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The Air Jordan 1 “Rare Air” is a nod to the prototype era — a sort of “what could’ve been” take on the iconic silhouette. This 2025 release draws on unreleased samples, design quirks, and early production oddities, and manages to feel both familiar and fresh at the same time.
As far as the execution of the Rare Air concept, there are cool mismatched details. One shoe has a Nike Air Wings logo at the ankle, the other has the regular Air Jordan branding. The Swoosh will wear away over time to reveal red underneath — a fun little surprise. Finally, the insole reads Rare Air. Weirdly, the tongue says Nike instead of Nike Air… not sure if that’s a part of the theme or an oversight.
I wasn’t sold at first. That high white collar had me on the fence — but after seeing more photos and on-feet shots online, I came around. Eventually, I caught a sale on Darkside Initiative and scooped them up for just $125 shipped. Can’t lie — I’m glad I did. With denim or pants that cover the collar a bit, these are super wearable and add a subtle twist to the classic Jordan 1 vibe.
This pair comes in special packaging, too — the box features a black lid with a blue bottom and tissue paper printed with scrapped AJ1 concepts and early “errors.” You get two sets of laces: a dark navy and a vintage-style cream with a subtle aged pattern.
Materials
Standard Jordan 1 leather upper here. It feels decent — not amazing, but solid for a GR. No synthetic weirdness, and the construction is consistent. If you’ve handled recent 1s, you’ll know what to expect.
Fit & Comfort
Fit is typical of modern Jordan 1s — true to size and more forgiving than releases from 10+ years ago. The interior padding and shape updates over the years have made 1s better for casual wear. While not built for all-day comfort, they’re easy to throw on and rock for a few hours.
If these are sold out at different stores online, you can try looking for them on eBay.
Colorway: White / Black – Neutral Grey
Style Code: DZ5485-100
Retail Price: $180
Year of Release: 2025