The Nike Air Force 1 ‘3M Snake’ Retro is 20 Years in the Making
, a leak emerged that the ‘3M Snake’ was set to return in 2021, some 20 years after its original release in 2001. These official images above have confirmed those early rumours, and the retro will be dropping very soon.
Since about 2016, a handful of classic AF-1s have been reissued, including the ‘Linen’, ‘Hong Kong’, ‘Taiwan’, and ‘Ivory Snake’. The upcoming ‘3M Snake’ is among the coveted colourways of the AF-1 from this early-2000s golden era, and Nike have sought to replicate the details. The uppers alternate between black leather and 3M reflective material, while a contrast snakeskin-textured Swoosh gives this colourway its nickname. Subtler features that may not be immediately spotted include the smooth nylon lining and the round U-throat with Swoosh embroidery. However, one glaring omission is the Nike Air branding on the heel and tongue, which was originally a dark blue-purple colour, but is now black. However, that won’t be a dealbreaker for most anyway. Neither will the squared-off ankle tab, as opposed to the softer curves used on the original edition.
The Nike Air Force 1 ‘3M Snake’ is believed to be releasing on February 11 via selected Nike retailers.