Nike Retro Another OG Air Structure Triax 91 – With Some Major Changes
There’s a relatively small but passionate group of retro runner enthusiasts eagerly following the imminent return of the Triax 91. News of the OG (aka ‘Infrared’) colourway was met with cautious optimism as long-time sneakerheads still clearly remembered some of the 2008 retro’s ‘idiosyncrasies’. And it seems Nike have shorter memories than these niche nerds, because this other OG edition that’s coming back is quite different from what was presented 13 years ago.
Firstly, pundits are nicknaming this colourway the ‘Persian Violet’ – quite frankly, that moniker belongs to the . The official colourway of these new Triaxes is Metallic Summit White/Black/Persian Violet, so it’s clear where its new name is derived. However, the first-time retro from 2008 was shaded Metallic Summit White/Black/Light Ultramarine, and widely believed to be a Euro Exclusive (though pairs did make it Stateside), thus gaining the true nickname of ‘Blue Toe’ or ‘Euro Toe’. So, the switch to ‘Persian Violet’ may be a controversial decision for some, but it will really depend on how it looks IRL.
Colour change aside, another major deviation from previous versions is the material makeup. The 1991 original and 2008 retro observed the correct combination of microfibre overlays and mesh inserts. In 2021, microfibre is out and leather is in. While this may resolve the 2008’s flimsy toe bumper issue, the rigid leather construction – at least on first impressions – may ironically add too much structure to the Air Structure’s upper. Having said that, the midsole looks pretty good, and may not have the slightly metallic sheen that the 2008 retro featured, so it’s possible some of these older pairs might be receiving some donor soles in the near future.
Stay tuned for release details.