The Nike Air Max 2013 is now available in 5 colorways on Nike store. I grabbed a pair in the Squadron Blue/Reflective Silver-Black colorway to review.

Before we get to my first impressions after the jump, I’ll say that pictures don’t do the Squadron Blue colorway justice. The pics can make it look Navy when it’s really a steely blue that I haven’t seen used much, if ever, on shoes. Seriously, go see this colorway in person to see what I mean.

The Nike Air Max 2013 has more of a basketball shoe look with the hyperfuse ankle overlay. The ankle overlay, along with the dynamic flywire, should prevent the side-to-side movement that plagued the Nike Air Max 2012. Hooray for increased stability!

The copious amounts of mesh provide a lot of ventilation. The Air Max 2013 seems like it will provide similar ventilation to both the Air Max 2012 and Air Max 2011. Both of those models were great hot weather running shoes so I’m hopeful this model is comparable.

Look at the size of that air bubble! It’s huge! I expect the cushioning to be top notch.

In case you didn’t realize this was the “Air Max” model, Nike has kindly written it in huge letters across the heel. Nike is always good at stating the obvious.

The fuse, mesh, and flywire look to create another extremely durable shoe. My 2012s and 2011s lasted a long time and I expect nothing different from the 2013s.

The outsole of the Air Max models was the same for several years before Nike switched it up with the Air Max 2013. The rubber used for the tread looks deep enough to last 500 miles or more. One problem could be the heel area, which doesn’t feature near as much tread as previous models. Heel strikers will want to be aware of that before purchasing.

One improvement made to the Air Max 2013 outsole is the flexibility. Nike changed the air bag and outsole with the goal of making the shoe more flexible. I think they achieved their goal in the forefoot. I’m not expecting this shoe to flex like the Nike Free Run 3 but it will be nice to have a more supple forefoot on this weighty model.

A closer look at the flywire and swoosh on the lateral side of the shoe.

A closer look at the flywire and airbag on the medial side of the shoe.

$180? Yep, it seems like every year the Air Max line is going up in price. Stay tuned for my performance teasers and reviews to see if this year’s model is worth the cash.