Our verdict

The number of Nike Air Max variations is hard to count these days but it was the Air Max 1 that laid the foundations for the entire AM collection. Wearing this iconic sneaker filled us with confidence and even a little boost of self-esteem, to be honest. It is a sneaker royalty that has an unwavering appeal to every generation and social group. As a lifestyle sneaker, we found the AM1 to be amazingly comfortable and supportive for long hours on our feet - a quality so often neglected by other sneaker icons. Offered at a down-to-earth price point, this Nike sneaker can easily become a new mainstay in your closet.

nike foamposite electrolime gold color chart blue Pros

  • Historical silhouette (first-ever visible Air Max)
  • Responsive Air Max cushioning
  • Comfortable for all-day wear
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  • Extraordinary durable
  • Lighter than expected
  • True to size and fit
  • Great outsole grip

nike foamposite electrolime gold color chart blue Cons

  • Lacks breathability
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  • Cheap materials (fake leather and suede)

Audience verdict

93
Great!
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Who should buy

You can't walk past the air max 1 safari diamond if:

nike air max 1 review 21524665 main

Who should NOT buy

If you really want an Air Max silhouette but the shoe's fake leather-suede upper annoys you, consider getting a slightly more expensive Premium version of the sneaker (£150-160) or consider the Nike Air Max 95.

On the other hand, if you want to experience the Air Max cushioning in a more affordable package, we highly recommend the pink brown nike dunks sneakers for women.

air max 1 safari diamond lab test

Cushioning

Shock absorption

Most iconic trainers from the past often leave you with a choice: it's either style or comfort. But the air max 1 safari diamond walks a fine line between both, offering good impact protection for long hours on your feet.

Recording the shoe's shock absorption at 88 SA, the AM 1 is not the most cushioned Air Max sneaker (many of which surpassed the 100 SA mark), but it can ease the pressure on your feet and joints well enough.

air max 1 safari diamond Shock absorption heel
Test results
Air Max 1 88 SA
Average 89 SA
Compared to 60 trainers
Number of shoes
33 SA
Shock absorption
123 SA

Energy return

We experienced a well-balanced ride in this Nike kick, as it was neither too flat nor bouncy. With a moderate energy return of 51%, it has a decent midsole rebound that makes the walk quite enjoyable.

Test results
Air Max 1 50.8%
Average 50.2%
Compared to 60 trainers
Number of shoes
40.0%
Energy return
64.0%

Heel stack

Loaded with a large Air Max unit under the heel, it is no surprise that the Air Max 1 has a taller-than-average stack height.

Our calliper returned 32.3 mm as we measured its thickness in the heel.

nike air max 1 heel stack 21524640 main

Treated to so much cushioning underfoot, we felt pretty comfortable spending a whole day in the Air Max 1.

It is not as cosy as the brand's walking-oriented shoes like the Nike Motiva but it is one of the few fashion-statement trainers that are actually foot-friendly.

Test results
Air Max 1 32.2 mm
Average 30.7 mm
Compared to 102 trainers
Number of shoes
16.9 mm
Heel stack
50.5 mm

Forefoot stack

Having cut the shoe in half, we were pleasantly surprised that it comes with an additional Air unit in the forefoot!

air max 1 safari diamond Forefoot stack

It is not as large as the heel unit but offered a very welcome touch of comfort and support for the balls of our feet.

It also added a couple of millimetres to the shoe's forefoot stack which showed 20.1 mm on our calliper.

Test results
Air Max 1 20.1 mm
Average 19.5 mm
Compared to 102 trainers
Number of shoes
9.7 mm
Forefoot stack
29.5 mm

Drop

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nike air max 1 drop 21524642 main

However, once the shoe is loaded with the wearer's weight, the Air Max unit compresses and lowers the drop slightly.

In the end, this Nike shoe feels like most other trainers, with the heel placed slightly higher on the platform to take the pressure off the Achilles.

Test results
Air Max 1 12.1 mm
Average 11.2 mm
Compared to 102 trainers
Number of shoes
3.5 mm
Drop
17.2 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

If you haven't experienced Nike trainers with Air Max cushioning before, you might be surprised with the Air's somewhat firm nature. That's because it is basically a sealed bag with pressurised gas.

But when it's loaded with your body weight, the Air Max comes into play adding a bit of bounce to your step. And the great thing about it is that it doesn't compress over time like the cushioning foams do!

By the way, we also checked the softness of the midsole foam that carries the Air bubble. With a durometer reading of 21.1 HA, it is 45% softer than average!

nike air max 1 midsole softness 21524643 main

It adds a great deal of comfort to this Nike sneaker as well.

nike air max 1 air bag 21529583 main

P.S. The Air Max unit of this particular iteration is smaller than it was in the original air max 1 safari diamond shoe from 1987. Nike decided to make it smaller in response to numerous complaints of the airbag cracking in low temperatures.

But if you prefer the look and feel of the larger Air Max unit, you might enjoy the air max 1 safari diamond '86 edition called the "Big Bubble." It was released in 2023 to commemorate the silhouette's 35th anniversary and recreate the authentic design. The retail price of this edition is a bit higher at £150-160.

Test results
Air Max 1 21.1 HA
Average 28.6 HA
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Compared to 84 trainers
Number of shoes
15.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
46.4 HA

nike foamposite electrolime gold color chart blue | Size and fit

Size

air max 1 safari diamond fits true to size (420 votes).

Small
True to size
Large

Owners of this shoe, how does it fit?

1 size small½ size smallTrue to size½ size large1 size large

Width / Fit

We found the air max 1 safari diamond to be a well-fitting sneaker which is true to its D medium width. Gladly, our calliper measurements confirmed it. 

Measuring the widest part of the mould, we got a regular (even slightly above-average) reading of 93.6 mm.

air max 1 safari diamond Toebox width - widest part
Test results
Air Max 1 93.6 mm
Average 92.5 mm
Compared to 83 trainers
Number of shoes
85.4 mm
Width / Fit
97.0 mm

Toebox width

The taper angle is pretty moderate too. The mold gets slightly narrower towards the toes but doesn't get any pointier than the average. At the big toe mark, it showed a standard width of  68.6 mm.

air max 1 safari diamond Toebox width - big toe
Test results
Air Max 1 68.6 mm
Average 68.9 mm
Compared to 83 trainers
Number of shoes
63.9 mm
Toebox width
74.1 mm

Toebox height

The Air Max 1's toebox is not a shallow one either. Our calliper recorded a regular toebox height of 26.5 mm here.

air max 1 safari diamond Toebox height
Test results
Air Max 1 26.5 mm
Average 27.8 mm
Compared to 83 trainers
Number of shoes
20.7 mm
Toebox height
35.0 mm

Traction / Grip

We rarely find ourselves in dire need of a strong grip in day-to-day life.

air max 1 safari diamond outsole

But the waffle outsole of the Nike Air Max 2 made us feel quite secure in common lifestyle situations like walking on wet stairs after the rain or stepping on tile floors of the coffee shop.

Traction test

The air max 1 safari diamond was made for the city streets and it gets its job done.

Testing its heel friction with a repeated stomping action at a 7-degree angle, our machine recorded a solid friction score of 0.44. This is a great result for a casual sneaker that's regularly used on dry concrete, asphalt, stone, and other common urban surfaces.

But as in most lifestyle trainers, you want to navigate slippery surfaces like wet stone and tiles carefully.

Test results
Air Max 1 0.44
Average 0.43
Compared to 59 trainers
Number of shoes
0.13
Heel traction
0.73

Outsole design

The Air Max 1 features a pretty digital waffle treading in the forefoot complementing the shoe's retro appeal.

nike air max 1 outsole design 23008993 main

nike air max mid 180 green capsule release time

With its substantial midsole and rigid construction, the Air Max 1 wasn't very eager to bend with our foot. This was especially apparent at the toe-off.

air max 1 safari diamond nike air max mid 180 green capsule release time

The shoe's stiffness was also confirmed in our flexibility machine test. The latter showed that it takes an above-average amount of force (17.9N) to bend this Nike sneaker to a 30-degree angle. That's about 30% stiffer than it t akes an average sneaker.

Test results
Air Max 1 17.9N
Average 13.3N
Compared to 60 trainers
Number of shoes
4.6N
Flexibility Stiffness
22.7N

Weight

We were amazed at how Nike managed to keep the weight of the Air Max 1 below average. Our scale shows a moderate reading of 13.3 oz (378g) in a men's US size 9.

air max 1 safari diamond Weight oz grams

It is lighter than both the Nike Dunk Low (14.8 oz/420g) and the Nike Air Force 1 07 (16.4 oz/465g).

Considering the shoe's stack height, the Air units, and the somewhat beefy upper design, it feels pretty light on the foot.

nike air max 1 shoe weight 21529573 main

Test results
Air Max 1 13.3 oz (378g)
Average 13.8 oz (390g)
Compared to 102 trainers
Number of shoes
8.5 oz (241g)
Weight
20.5 oz (581g)

Breathability

It is easy to be misled by the shoe's seemingly breathable mesh upper. But in reality, it hardly lets any air in or out of the interiors.

Our smoke-pumping breathability test makes it very clear that the shoe's ventilation capacity is little to none. Its toebox fabric failed to expel any smoke, unlike the much more breathable NB 57/40 shoe on the right.

Our additional search for ventilation holes didn't retrieve any results either.

Even in our microscope test, the shoe's upper fabric proved to be incredibly tightly woven with no pores in between the threads.

nike air max 1 breathability microscope test 21524659 main

Thus, we couldn't rate the Air Max 1's breathability any higher than 2 out of 5.

This sneaker is not a good choice for warm summer days. We recommend looking into the nike shoes for girl hi cut haircut 2017 among other top picks for summer nike air huarache high top buy back 2016.

air max 1 safari diamond Breathability upper material under microscope
Test results
Air Max 1 2
Average 3
Compared to 101 trainers
Number of shoes
1
Breathability
5

Stability

Lateral stability test

Despite its air-based cushioning, the air max 1 safari diamond doesn't feel wobbly one bit!

The shoe's sturdy platform with raised sidewalls offered a very firm containment, never letting our feet or ankles get out of control.

We think that this Nike sneaker might even suit people with moderate overpronation (excessive inward rolling of the foot).

Torsional rigidity

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We gave the shoe a solid 5 out of 5 in a torsional rigidity assessment. It makes the foot feel very well-supported and stable.

Test results
Air Max 1 5
Average 3.6
Compared to 101 trainers
Number of shoes
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter stiffness

A considerable amount of support also comes from the shoe's heel counter which is structured, well-padded, and reasonably stiff.

Giving it a push-and-squeeze in our manual test, we assessed its level of stiffness at 3 out of 5.

Holding the back of our foot firmly in place, the shoe's heel counter prevented any unwanted slippage or shifting.

Test results
Air Max 1 3
Average 3.2
Compared to 101 trainers
Number of shoes
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

Midsole width - forefoot

The platform of the air max 1 safari diamond is neither too wide nor too narrow. It sits right at the average of most trainers on the market.

air max 1 safari diamond Midsole width in the forefoot

Showing 107.9 mm in the widest part of the forefoot, it proved to be sufficiently wide to keep us surefooted.

Test results
Air Max 1 107.9 mm
Average 108.9 mm
Compared to 102 trainers
Number of shoes
95.1 mm
Midsole width - forefoot
121.0 mm

Midsole width - heel

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air max 1 safari diamond Midsole width in the heel

It shows 81.8 mm in the widest part of the heel which is nearly the same as the average.

Test results
Air Max 1 81.8 mm
Average 84.0 mm
Compared to 102 trainers
Number of shoes
67.7 mm
Midsole width - heel
103.1 mm

Durability

Leather/Suede quality

Gone are the days when you could cop a genuine leather sneaker for £140. As the air max 1 safari diamond shows, you can expect nothing more than synthetic materials at this price point.

And if you want a touch of real leather or suede, you have to shell out £160 for the kick's Premium version.

We think that even an untrained eye can see the fakeness of materials on this Nike sneaker. But we still tested every major panel on its upper with the help of a butane torch.

Both "suede" and "leather" patches quickly caught fire and melted the moment we applied the torch, proving our assumptions.

Test results
Air Max 1 Fake suede

Toebox durability

The shoe's mesh fabric may lose points for breathability but boy its durability surpasses nearly every mesh sneaker we've tested!

After being exposed to sandpaper for 12 seconds at a 5K RPM speed, the fabric showed nothing more than a chafe!

Meanwhile, most kicks ended up with see-through holes like the one on the right.

nike air max 1 toebox durability comparison 21524631 main

On a 1-5 scale, we eagerly rated the Air Max 1's toebox durability as 4.

air max 1 safari diamond mudguard

In addition, the shoe's upper is protected by a large fake suede overlay around the perimeter. Proudly called the "mudguard" by Nike, it made us chuckle because it is actually a magnet for dirt and stains.

Test results
Air Max 1 4
Average 3.7
Compared to 101 trainers
Number of shoes
1
Toebox durability
5

Heel padding durability

Granted, the durability of the Air Max 1 surpassed our expectations.

Even such an easily damaged part of the shoe as the heel lining proved to be immune to our abrasive Dremel.

The textile remained nearly unscathed after a 4-second encounter with sandpaper.

air max 1 safari diamond Heel padding durability comparison

This is impressive considering that most trainers in our lab end up with considerable damage (as the shoe on the right illustrates).

Such resistance to abrasion earns the air max 1 safari diamond a high score for heel lining durability - 4 out of 5!

Test results
Air Max 1 4
Average 3.2
Compared to 101 trainers
Number of shoes
1
Heel padding durability
5

Outsole hardness

Last but not least, the rubber outsole of this iconic sneaker stood up to the challenge just as brilliantly.

nike air max 1 outsole hardness 21524636 main

It proved to be made of a rather hard compound which returned 90.0 HC on our Shore C durometer. As one of the hardest outsole measurements in our lab, it promises a great deal of longevity as well.

Test results
Air Max 1 90.0 HC
Average 85.7 HC
neon green nike air max thea black grey hair.
Compared to 94 trainers
Number of shoes
76.1 HC
Outsole hardness
94.0 HC

Outsole durability

To check if that's true, we raised the speed of our Dremel to the relentless 10K RPM and extended the drilling time to 22 seconds.

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Measuring the depth of the dent created by the Dremel, our tread gauge showed only 0.8 mm. A bit shallower than average, it proves that this Nike sneaker has the potential to outlast most lifestyle trainers in your closet.

air max 1 safari diamond Outsole durability test
Test results
Air Max 1 0.8 mm
Average 1.1 mm
Compared to 101 trainers
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

We must also note that the thickness of rubber on the Air Max 1 comes in high at 5.7 mm. It further proves our point that it will take a while to blow through this kick.

nike air max 1 outsole thickness 21524634 main
Test results
Air Max 1 5.7 mm
Average 5.3 mm
Compared to 102 trainers
Number of shoes
2.9 mm
Outsole thickness
8.2 mm

Misc

Insole thickness

The Air Max 1 features a pretty minimal insole that is only 3.6 mm thick. It makes the shoe feel less cushy but you get to experience the Air Max more closely in action.

air max 1 safari diamond Insole thickness
Test results
Air Max 1 3.6 mm
Average 5.1 mm
Compared to 102 trainers
Number of shoes
3.1 mm
Insole thickness
11.5 mm

Removable insole

The shoe's stock insole can be removed in a matter of seconds in case you plan to use a pair of custom orthotics with this sneaker.

air max 1 safari diamond Removable insole
Test results
Air Max 1 Yes

Reflective elements

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air max 1 safari diamond Reflective elements
Test results
Air Max 1 No

Tongue padding

The in-shoe padding of the air max 1 safari diamond is not overly abundant but it's not minimal either. We found it to be just right for keeping us comfortable.

Two foam pillows inside the tongue protected our feet from lace bites and pressure rather well.

nike air max 1 tongue padding 21524655 main
Test results
Air Max 1 9.0 mm
Average 9.6 mm
Compared to 102 trainers
Number of shoes
0.7 mm
Tongue padding
23.0 mm

Tongue: gusset type

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nike air max 1 tongue gusset type 21524650 main
Test results
Air Max 1 None

Heel tab

The Air Max 1 doesn't provide any loops or pull tabs to assist the on-and-off. You will need to fiddle with the laces a bit.

nike air max 1 heel tab 21524651 main
Test results
Air Max 1 None

The origins of the air max 1 safari diamond

The air max 1 safari diamond was not the first shoe to feature the revolutionary Air cushioning unit. It was the Nike Tailwing back in 1979. But the Air Max 1 did become the very first sneaker to put this technology on public display.

air max 1 safari diamond stye

In the '80s, Nike thought of conceiving a footwear design that would keep up with the stiff competition in the shoe industry. While vibrant hues and bold patterns ruled the market, Nike planned on offering a design that is still remarkable without the usually bright and audacious elements.

air max 1 safari diamond story

Tinker Hatfield, the brand's architect at the time, came up with the idea of making the Air unit visible during his trip to Paris. He was inspired by the unconventional design of the Centre Georges Pompidou which looked like the building was turned inside out with its girders and pipes all exposed.

The idea was originally met with resistance from Nike's marketing team and nearly cost Hatfield his job!

air max 1 safari diamond heels

And yet, the brand yielded and the very first air max 1 safari diamond came to prominence in March 1987. Did you know that in 2014 Nike declared March 26 the official Air Max day? Since then, the company has celebrated the OG annually releasing new editions and colorways of the shoe.

The AM1's visible Air technology turned the sneaker into an instant classic. Today it is available in countless collaborations and colorways appealing to all genders, ages, and social groups.

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