When Nike introduced Air Max in 1987, with Tinker Hatfield’s Air Max One, it was a revelation. Nike had put pockets of air within the midsoles of their shoes before, but now it was a big unit, visible through the side of the shoe; and it was iconic. Not only did it look fantastic, but it was more comfortable, more responsive, and more athletic than competing technologies. Reebok’s ‘pump’ was flamboyant but made no practical impact on the shoe. Air was the real deal, and Air Max was synonymous with sneaker innovation; and that’s what Nike wants to emphasize with this year’s new signature show, the $160 Air Max Dn,  which they’ve advertised heavily.