneaker and the AM90 if you want the statement retro.