Air Force 1 shoes, often abbreviated as AF1, refer to the sneakers made by Nike that are worn by the President of the United States. While Air Force 1 shoes were initially created as a basketball shoe in 1982, they have since become an iconic fashion sneaker that is extremely popular yet rare and hard to obtain. There are several factors that contribute to the rarity of Air Force 1 shoes.
Limited Quantities
One of the main reasons that Air Force 1 shoes are so rare is that Nike intentionally produces limited quantities of them. Nike employs artificial scarcity tactics, only manufacturing small batches at a time. This helps generate hype and demand around the shoes, since people know quantities are low. Limited edition and collaboration releases, like special Travis Scott or Virgil Abloh designs, are particularly rare and produced in very small amounts. Here is a table showing some example limited production runs of recent Air Force 1 releases:
| Air Force 1 Model | Quantity Produced |
|---|---|
| Travis Scott Cactus Jack | 3,000 pairs |
| Supreme White | 10,000 pairs |
| Off-White Volt | 15,000 pairs |
| J Balvin Colores | 30,000 pairs |
As you can see, even general releases are often limited to tens of thousands of pairs at most. Hyped collabs like Travis Scott’s have runs as small as a few thousand. This restricts supply and availability.
High Resale Value
With limited quantities and high demand, Air Force 1 shoes tend to resell for very high prices after initial retail release. For limited collabs, resell prices can be several times the original price. This leads to a lot of shoes being bought up not just by collectors to wear, but by resellers who aim to make a profit.
Bots are often used by resellers to buy up inventory, making many releases sell out instantly. The shoes are then resold for inflated prices. For example, the Travis Scott Cactus Jack AF1 retailed for $175 but now resell for $1,500 to $2,000. The high resale value entices resellers, leaving fewer shoes for regular consumers.
High Demand and Popularity
Air Force 1 shoes are extremely popular within sneaker culture. As an iconic silhouette, they are beloved by collectors across generations. Both vintage and new colorways routinely sell out right away.
The popularity stems from both the cultural significance of AF1’s, as well as collaborations with celebrities like Travis Scott and Virgil Abloh keeping hype for the sneakers fresh and current. Demand for Air Force 1’s remains higher than ever, even 40 years after initial release.
Limited quantities coupled with high popularity means shoes sell out nearly instantly in most cases. It’s difficult for the average buyer to purchase a pair for retail price. The widespread demand contributes heavily to the scarcity.
Draws for Limited Releases
For some particularly limited collaborations, Nike employs raffle draws to sell the shoes. This means rather than a direct purchase, you have to enter your information to essentially win a chance to buy them. As an example, for Travis Scott’s Air Force 1 release, there was an online draw in order to even be eligible to purchase them.
Draws make the shoes harder to obtain, as you first have to luckily be selected as a winner to then get the right to buy. They also help reduce reseller purchases since people can often only enter draws once. Overall, draws add to the exclusivity and rarity factor.
Global Popularity
Another part of what makes Air Force 1’s hard to get is that they are enormously popular globally. Nike ships limited supplies all around the world. So it’s not just consumers in the United States competing to get pairs – it’s collectors worldwide.
The global demand compounds the scarcity issue. Geographic exclusivity releases, where some colorways are only available in certain countries or regions, also contribute to worldwide desire and hunger to obtain different AF1 models.
Rare Colorways and Materials
There are thousands of different Air Force 1 color schemes and materials out there. Some are naturally much more rare than others. Clear or patent leather options tend to be in low supply. The same goes for unique textures and patterns like stingray, ostrich, or snakeskin.
Vintage 1980s or limited edition color palettes also tend to be in high demand from collectors but short supply. Simple white-on-white AF1’s are produced more, while unique color-blocking and textures drive hype due to novelty and exclusivity.
Quickly Selling Out
Due to the perfect storm of limited quantities, resellers, high demand, and draws/raffles, most Air Force 1 releases sell out almost instantly these days. Retail sites and draws routinely sell out in minutes if not seconds.
Even less hype or GR general releases will sell out in hours as people rush to get pairs before they’re gone. The rapid pace at which limited stocks of shoes go means latecomers are left without any way to purchase at retail prices.
Factors That Increase Availability
While Air Force 1 availability is typically low, there are some factors that can increase accessibility:
– Higher production runs for simple colorways – Some basic styles like all-white are produced in higher numbers.
– Restocks – Nike occasionally will do restocks of popular shoes that sold out. Though limited, it gives buyers another chance.
– Lower hype general releases – An average GR may sit on shelves for a bit as opposed to Travis Scott collabs.
– Less popular sizes – Smaller or bigger sizes sometimes are in higher supply as demand concentrates on more common sizes.
– Retail raffles – Though tough to win, raffles give more consumers a fair shot at retail pairs.
So while difficult, small windows of opportunity exist to purchase standard Air Force 1s for retail prices.
Why Air Force 1s Have Stayed Rare Vintage Pairs
A big factor that adds to the demand and shortage of Air Force 1 shoes is that even vintage pairs from the 80s/90s remain rare. With most shoe silhouettes, as time passes there ends up being enough pairs floating around the resale market that prices drop and they are easier to obtain.
But AF1s have retained value and scarcity over decades for a few key reasons:
– Timeless, classic silhouette that stays relevant and in fashion
– Durable leather construction that allows many pairs to stay wearable
– Collector demand for vintage colorways and styles
– Special meanings attached to original pairs from certain eras
– Lower production numbers originally as AF1s gained popularity over time
So great condition vintage pairs can be just as hard to find and expensive as a brand new limited collab. The nostalgia and collectibility of originals keeps supply low.
Outlook for the Future
Air Force 1s are not likely to get any easier to obtain in the future. If anything, scarcity and hype will continue to grow as iconic colorways are rereleased and new collaborations drop. Nike will surely keep employing tactics like limited draws, small production runs, and geographic exclusives to maintain the shoes’ aura of exclusivity and rarity.
As long as demand continues to increase globally and outpace supply, Air Force 1s will remain difficult to purchase. Reselling sites and draws give consumers their best chance to buy, but ultimately much of the accessibility comes down to luck in terms of securing a pair for retail prices. Their reputation as a rare, culturally significant sneaker looks poised to remain in the future.
Conclusion
In summary, Air Force 1s have stayed persistently rare over time due to factors like intentionally limited production numbers, immense popularity and demand creating quick sellouts, high resale value limiting retail availability, and scarcity tactics like draws and geographic exclusives. Both vintage and new shoes are near-impossible to buy for original prices. While iconic and beloved, their exclusivity remains a big part of the appeal. As demand is only increasing, Air Force 1s figure to continue being the definition of a hard-to-obtain cultural staple.