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Throwback Thursday: Nike Air Force STS

1211 days ago - by Matt Halfhill - 61 comments
Nike Air Force STS1989 was a defining moment in Nike Basketball. The division set out to design models specific for two kind of players on the court The forceful big men got the sturdy and solid Force shoes while the quick moving, high flying players prepared for Flight.

There were many great sneakers from this time both on the Force and Flight side of the line, but one that always stood out and caught my eye was the Nike Air Force STS. Maybe it was the super high cut, or the gigantic tongue logo, or maybe it was the elephant print on the side of the kicks – whatever it was, I was hooked.

Lately Nike has been reissuing many basketball sneakers from this era, but somehow, despite the presence of elephant print, this is another model that has been overlooked. For those who were wondering (and taking notes) this is yet another shoe worn by David Robinson not to return.  The Admiral laced up in the Air Force STS in his rookie year in San Antonio.

Speak for yourself, would you like to see the Air Force STS return?

Nike Air Force STS
Nike Air Force STS

Nike Air Force STS
Nike Air Force STS

Nike Air Force STS
Nike Air Force STS

Nike Air Force STS
Nike Air Force STS

Nike Air Force STS
Nike Air Force STS

Nike Air Force STS
Nike Air Force STS

David Robinson wearing Air Force STS
David Robinson wearing Nike Air Force STS

  • iBANGSCREW

    dammnnn these are …juss daammmn. wish i cud get mah feet in these

  • sneakFREAK

    Matt, what’s with Throwback Thursday coming in at midnight on Friday AM :-P

    INSANE pair! I have always loved the STS and yes, the elephant print makes me extra horny for them. They are bringing back the ultra force this fall right? The STS pwns all of the Force kicks from 1989 if you ask me, but I am still waiting to see the Air Force V.

    LONG LIVE THE HIGH TOPS!

  • yadada

    these are clean though…

  • ATLshawty

    speechless. dammit Thursday is the best day of the week, I swear. Nike bring these back and I will buy for sure!

  • Team916

    ridiculous! I love how Throwback Thursday always shows something that I ain’t never seen!

    And yes, if these came back I would cop. That elephant print is a sick touch to the kicks.

  • Xnyles

    For me it was the combination of the high cut and elephant print.I wont be surprise if nike retro these but i prefer Nike air command Force anyday of the week -Nike, how long are you guys going to make me wait? i have been waiting for 17 years.

  • http://www.vinylmeltdown.com judge mental

    damn…. those are beautiful.

  • oldjumpman

    DAVID ROBINSON WORE THESE, RIGHT? NICE…!

  • allenbae

    thes r splendid!
    they are mine.
    but how much it would be?
    http://www.fakesite.com is much cheaper i think.

    Edited by Nice Kicks

    No asswipe, these are actually mine. Go push your cart somewhere else…

  • qbaseden

    Man…I gotta stop looking at pictures before I even read the title next ot it; for a split second I thought those were being retroed or something…

    :-(

  • blizzy

    ey man i love the throwback thursday!
    they look sick, if nike bring these Babys Back def cop

  • http://NiceKicks Twebb

    played my high school ball in these classics.

  • Spoonhead LDN

    YUM YUM YUM!!!!!!!

  • drewzilla

    they koo if i was a big man

  • brooklyn boy

    These are just straight up a defenite classic. Would definitely would cop if it was retroed

  • http://myspace.com/miketokyo TokyoMike

    OMFG those are beautiful……utter perfection…..

  • max

    #8
    David Robinson wore the command force (nikes version of the pump)
    but the silhouettes are super similar
    some one correct me if I’m wrong

  • richay14

    beau teee full

  • scube

    Elephant print is killin it…for all you throwback fiends…I got a pair of Air Force III box fresh pair dead stock low top white with blue and black accents released May ‘06 joints are absolute dead stock authentics i’ll send pics for serious buyers leave a comment to let me know

  • yung albino

    too bad I was born in 92 id much rather have these on my toes than any of these new Jordan’s if these were retroed id get’em and get orange laces it would just set these off

  • Pskila

    Yeah these and the Revolutions, were the beginning of the Nike Revolution…period.

  • Shoebacca

    tough.

  • PR CHewwin

    they look better than the Yeezy crap kanye’s gay ass wears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Nasty_Naj

    these are hot but some things should not be retro’d…

  • SOLOFLIGHT22

    sick…syracuse orange hoodie…ahhh those were the days….

  • PrimeTyMe 305

    @allenbee
    that website sells fake shoes boy. I hope u didnt make a purchase from that site they selling fake everything on there boy. U people on here buy fake jordans and trying to tell other people to do the same, NO THANK U BOY!!

  • troy

    these are awsome

  • vanni skywalker

    SUPERFresh!!!

  • TRUTH 4 U HATERZ!!!

    BRING BACK THE COMMAND FORCE PUMPS AND THE FORCE 180 HIGH PUMPS!!! WHY HAS NIKE NOT RETRO’D 2 OF THEIR BEST SHOES EVER? GET A CLUE NIKE! WE’VE BEEN ASKIN FOR WAY 2 LONG!!!

  • http://www.nicekicks.com Nice Kicks

    To answer your question oldjumpman, yes, David Robinson did wear these shoes. Something ruffin of NikeTalk schooled me on was that these are the unofficial Air Force IV.

  • brennan

    yeah i’ve been screaming for these forces since i rocked em when i was around 10yrs old. They have always been one of my favorites. Like ol boy above me said, bring back the command force pumps, i had those too, but i traded them in when they ripped out on me.

    memories

  • http://www.nicekicks.com Nice Kicks

    I actually did some digging and found this photo saved on my hd. By the way, he wore these in his rookie year.

  • jibbycanoe

    love the rolled up socks. looks like they are wool

  • http://myspace.com/yeahirap myspace.com/yeahirap

    fonhubhfibhbvgdjiyvgfudvfuvju

    I found that was the most intelligent response I could give I need these in my life

  • Kevo Grand

    Straight Crack! I’d LOVE to see these come back. The colorway posted here, the one D. Robinson is rocking in that picture, and one with some green in it would all make my life just a little bit better.

  • http://www.myspace.com/sirecommunications J.King

    I loved the way Jordan and D Robinson used to rock their socks. I would copy both (different)styles on the court back in the day…

  • Meme

    Man these are clean i will rock these real talk.

  • Meme08

    These are clean i will rock these real talk i love em.

  • Jerronimo

    Those socks are killing me…lol…gotta love the 90′s main!

  • orthotic

    I would love to see these come back, that was back when Nike actually HAD some flavor.

  • nike4life21

    Man these bring back memeories I had these in white and grey and they were comfortable as hell to ball in. These were released during my freshmen year of high school and if you didnt have the Jordan 4′s or Air Flight 89′s you had these. I also remember UNLV rocking these LJ and Plastic Man were killing cats in these sneakers. Nike do the right thing and bring these back for real sneaker heads like me who remember when it was authenic. Also while you’re at it Matt I have a suggestion for the next Throwback Thursday if you have the original Air Alpha Force you should put that on TT. I have a poster of MJ rocking those in a exhibition game tossing Mark Jackson’s shot out the stratosphere. Ahh those were the days.

  • poscogrubb

    Ohhhhhh maaaaannnnn. These are definitely may favorite of all Nike basketball high tops. Holy grail. Absolute love. I also was a freshman in HS when these came out… unfortunately I had the cheaper ’89 Air Delta Force – very similar-looking shoe without the elephant print.

    Nike: I’ve already written you to bring these back. Please, just do it (and do it right).

    Matt: Beautiful OG kicks! I don’t remember this colorway.

  • dopasaurus

    nice…yeah, i had the delta forces, but not these. anyone see these in black?

  • jj

    yesss!!!! i love these!!!!

  • georgebobersonthethird

    woooooooooooooooooooooooooow
    woooooooooooooooooooooooooow
    woooooooooooooooooooooooooow

    and woooooooooooooooooooooow

  • greenmaker24

    id love to see these come back they r amazing

  • boss

    these r dope.. i like the ones david robinsons wearing though.

  • soulie17

    if they werent so high cut i would definetley cop these. I’m a sucker for elephant print

  • fresh_prince

    yooo dem iss sooooo sick!!!

  • danny

    I would love to see these return!

  • ao

    yo did any check out that kid in the military blues right next to the admiral ??

  • http://www.nicekicks.com Vince

    dim is cool

  • justin a.k.a J-supreme

    i wish they would seriously Retro these.

    even though they wouldn’t be as well put to together as they where in 89′

    I don’t know but this Shoe is one my Favorites as is the air command forces and almost every single pair of the ultra hi top from 88-91.

  • http://aol.com timmy

    i want these bad omg so beautiful

  • skeese

    you see the little guy next to d.rob? i think he has on OG Military IV’s :D

  • damnneardeadstock

    the air force line from 85-92 was probably my favorite sneaker line ever. you GOTTA love the high cut!

  • Smiley

    THEZ SHOES ARE HELLA TIGHT!!!!!!!!!LIK 4 REALZ I WISH THEY HAD THEM IN A SIZE 4 1/2!!!!!GRRRRRRR……ID BE A HARD CORE APPLE WITH THEM KIKS ON MY FEET!!!!!!!

  • da kid

    you actually can buy these.
    just not in this color

  • http://zackarycooper0110@yahoo.com Zack

    where can you buy these at. in blue??

  • chuck ankh

    I had a pair of those back in the day.I was the man when i came back from Newark,NJ (hometown) back to Georgetown,SC.I wa sthe only one rocking those in the high school.My sts were the navy blue ones.The hottest shoe out at the time.I would buy a new pair of forces evry year for school but it wasn’t nothing like those.NIKE re issue them will at least let the fan of the shoe get a pair.Where is the admiral when you need him?

  • Alex Lang

    I had a pair DS, but they werent my size so they got sold.

  • Ariel

    Is the little kid wearing military 4′s?

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