
2018 has been a big year for Nike Air Jordans, evoking waves of awe release after release of new pairs. With iconic collaborations with Levi’s, Off-White and Travis Scott, people never thought it could get better as the year hits its 3rd quarter—until the news of the Air Jordan 4 NRG Raptors’ release came out. Following the successful release of Levi’s x Air Jordan IV, Air Jordan III “Tinker”, and Travis Scott x Air Jordan IV which are all standouts with their unique colorways, another distinct look of the Air Jordan 4 silhouette takes center stage, and Toronto Raptors fans can’t help but be jubilant about it.
Release Date & Price
Ebay
US$260.00
Ebay Discount Codes
Amazon
Varies
Amazon Discount Codes
Flight Club
US$295.00
Release Date: August 18, 2018
Price: US$200.00
The new Air Jordan 4 NRG Raptor reminds sneaker heads of the original Air Jordan 7 ‘Raptor’ released in 1992. While mainly the colorway compels the brain to make that instant connection, this pair is more like a tribute to that original ‘Raptors’ Jordan. The first leak about the ‘Raptor’ design started at January 2018, making people wait in anticipation for more than 7 months to purchase the pair.
Pros
Easily one of the sleek looking pairs of Air Jordan in 2018, the Toronto Raptors-inspired colorway of the Air Jordan 4 NRG Raptor will automatically catch attention. Its upper is very soft to the touch, covered in solid black suede that elevates the look of the shoes into the exquisite level. The black is perfectly balanced by some interesting color addition, including the purple midsole with a speckled design, plus red accents on the inner tongue, outsole and eyelets—all still within the ‘Raptor’ color scheme. It is definitely a great-looking shoe that has an appealing premium quality to it.
Cons
One of the let downs of this pair was the missing signature of rapper Drake in the front tab of the tongue, which has been anticipated after a leaked photo clearly shown the pair with the rapper’s signature. It was inevitable, with the artist’s confirmed partnership with rival brand, Adidas, yet many were still saddened with the missing signature. Likewise, while the colorway of the pair is great, overall, it falls short of the spectacular shoes many expected as year 2018 comes to a close.
Compare With
- Air Jordan 6 Retro “Sport Blue” Sneakers
- Air Jordan 11 Retro “Win Like ’82” Sneakers
- Adidas Skateboarding The Busenitz Sneakers
- Puma Tazon 6 FM Sneakers
Image credits: Kicks on Fire (featured and article images), Sole Insider, and House of Heat (article images).