Breaking Down the Differences: 2020 vs 2025 Nike Air Max 95 ‘Neon’

Although the is three decades old, it’s remained a staple for sneakerheads across the globe and has never left the shelves. This year, are celebrating big because 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the legendary silhouette. Alongside banger collaborations and fan-favourite retros is a ‘Neon’ drop, but the 2025 pair is unlike any other because it boasts a retooled build that focuses on bigger bubbles. While the changes aren’t as drastic as the Big Bubble , we’ve broken it down with what you need to know.

First, a Brief History of the Air Max 95

The ‘Neon’ colourway was the one of five OGs that introduced the model to the world way back in 1995, and it has since entered the sneaker hall of fame. Sergio Lozano, who was working at during the 90s, was behind the design of the AM95. Lozano was inspired by the complexity of the human body for his magnum opus, as the outsole and heel shank represent the spine, nylon eyelets act as ribs, and the layered sides represent muscle fibres and flesh. Over its three-decade existence, a plethora of subcultures have adopted the Air Max 95 – from to US hip-hop and even Australian graffiti.

What’s So Special About the 2025 ‘Neon’?

The last time we received the stunner was in 2020, and before that was in 2018 with other notable retro years being 2015, 2010, 2008, 2005 and 1999. On top of these one-to-one drops are plenty of remakes and reimagined variations, such as the recent , collaboration, the ‘White Neon’, and .

This year’s ‘Neon’ is a can’t-miss release that is steeped in historical references and stays true to the OG build. The reason this year is so big is because not only is 2025 an anniversary year, but Nike have actually taken the Big Bubble treatment that graced the and blessed the AM95 with a true-to-OG build. There has also been word that Nike will be releasing city-exclusive ‘Neon’ editions, with New York, London and Tokyo each receiving their very own iterations of the OG.

Why the Big Bubble Matters

The Big Bubble is a massive deal to fans who pride themselves on spotting the smallest shifts in a sneaker’s shape. Somewhere between 1995 and 2020s, the Air Max franchise has seen major window shrinkage, and when Nike realised they’d been condensing the Air units, they decided to bring back the with the OG big bubbled build (which you can read all about ). Just like the Air Max 1, the Air unit protruded out way past the midsoles in the original Air Max 95 release. However today, the model boasts a unit that’s flush with the side and heel walls.

While there’s no official rhyme or reason for the shrinkage, the biggest difference between then and now is the type of air used in the cushioning – who would have thought? Back in 1995, Nike used a greenhouse gas known as sulfur hexafluoride for their Air units, which the US Navy currently uses for their torpedoes. In an effort to become more environmentally conscious, Nike switched to full nitrogen for Air cushioning in 2006. The difference between these two gases is that sulfur hexafluoride is more chemically stable than nitrogen, so the latter may not be able to support a wider bubble. Nevertheless, the Big Bubble is back. It’s not as large as the 1995 and the change is not as drastic as the Air Max 1 ‘86, but we can’t complain about getting our feet into a fresh pair of ‘Neons’.

Here’s Exactly What’s Changed

As soon as it was announced that the Air Max 95 was getting a Big Bubble makeover, we were actually expecting the changes to be more drastic. Luckily we’ve had more than enough time to admire the 2025 variation. The upper has stayed exactly the same as previous versions, with the usual colourway, branding details, and the exact mesh and suede panelled construction. Down below is where all the changes take place, especially on that heel bubble. The rear unit has been enlarged both length-and-width-wise, with the rear side bubbles boasting an oval shape that’s reminiscent of the 1995 and early 2000s variations. Finally the forefoot bubbles have also been widened, which was easy to miss at first glance. We think that the 2025 variation of the ‘Neon’ is an improvement on the modern version, and while it isn’t a one-for-one remake, it compares nicely to the 1995.

Don’t sleep on the 2025 Nike Air Max 95 ‘Neon’, we’re suspecting a quick sell through! Find out where you can cop .