Air Jordan XXXIII hits store shelves next month w/new one-handed lacing tech

Nike and Michael Jordan’s partnership goes back over 30 years to the 1980s when he first hit the scene. Over three-plus decades, the two have combined to build an incredible empire that does over $3 billion in annual revenue. Read: don’t expect Jordan to stop making shoes any time soon.

The new Air Jordan XXXIIIs are set to hit store shelves next month with a new kind of shoe lace technology. Nike will lean on its previously released self-tightening HyperAdapt 1.0 shoes shoes that debuted a few years back. While the latest Jordans won’t exactly have that Marty McFly kind of lace-up, it will only take a single pull and you’ll be ready to go.

Air Jordan XXXIII functionality

Not only is there a futuristic aspect to the laces, but also some interesting concepts from an accessibility standpoint. The Jordan XXXIIIs have a one-pull shoe lace design that is in-theory simpler to use. But also, may be of service to those that struggle tying laces. Nike also points out that this new design is perfect for in-game adjustments. Simplification of the process all around is a feature Nike is pushing hard.

FastFit, the name of the shoe lace technology, works with a single pull. Loops on the tongue and heel “allow for easier entry.” An integrated tightening system moves every lace at once creating a “full 360-degree lockdown.”

Air Jordan XXXIII Color and appearance

Those familiar with the Air Jordan lineup with find the typical red, black and gold markings. The new XXXIIIs follow the usual design cues with a clear Air technology sole and a gold Jumpman logo. This release borrows visuals from the 1988 Tinker Hatfield design and reimagines it with modern touches.

“Flight has always been part of our Jordan DNA,” says Jordan Brand Vice President of Design David Creech. “Our team considered the utility-led design of space flight suits and used that inspiration to help craft the AJ XXXIII. Like those suits, the shoe features visible technology designed for function, but that also becomes a staple style element.”

Where can I buy the Air Jordan XXXIII?

The new Air Jordan XXXIIIs will hit store shelves on October 18th with a $175 price tag. Learn more about this new release, and the tech behind it, on this landing page.

Lock-In and Prepare to Fly with the Air Jordan XXXIII

When the Air Jordan XXXIII lands next month, it will introduce a new promise for pinnacle basketball shoe comfort, performance and style: Nike’s FastFit technology.

“This year’s game shoe, the AJ XXXIII, is the first basketball shoe to feature FastFit technology, which provides ultimate lockdown to prepare athletes for flight,” says Michael Jordan. “From day one, we’ve taken pride in the Air Jordan game shoe, where we focus on athlete insights and the latest innovations to create silhouettes that are distinctly Jordan. That balance also allows the game shoe to continually revolutionize both in sport and style.”

With the addition of FastFit, the Air Jordan XXXIII follows a clear Jordan path. For example, while Air has been the hallmark of Michael Jordan’s signature line since 1985, it took Tinker Hatfield’s 1988 design for the Jordan III to cement its defining attribute. In that shoe the Air technology was made visible, and with it, MJ’s hangtime took on an advanced aura (literally, as he soared from the free throw line in the ’88 dunk contest).

DNA

“Flight has always been part of our Jordan DNA,” says Jordan Brand Vice President of Design David Creech. “Our team considered the utility-led design of space flight suits and used that inspiration to help craft the AJ XXXIII. Like those suits, the shoe features visible technology designed for function, but that also becomes a staple style element.”

The Air Jordan XXXIII progresses the legacy of visible technology in the Jordan line by challenging a different aesthetic norm. FastFit eschews laces and proposes a new system for containment on court.

How FastFit works:

  1. Loops on the tongue and heel allow easier entry
  2. The tightening system activates its cables with a single tug of the forefoot strap, creating a full 360-lockdown
  3. Eject by pulling the side loops to release the cables

Steps two and three are easily repeatable throughout game time. Release when resting, activate while in play — it’s all part of a transformative feel that designer Tate Kuerbis describes as “pull on and go.” Which means that, in some respects, the XXXIII is as much a visceral experience as it is a shift in construction.

“Applying FastFit allowed for a balance of art and science in the design,” says Kuerbis. “We were inspired by how space suits look and function. It’s all very utilitarian, and the various elements and what they do are all clearly called out. Thinking about this led us to highlight the pull cord, eject cord and the inner workings of FastFit, and make the function integral to the aesthetic and graphic integrity of the design.”

Nike Legacy

Like all of the Jordan models post the XXX, the XXXIII also features subtle design cues from the past. The window to the tightening system mimics the original Air window, and the use of “Nike Air” on the heel tab is a reflection of the III, IV, V and VI. The extra-large tongue is also the perfect canvas for a Jumpman — just as it was when Hatfield debuted the logo on the III.

“The ability to infuse our design innovation with our profound Jordan DNA has enabled us to deliver a statement on and off the court,” says Jordan Brand VP of Footwear Gentry Humphrey.

Underfoot, the XXXIII follows suit with the latest iteration of Jordan Brand’s Flight Speed technology (now made with the same carbon plate approach as the Nike Zoom VaporFly 4%) and the Nike Zoom Air unit. Just under the arch, a circular cut-out reveals the mechanism of FastFit, and how it tightens and loosens. The combined system of the Air Jordan XXXIII — Flight Speed + Zoom Air + FastFit — underscores Jordan Brand’s commitment to continual evolution of basketball footwear.

The Air Jordan XXXIII launches October 18 at select global retailers and on Jordan.com.

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