All Nike Air Max 1 & 90 Hyperstrikes and Friends & Family releases

What are the most expensive Nike Air Max 1 and Nike Air Max 90 sneakers? What are the rarest Nike Air Max sneakers? These are typical questions that go through the mind of a sneakerhead. And above all, this are the most fascinating details for anyone who doesn’t understand the sneaker game. With these questions, you will mostly talk about the Hyperstrikes. Hyperstrikes are the most exclusive sneakers that exist. These are never sold in stores, but only given to friends and family of the designer and Nike. After 2008, no more Hyperstrikes were launched, but Friends & Family releases took their place. Nowadays the amount of F&F pairs launched are larger, but you still can’t just buy them. The big difference is that nowadays sneakers are not only forgiven to friends and family, but also to influencers (shame!). In this blog, we elaborate the complete list of all Air Max 1 and 90 Hyperstrikes and Friends & Family releases.

By the way, at Outsole we are the luckiest bastards in the world. Most sneakers that are featured in this blog have been part of our collections. Yet it is still special for us and sometimes unreal to be able to work with this kind of great sneakers. Consequently, this blog has been written with much love!

 

Nike Air Max 1 HUF San Francisco Hyperstrike (2004)

This collaboration between Nike and HUF is legendary. This was the first Air Max Hyperstrike from Nike. In 2004, Nike released a regular release together with HUF. The very first collaboration with HUF and with it the now deceased Keith Hufnagel (R.I.P.). Obvious: this is the Nike Air Max 1 HUF. From a marketing perspective, this sneaker had to sell like crazy. Nike came up with a new way to hype this release, namely with a Hyperstrike version of the pair which will be released. This Hyperstrike would only be given to friends and family: 24 pairs to be precise.

The colorway of this pair consists of Anthracite, Dark Apple, and Medium Grey. The HUF Hyperstrike is distinguished from the normal release by the stitched San Francisco skyline on the back of the sneaker. Other than that, the pair is identical to the normal release. This Hyperstrike is not that special in terms of looks, but it is a practically untraceable sneaker. This makes this pair one of the most valuable Hyperstrikes!

Resell price: € 4,000 – € 8,000 (normal release: € 200 – € 350)

 

Nike Air Max 90 DQM Bacon Hyperstrike (2004)

In 2004 Dave Ortiz was asked to design a Nike Air Max 90. He then owns the sneaker boutique Dave’s Quality Meats (DQM). He wanted a comfortable sneaker, so these sneakers had to and would become the Nike Air Max 90. In the end there was only one option for the design: bacon. For this, he used the colors beige (symbol for the fat), tender red (this stands for the bacon), and dark brown as a finishing touch. This Hyperstrike stands out because of the DQM tongue label, the chicken leg (Dave’s graffiti tag) on the insole, and the wear marks on the toebox. These scuffs are supposed to represent the dry spots you see on salted pork belly. Our opinion of this design: SICK! Only 48 pairs of this pair were released.

Fortunately, the limited Hyperstrike was not all of it. Nike released the DQM Bacon as a regular release as well. The 2004 Bacon is referred to as the OG pair nowadays, and this pair isn’t that wearable anymore. Thanks to Nike, as the Nike Air Max 90 Bacon released as Retro on Air Max Day in 2021. If you want a wearable pair that resembles the original Hyperstrike, you can buy it for around € 200.

Resell price: € 3,000 – € 6,000 (normal 2006 release: € 250 – € 500, retro ’21 release: € 200 – € 250)

 

Nike Air Max 1 Albert Heijn Hyperstrike (2005)

Wondering what the most expensive Air Max 1 is? Then here’s your answer:The Albert Heijn Hyperstrike holds the title for the most expensive Air Max 1, making it the holy grail for sneakerheads. It’s not just a shoe; it’s a prized gem in the sneaker realm. The Albert Heijn was created through a collab of Nike with Pieter Jansen, better known as Piet Parra. He was asked to provide a design. Ultimately, two designs would follow: the Albert Heijn and the Amsterdam. The Albert Heijn was the first design, based on – you will never guess it – the house style of the Albert Heijn supermarket. Blue, orange, and white. In addition, the Albert Heijn is characterized with a crown on the tongue and the embroidered Parra signature on the mudguard.

However, Nike’s plan changed. It was precisely this period that the house style of Albert Heijn changed. The orange disappeared. As a result, the Albert Heijn AM1 design suddenly no longer made sense. Whether this was unfortunate, whether it was pure coincidence which suited Nike well, or whether Nike thought of it all exactly like this from a marketing perspective… we’ll never know. The story is that the sneaker was recalled after the corporate identity change and is limited to 24 Hyperstrike promo samples. These have been given to friends and family only. In addition to the Albert Heijn, Parra came up with a second design, based on Amsterdam. What is certain is that Albert Heijn is internationally meaningless. Amsterdam as city has much more allure than a random Dutch supermarket. Keep in mind that Nike Headquarters is located in Hilversum, internationally close to Amsterdam. It does not surprise us at all that Nike continued with the Amsterdam, instead of the Albert Heijn.

A fun fact: there is one sample on the market without a signature. Super rare!

Resell price: € 8,000 – € 15,000

 

Nike Air Max 1 Amsterdam Hyperstrike (2005)

The Amsterdam (AMS) is Piet Parra’s second design. With this pair, the artist from Amsterdam was inspired by the Amsterdam Red Light District, in Dutch known as ‘De Wallen’. The colorway consists of a brown/burgundy color with light blue details. The bright colors are characteristic of the neon lights in the Red Light District, combined with the brown of the brown cafes in that area. The heel of the shoe reads ‘Amsterdam is King’, which is combined with the Amsterdam coat of arms. On the tongue, you will find another special detail: the crown. This crown can also be found on the Albert Heijn Hyperstrike. The release of the Amsterdam definitely benefited from the Albert Heijn hype. Ultimately, two variants of the Amsterdam came onto the market. A ‘normal’ Amsterdam has been released. This is a tier-zero release, limited to 250 pairs. You see this pair the most on the market, but you should definitely not confuse it with the Hyperstrike.

The Hyperstrike has never been in the shop and has only been given to friends and family of Parra. 24 pairs in total. We forgive you that you never noticed the differences between these two sneakers. The Hyperstrike is almost identical to the release but contains one extra visual detail. There is ‘Parra’ stitched on the mudguard of the sneaker, just like it was done on the Albert Heijn. This signature (in combination with the promo sample size tag) increases the value with thousands of euros.

Resell price: € 5,000 – 10,000 (normal release: € 1,000 – € 5,500)

 

Nike Air Max 1 Kidrobot Hyperstrike (2005)

In 2005, Nike teamed up with Barneys and Kidrobot. Barneys is a well-known high-end fashion department store in New York. With the Air Max 1 Kidrobot, Nike sought to connect to this market. Again, launching a related Hyperstrike was the perfect way to max out the release. So there would be two versions. The pair sold at Barneys is a black tier-zero release, limited to 250 pairs. In addition, a pink Hyperstrike pair was launched, limited to 48 pairs. These have been given to friends and family of Barneys and Kidrobot.

The genius designers behind the two designs are Kidrobot heads Paul Budnitz and Chad Phillips. The extremely striking designs are based on the Maserati Quattroporte III Royale from Kidrobot. One pair black with gold details and a white midsole, the other pair red with pink and a gold midsole. Both featured a gum sole and Kidrobot logo on the back heel. Where the Hyperstrike came with few extras, the normal black TZ release was quite packed. This one came in a unique gold-pink box, with a cool Kidrobot key ring and a set of secret insoles. Paul and Chad had designed five different Kidrobot insoles, of which you got one extra in your box. Nowadays there are still a few pairs to be found where these insoles are still in the ‘secret’ packaging.

Resell price: € 4,000 – € 8,000 (normal release: € 1,500 – € 3,000)

 

Nike Air Max 90 Homegrown State Magazine Hyperstrike (2006)

In 2006 the Amsterdam sneaker shop Patta got the opportunity to release an Air Max 90 together with Nike. This sneaker was featured in the launch of the State Magazine. Patta’s influence on this sneaker is obvious. The Dutch hip-hop and streetwear culture has been incorporated into it. This explains the combination of the name ‘Homegrown’ and ‘State Magazine’. A prominent part of the pair is the cannabis leaf structure incorporated into the leather. Also not to be missed are the ‘grass green’ weed color and the ‘orange blaze’ Dutch orange. The finishing touch is the cork insole.

Two versions of this sneaker have been made. The Hyperstrike version is the orange pair with a green lining. Whether there are 24 pairs or whether there are 48 of them is unclear. In any case, we hardly ever see them pass by. These are only forgiven to friends and family of Patta. This pair brought huge hype for State Magazine, Patta, and the regular release. The orange hyperstrike colorway is inside out from this green release with orange lining. The normal green Homegrown is less hard to find, fortunately.

Resell price: € 2,500 – € 8,000 (normal release: € 400 – € 1000)

 

Nike Air Max 90 Black History Month Hyperstrike (2006)

This sneaker was released to celebrate Black History Month (BHM). BHM is the month in which all the key figures and important events in the history of the African diaspora. This diaspora was a result of the slave trade, refugees, and emigration. Nike pays most attention to the slave past and also draws this to countries other than Africa. This Hyperstrike is also based on this.

The insole shows a map of all southern slave states with the underground railways that ran there. That is why this Air Max 90 was nicknamed ‘Underground Railroad’. Nike has paid little attention to the marketing of this promo sample. It is therefore not always clear that this is a Hyperstrike release. Perhaps this sneaker has been underexposed because no AM90 BHM appeared in stores at the time. Even though this AM90 is almost impossible to find, the price is therefore attractive.

Resell price: € 800 – € 1,500

 

Nike Air Max 90 Crocodile 20th Anniversary Pack F&F (2010)

There is so little information available about these sneakers that it is a mystery to most where this Friends & Family release comes from. Fortunately, we know more! There was indeed a clear reason to produce this pair. In 2010, the ’90s celebrated its twentieth anniversary, which is why Nike released a very limited pack. The pack consists of three pairs of Air Max ’90s in three different colorways. A cream white, curry brown, and this dark brown version. All three versions are only given to a few Nike employees. Only a few pairs were made of each pair. You can imagine that the chance that you will encounter these is very small.

Resell price: € 500 – € 1,000

 

Nike Air Max 1 SP Camo Berlin F&F (2014)

In 2014, Nike opened a new Nike Store in Berlin. Of course, this had to be a special event. During this period, Nike released several Camo packs, which also represented countries such as France and America. These were Hyperfuse-like sneakers, all with a camouflage print. Also for Germany, there was a Nike Air Max Country Germany Pack, consisting of an Air 180, Air Max 1 SP, and the Friends & Family Air Max 1 SP (Not unimportant: the Air Max 97 German Country Camo is not part of this, this is in 2017 released).

This F&F AM1 was used to give more attention to the opening of Nike Berlin. This pair stands out from all other Camos because of the large black plains that have been used. Both the midsole and the mudguard are black. In the end, 50 pairs of this Nike Air Max 1 SP Camo Berlin F&F were given away: exclusively to residents of Berlin.

Resell price: € 800 – € 1,500

 

Nike Air Max 1 Master F&F (2017)

For the 30th anniversary of the Nike Air Max 1, Nike had to come up with a crazy sneaker. This sneaker has become the Nike Air Max 1 Master. The AM1 Master a.k.a. Masters of Air a.k.a. MOA features the colors and materials of twelve of the most iconic Air Max 1 ever. These twelve sneakers have been selected by the so-called Masters of Air: the greatest Nike Air Max 1 collectors, chosen by Nike. Ultimately, they laid the foundation for two pairs of Air Max 1s. At least, that’s Nike’s story. Of course a myth, because the designs had long been fixed. A limited black Air Max 1 Master would be released on Air Max Day (March 26) through the SNKRS app and the white Friends & Family version of it. Eventually, 50 pairs were made and these were given to the Masters of Air and friends and family. You hardly ever see these appear on the market, bizarre!

The twelve iconic CWs that you see on this AM1 Master are:

1. Nike Air Max 1 OG Red
2. Nike Air Max 1 OG Blue
3. Nike Air Max 1 B Viotech x Atmos
4. Nike Air Max 1 B Safari x Atmos
5. Nike Air Max 1 Beast Pack x Atmos
6. Nike Air Max 1 Supreme Animal Pack x Atmos
7. Nike Air Max 1 Premium Grey Safari
8. Nike Air Max 1 Chlorophyll x Patta
9. Nike Air Max 1 Burgundy Cherrywood x Patta x Parra
10. Nike Air Max 1 Kiss of Death x Clot
11. Nike Air Max 1 Albert Heijn Hyperstrike x Parra
12. Nike Air Max 1 Kidrobot

Resell price: € 4,000 – € 8,000

 

Nike Air Max 1 Parra F&F (2018)

You know, the Parras without swoosh, but with those clouds. That’s how most describe this fantastic F&F. A new collaboration between Piet Parra and Nike followed in 2018, after all the bizarre successes they have had together. A new Nike Air Max 1 Parra was released. This time a subtle colorway, combined with a multi-colored outsole. A collaboration with Parra is always a success, Nike also knows. So why not also a Friends & Family pair to turn the AM1 world upside down? This F&F Parra distinguished itself by not having a swoosh where you would expect it. Instead, a typical Parra cloud design was depicted on leather. For the Air Max enthusiasts, it took some getting used to and this certainly evoked the necessary resistance. But it is and remains a Parra… in the end, everyone needs this pair. If only because of the crazy value that the F&F represents.

We think both the normal release and this F&F are fantastic, but as enthusiasts, we would like to make a critical comment. With this F&F, Nike has completely milked the cooperation with Parra and has not shown its best side. This release was not that limited, as 500 pairs have been released. And we can’t call it Friends & Family neither, given the number of random influencers who received this sneaker. Either way, it worked. Because both the normal Parras and the F&Fs should not be missing in anyone’s collection.

Resell price: € 2,500 – € 3,500

 

Nike Air Max 1 DLX Atmos Animal Pack 2.0 F&F (2018)

One of the most iconic Air Max 1s ever, the Supreme Animal x Atmos from 2006, got a Retro in 2018. The main difference with the OG Animal is that the white toebox has been replaced by a black toebox. The Animal release is still one of the best known and best results of the Nike and Atmos collabs.

Today we call the 2006 version the Animal 1.0 and the 2018 version the 2.0. What not everyone knows is that a 3.0 was also released in 2018, with some very limited colorways. At the same time as this 3.0, a F&F version of the Animal was launched. This Animal is the same as the 2.0, but the black toebox and the piece of hair at the lining have been replaced by orange hair. AMAZING! It is crazy that Nike has never paid much attention to this pair: many sneakerheads, therefore, do not know the pair at all. Either way, this F&F is limited to 50 pairs, given to friends and family from Nike and Atmos.

Resell price: € 2,500 – € 5,000

 

Nike Air Max 1 Susan Missing Link F&F (2019)

Everyone knows the normal ‘Call me Susan’ Nike Air Max 1s. Hate it or love it, for some a fantastic sneaker and other sneakerheads think it might be the ugliest pair ever. The special midsole plays a major role in this. It is much thicker than we are used to and is characterized by the stitching that has been incorporated into it. In addition to the normal release, a Friends & Family edition has been released. This F&F is different in two details. The tongue is covered with hair from Mr. Link. The fur comes through the laces. A more striking difference is the box. The F&F Susan Missing Link comes with a fantastic XL shoe box.

Nike and LAIKA have known each other from several collaborations. The sneakers they release together are inspired by LAIKA’s favorite films. For the Nike Air Max 1 Susan, they were inspired by the movie Missing Link. The AM1 Susan epitomizes the main character Mr. Link with his unique outfit. The name Susan comes from Mr. Link; it is his nickname he invented himself. This sneaker contains the colorway green, yellow, white, and off-white. The plaid fabric is similar to Mr. Link.

Resell price: € 1,000 – € 1,500

 

 

Nike Air Max 90 UNKNWN Miami 305 F&F (2020)

This Air Max 90 305 is released by UNKNWN. In a way that is ironic, because most of them will not know this Friends & Family release. That is not surprising, because there is no normal 305 AM90 released. This pair was launched unannounced in 2020 in honor of Super Bowl 54. That’s dope! This Super Bowl edition was celebrated extensively in collaboration with UNKNWN. Founders LeBron James, Jaron Kanfer and Frankie Walker Jr. wanted to use this moment to thank loyal customers of their sneaker store. How can that be done better than with a F&F sneaker?

The colorway of this AM90 305 is based on Miami. 305 therefore stands for the Miami net number. You can also find it on the tongue label and box. On the insole you will find a bandana, which refers to the warm weather in the region. With this 54th edition of the Super Bowl, of course, 54 pairs of the F&F had to be released. These were given to randomly selected customers at UNKNWN’s Wynwood location. This is how an F&F release is supposed to be!

Resell price: € 500 – € 1,000

 

Tier Zero, Studio ID, Samples, and more

Maybe you think you know other sneakers that would belong on this list. What’s good to know is that a limited-edition sneaker is not necessarily a Hyperstrike or Friends & Family. Previously, a sneaker was often released as Tier Zero (about 250 pairs) or a store decided to release a limited Studio ID. We have already mentioned several ‘normal’ limited sneakers in this blog. There are quite a few other sneakers that are super limited, but not Hyperstrike or F&F. For example the Nike Air Max 1 Patta Lucky Green, Purple Denim, Patta Parra Burgundy Cherrywood, New Blood, Arsenal, Morning Glory Powerwall, Lemonade Powerwall, BRS Powerwall, SP Maxim TZ, and San Francisco ID.

The Nike Air Max 90 BRS Powerwall, Orange Blaze Powerwall, Lemonade Powerwall, Dizzee Rascal, Warhawk, Off White, Independence Day, and DSM Gray Scale Pack are also extremely rare, but not a Hyperstrike. Some sneakers are even more limited than Hyperstrikes. These are not only samples but also actual releases. A well-known example of this is the auctioned Eminem Charity Series, including the Nike Air Max 1 Eminem and Nike Air Max 90 Eminem. Only 8 pairs have been released!