Nike Air Max Terrascape Plus

Air Max Terrascape Plus

Nike’s Terrascape concept has been around since the early 2020s, and so far encompasses several classic Air Max models. One shoe in this expanding series is 1998’s Air Max Plus – a bold sneaker with its own distinctive look. The Nike Air Max Terrascape Plus aims to offer an alternative perspective on the original design while also incorporating an environmentally friendly build.

To achieve this goal, Nike has used recycled materials throughout much of the Terrascape Plus. For example, the grippy traction pads of the outsole are made from 13.5% recycled Nike Grind rubber, which also appears in the Crater Foam midsole. As well as being partly recycled, this updated foam has a speckled exterior and a chunky construction which, when combined with the spongy Air Max cushioning inside, provides a soft, comfortable feeling underfoot, thus making the Nike Air Max Terrascape Plus a great sneaker for everyday wear.

Alongside its bold sole unit, the Terrascape Plus has a distinctive outer which has taken the classic elements of the original design and reimagined them to give the sneaker a style all of its own. The layered upper features breathable textile mesh with embroidered effects that emulate the wavy TPU overlays of the 1998 Plus. To make it more sustainable, 75% recycled polyester has been used to create the vamp.

Meanwhile, the laces are 100% recycled. They are held in place by a dynamic floating TPU cage which mirrors the palm-tree shapes of the original but with much thicker lines. This is made from around 20% recycled plastic, and in between its curved panels is a nylon webbing that presents an intriguing textual contrast to the rest of the upper. Strong and sturdy, this sidewall structure is also partially see-through, revealing the swoosh logos behind it, with the lateral one extending further round to the forefoot than its medial counterpart.

The TPU panelling extends along the sides of the shoe just above the midsole, acting as an effective mudguard and providing both durability and improved lockdown. Around the toe, the mudguard is made from leather or textile rather than the shiny plastic typical of the main model, and around the heel is a stabilising counter formed from the same semi-translucent TPU as the caging on the sidewalls.

Another change introduced on the Air Max Terrascape Plus is to the branding, which reworks the iconic hexagonal Tuned Air logo into something that specifically celebrates the Terrascape project. Where the original symbol contains Tn text, this one has the letters “TS” in a bold, energetic font. The same style has been used on the tongue logo to spell out the word “Nike”.

Inside, the cotton mesh sockliner envelopes the foot in soft fabric, and the generous padding around the heel and over the tongue ensures that the shoe is pleasantly plush throughout. With its comfort-giving features, captivating aesthetic and ecological build, the Nike Air Max Terrascape Plus is the perfect sustainable sneaker for all day comfort and style.