REVIEW: Nike Air Max 1 ’86 OG x Eastside Golf Collaboration

Nike is amongst the most active companies in terms of golf releases, bringing out fresh looks, designs, and styles on a near-weekly basis.

While many of their releases, like the one you are about to read about, are essentially the same shoe the company has released over 100 times, each one has its own unique features and colors. But the one Nike recently released with Eastside Golf is a little bit different, especially considering it brings customization, even after they arrive at your door, to an entirely new level.

The Cleanest Look on a Timeless Classic

The first thing that immediately pops out here is the unique look, design, and style of this particular Air Max 1 ’86 OG. The white and gold colorway, with the lack of a large Nike Swoosh, immediately gives this rendition of a timeless classic its own unique appeal.

Personally, this is the perfect shoe, at least from an aesthetic perspective. White and Gold is one of the best color combinations on a shoe, in my opinion. It brings me back to the days of Nike Tiempos and Ronaldinho’s viral crossbar challenge video, which truly catalyzed my love for the colorway presented here.

But this shoe is just different. It goes a step further, and this is due to the cool accents that give Eastside Golf its roses, as well as the interchangeable Nike Swooshes that are included, giving it a different look every day of the week if you truly want to do that.

Eastside Golf Accents

Eastside Golf is one of the brands that is inciting a major change in fashion and style in golf. Much like Malbon, Eastside has its own unique take on what golf fashion means, and it is evident it is a brand that many people should pay attention to in the coming years.

In its collaboration with Nike on this Air Max 1 ’86 OG, Eastside presented its logos and overall vibe with the accents on the shoe and in the packaging.

The coolest part out of everything is the sole of the shoe itself:

A golfer on a tee box is watched by fans behind him, something that is also shown on the paper that wraps the shoes in the box. I wore these one time before taking these pictures, so I am hopeful the design is still clearly shown after perhaps a few rounds of outdoor golf. These were only worn in a simulator so far.

Other accents include the Eastside Golf logo on the tongue and a unique set of laces with a special message:

There’s one other accent I truly appreciated as well, and it seems to encapsulate what golf is for everyone out there who has decided to love (and hate) this game over the past five years as COVID brought new players to the game in 2020:

Quality and Comfort

I have been reviewing Nike golf shoes for several years and I reckon I’ve had about 30 pairs delivered to me since I started writing for Golficity. While I love the look of Nikes, they are not something I prefer to wear out on the course, and this is due to three things:

• Fit
• Traction and Stability
• Look

Fit

Nike golf shoes tend to run a little small and narrow. I do not wear a wide shoe. In fact, I’ve had my feet scanned within the last few months for new running shoes, and when I asked about needing a wide shoe, the person who scanned my feet said, “You have absolutely no reason to be in a wide shoe. Your feet are about as standard as they come.”

For this reason, I’ve tried to size up in Nike. I usually wear a 10, but I received these in a 10.5, which allowed for more room for my feet and was the correct decision.

Traction and Stability

Even with Nikes more golf-focused shoes, like the Air Zoom Victory Tour and Air Zoom Infinity Tour, which have more contact points on the sole, I tend to find I have less traction.

One thing golfers need is stability and confidence in their golf swing. Wearing a shoe that gives even a fractional amount of skepticism of whether you can get after one will limit your swing, eliminate the complete confidence you need to execute a shot, and potentially ruin any momentum you have during a round.

I have had issues with slipping in the Air Max in the past. It is not frequent, but even once a round is too much for me. It is not an issue that arises 100 percent of the time, either. With that being said, I tend to wear shoes that have a complete traction plate and outsole simply to avoid the issue altogether.

This is not to say I will never wear these on the course because I absolutely will. I’ll be wearing them on dry courses. For wet days, I’ll stick with something that has me a little less skeptical.

Look

Simply put, I prefer a dressy golf shoe. FootJoy Traditions and Sun Day Red Pioneer Cypress are the style of shoe I prefer to wear.

Comfort

These shoes, like any, will require some break-in time. Don’t be surprised to feel a little bit of pain in your feet right after your first one or two sessions. The leather will start to loosen up, and your foot will begin to form to the shoe itself.

There is excellent support, thanks to the sole of the shoe. It’s very comfortable, and it also has sufficient room to put a different, more golf-focused insole inside. I highly, highly recommend the VKTRY insoles, which are tailored to golf specifically.

Limitless Customization

With six Nike Swoosh designs that can be swapped out in a matter of seconds, these golf shoes are perfect for those who have a wardrobe that includes a wide variety of colors.

These are the six designs you have to choose from for your Swoosh, or you can keep them off altogether and go with the simple white and gold accents, which is my favorite look anyway.

Along with the three pairs of included laces, there are nearly limitless options for what you could do with these golf shoes.

You can check out the Nike x Eastside Golf Air Max 1 ’86 OG on Nike.com. Sizes are limited, but they appear to be restocking.

@jklendsholla Unboxing the Nike Air Max ‘86 OG x Eastside Golf collab with White and Gold accents and interchangeable Swooshes #nike #nikegolf #eastsidegolf #golf #golfshoes #fyp ♬ Roxanne – Instrumental – Califa Azul

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