Nike Air Max 95 SC NEON 1999 vs 2004 vs 2015 20th Anniversary Retros

Very detailed, side-by-side-by-side comparison of the first retro (DS pair) to the last "big bag" retro, pre-nitrogen (2004, the year before the History of Air pair) and the latest 2015 20th Ann'y retro (with a lot of original touches). Similar to my Air Max 90 Infrared comparison, this shows the shoes from a detailed, thorough perspective

[@solomoncooper6491]

Great video loved seeing this comparison!

[@joemama38]

which one is closest to OG?

[@DruMatthias]

never owned an original, so I can't comment except to say that the 99s are the nearest retro and Definitely look the most like and use the most identical materials of an original '95 pair. pretty sure they'd win the contest. OGs have the PSI ##s stamped into the air bag windows tho, which has never been retroed since.

[@joemama38]

thank you for the insightful response!

[@smokeybear45]

DRUMatthias I have the 2009 and they have the neon color not volt

[@chad4055]

What’s does the sc stand for

[@DruMatthias]

@Rah money Muggz where you mean? I had those from the date of release. They were laughably bad. Crooked uppers, bad 3M, stiff, not padded and the midsoles are too black, not charcoal/dark grey. I sold them DS as I could never get myself to wear em. The only solid release from that OG Pack in 2012 were the AM90s but the pre-yellowed midsoles on those were too extreme. Anyway, stay far away from the 2012s. 2015 remains the best retro since 1999.

[@marcy419]

Where’s the 09’s?

[@MrAyybee2cold]

Do you know why they don’t bring the big bags back? That’s the only thing that kills me with my 95s.

[@DruMatthias]

Yeah because of agreements with the United States and other world organizations to not use SF6 gas as "Air" any more. 'Big windows' will never come back because that blow molded version of Air ended in 2005 (history of Air pack, Powerwall released, AM360 came out, all 2006) when Nike ushered in the use of Nitrogen as air instead of harmful greenhouse gas they previously used for decades. Those windows were also detrimental to the structure of the foam of AM95 midsoles which is why SF6-based pairs crumble so easily. There wasn't enough PU foam around the air bags to prevent premature cracking/dusting. So, when the Air shrank, the foam got thicker, changing the size of the air bag and of course the window we see externally, now that it's nitrogen (well, since 2006 so 15 years and counting) making for a less comfy but more durable midsole. That's it in a nutshell.

[@DruMatthias]

Sulfur Hexafluoride is the full chemical compound name or SF(6) for short. That version of "air" will never come back tho

[@MrAyybee2cold]

@@DruMatthias thanks for the amazing and timely response. It’s unfortunate that aesthetically the 95 will never be the same as that seemed to be their original design intention.

[@aboutthemetal8783]

@@DruMatthias It's awesome that you know the history of the 95s the way you do , I wonder could you recommend a mid sole paint for the 2015 air max 95 winter wheat ,with the sage green mid sole , I have a pair and the uppers are still in amazing condition but the green paint on the mid sole has faded and worn away , I've never painted a shoe in my life but I love my 95 wheat as I have the airmax 1s and 90s in the same colours ,it's the only triple pack I own , any help or advice would be greatly appreciated .

[@jhenri2893]

How do the history of air pair compare to these?

[@DruMatthias]

Not very well. They legit are the weakest of the 4, having owned a pair...and I don't miss em. The terry sockliner is nice and the colors are fairly legit but they're a year newer than the '04s and have the small Nitro air like everything that retro'd since. Also the 3M is very weak on them, nowhere near the 99s or 2015s in reflective brightness. They also run a tad short IMO. I have a total opposite opinion of HoA Infrared 90s, which I hold in Very high regard and would place them above all other retros of that colorway. But the 95 Neon HoAs, while maybe made slightly better than 2015s, are less reflective and not in any other way, much better. My 2¢

[@jhenri2893]

DRUMatthias Nitro air? And thanks appreciate the feeback

[@marcy419]

Where’s the 09’s??

[@DruMatthias]

You mean 2010s? I had those and the 2012s. Sold em off long before this (this vid is over 5 years old...). They were Horribly made. 2012s were literally crooked/canted with poor colors (more black than grey) and poor reflectivity on the 3M on both. Good riddance to those.

[@marcy419]

@@DruMatthias yeah I just looked on the tongue of the ones I wore to the gym tonight it says 09, I was wondering if they would survive the washing machine

[@DruMatthias]

@@marcy419 yeah made in '09 released in 2010 tho. Nah, never put kicks in the washing machine under any circumstances. Dawn soap, warm water and a tooth or nail brush + elbow grease.