The Air Max 1 'Puerto Rico Blue Gale' Is Exceptional. In Depth Review!
The Air Max 1 Puerto Rico 'Blue Gale' is one of two Air Max 1s that was released on June 6 for $140 ahead of Puerto Rico Day. Unlike the 'Orange Frost' colorway, this shoe never released on Nike.com or SNKRS and was only available at select Nike neighborhood stores. Inspired by 'piragua', a Puerto Rican ice dessert, the storytelling on this shoe is outstanding. From the shoe itself all the way to the box, there are so many details on this shoe that I love. Check out my in depth review including colorway, materials, quality, size and comfort. On feet and lace swap included!
Colorway (4/5):
This colorway is a perfect summer shoe, with a few different shades of blue to create contrast while still remaining on theme. The little hints of red on the heel of the shoe as well as the eyelets are a nice touch that make the shoe ‘pop’ (yes, one of the most overused phrases in the sneaker industry). The off-white / heather base layer is a nice subtle color that offsets the slightly louder and eye-catching blues on the shoe. Compare this to the ‘Orange Frost’ colorway from the same Puerto Rico pack, I much prefer this one.
Materials (4/5):
The suede on this shoe is very very nice. It reminds me of the Air Max 1 ‘Ugly Ducklings’ which has been my standard of premium suede. Usually I do not like canvas shoes as canvas is a very stubborn holder of dust, however, the canvas textile base layer on this shoe is somehow very soft and bouncy and feels slightly different to usual canvas. Could be my mind playing games on me but I don’t mind this canvas the way I usually would.
Like other Air Max 1s this shoe comes with a polyurethane midsole with a visible Nike Air unit on the heel and the traditional waffle rubber outsole.
Size and Comfort (3/5):
I’m a size 9.5 true to size, I do have wide feet and for Air Max 1s I always go up half a size. The Air Max 1 is a pretty narrow silhouette and I’ve found it fits too snug if I go true to size. That leaves the shoe a little roomier in length, however, I’d much prefer that over the overly tight fit. A slightly looser shoe is always better than an overly tighter one.
The Air Max 1 is a decently comfortable shoe, especially considering the Air Max 1 came out way back in 1987. The cushioning is decent and it doesn’t feel like you’re walking directly on the ground. The padding inside the shoe and around the ankle collar is nice and it’s a relatively lightweight shoe. My general statement in terms of comfort for Air Max 1s is ‘it’s not the best but definitely not anywhere near the worst’.
Versatility (3/5):
The Air Max 1 silhouette is a very versatile shoe, maybe not in formal settings but is suitable for every casual occasion. It’s an icon for a reason and it’s my go to when I can’t decide what shoe to wear. In terms of colorway, I will admit it may not be the most versatile colorway. These shades of blue isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and with non-sneakerheads, any color that strays too far away from the white, black and grey seems to be out of the question. Personally as a fan of the UNC blue I appreciate lighter shades of blue and know I can wear this comfortably with a lot of outfits I have.
Storytelling (5/5):
The storytelling on this shoe is outstanding. Starting from the piragua graphic on the tongue which is the inspiration behind this year’s Puerto Rico pack, the ‘PUERTO RICO’ lace dubrae at the bottom of the eyelets, the ‘PUERTO RICO’ on the booty of the right shoe to the box, the details are tremendous. ‘FAMILIA’ is stamped on the top of the box as well as inside the box, and the same piragua graphic can be seen on the paper with ‘PUERTO RICO’ sitting in the center. This shoe also comes with a light blue Puerto Rico towel/handkerchief that has the same piragua graphic and ‘PUERTO RICO’ in red in the middle and ‘FAMILIA’ near the bottom. Please watch the video, my description doesn’t do the details and storytelling of this shoe justice.
Laces:
This shoe does come with blue extra laces that match the color on the mudguard, however, I much prefer the default white laces. The blue blends in too much with the rest of the shoe and the white laces make the shoe pop (there’s that phrase again, I can’t help it!).