Nike SB Preps First Wide Release for Its Retooled Air Force 1 Low

The Air Force 1 Low has joined the Dunk, Blazer and the Air Max 95 as a classic sneaker to be retooled for skateboarding by Nike SB. Its debut Light Orewood Brown colorway got a limited release during NBA All-Star Weekend in February and will get a proper wide launch.

The Nike SB Air Force 1 Low Light Orewood Brown features a subtle color treatment and a number of tweaks to its construction. Suede, better suited to skating than the leather typically used for the AF1, dresses the entirety of the upper in its namesake color, with the exception of a pink leather mustache with tonal “Nike SB Air” branding. A white midsole sits above a gum outsole, while the insole brings another pop of pink. A logo update also comes to the tongue tag, as well as a metal lace dubrae that now reads, “SB-1.”

Subtle but functional changes come in the form of a thinner midsole for better board feel and a new tread pattern to optimize grip. A fatter tongue will be familiar to anyone who’s worn the SB Dunk Low, and the collar is now lined with sit straps and fit pods for increased security. The toe’s shape has also been slightly revised, while stitch-turned seams throughout boost durability.

“We had to find the right balance between delivering for skateboarders and honoring an icon,” Mau Rosillo, a member of Nike’s Color Design team, said in a press release. “The design team considered every performance detail — the midsole, the outsole, the treads and the upper — and packaged it into the Air Force 1. If we would’ve lost one or the other, we wouldn’t be here.”

After the shoe’s debut in Light Orewood Brown, the SB Air Force 1 Low is also expected to release soon in the model’s classic “Triple Black” colorway.

The Nike SB Air Force 1 Low Light Orewood Brown will release Friday through local skate shops and again April 21 through the Snkrs app. Pricing is set at $120.