About

An Air-runner from the late 1980s

The Nike Air Span is a retro running shoe that dates back to the late 1980s, and today is best known in its second iteration, the Air Span II. The silhouette is that of a classic Nike runner from that time: an upper of mesh with suede and nylon overlays, a wavy Swoosh, the “AIR SPAN II” lettering on the side and a visible Air unit in the heel. It’s nostalgia in shoe form, originally a running shoe and now a lifestyle classic.

Mesh, suede and Air in the heel

The construction is that of a runner from the golden Air years. Panels of mesh and suede alternate across the upper, with contrasting overlays and the large Swoosh. Under the heel sits an Air unit for cushioning, in the tradition of the other Air models from that period. The whole is light and recognizably retro, with emphasis on the shape and the colorways.

Brought back by Nike, made popular by Patta

Nike reissued the Air Span II in 2018, along with related runners from the archive. Part of the attention came from collaborations with Patta, the Amsterdam label, which released the model in its own colorways and thus brought it to a new audience. Those collabs are part of the shoe’s modern history.

Alongside Nike’s other archive runners

The Air Span is part of Nike’s reissued Air runners, alongside models like the Air Skylon II, with which it returned in 2018, and the Air Pegasus 89. They all share the late-’80s runner shape and the visible Air cushioning. They are enthusiast shoes within the broader Air legacy.

What varies by release

The runner shape, the Swoosh and the Air heel remain the same across releases. What changes is the color and material distribution of the upper, and whether it’s a standard or a Patta release. Put two releases side by side and the shoe is the same; the styling determines the character.

On this page you can see which Nike Air Span releases are hottest right now according to the Hypescore, from what price they’re available and how many shops have them in stock.