By Joshua Diaz ’27
The Air Jordan 5 is the best Air Jordan sneaker. It has a well-constructed and unique design while staying comfortable and still fitting the Jordan brand image of retro models brought back for modern day style.
The Air Jordan 5 Retro Black Metallic Reimagined is the original pair Michael Jordan wore while playing for the NBA, but with a twist, adding extra 3M reflective material, a material that shines when light lands on the shoe. Extra metallic is added to the whole shoe, brought back for everyday wear or a stylish yet sporty sneaker and to make it accessible to newer collectors and normal consumers. Designed by Tinker Hatfield and released originally in 1990, this year is the 35th anniversary of the original shoe.
This also makes it appropriate for all ages coming in a full family run of sizing, perfect for aged collectors or teens wanting to show off. The shoes retail for $210 from Nike, Footlocker, Finishline, and Snipes but now sell on resale markets from as low as $250 to nearly double the original price at $400.
Overall the Air Jordan 5 is one of the best feeling Jordan sneakers with it’s padding air unit, the puffy tongue, and breathability. The materials are typical with other Jordan sneakers at its price point with a buttery nubuck upper. The translucent bottom is a nice addition mostly unique to Air Jordans like the 5’s, 6’s and 11’s, and certain colorways of other models.
My reason as to why I enjoy it is for it’s unique design as the shoes contain sharp shark teeth on the side added by Tinker Hatfield to represent how Jordan would attack the rim and based off WW2 US fighter jets when pilots would paint shark teeth on their aircraft to appear more menacing and to better tell the difference between their own jets and other countries. This leaves the shoe staying unique from other Air Jordans and shoes in general.
The Raider Press 