Air Jordan 4 Military Blue: No, Not Industrial
Price: $215 [Check eBay for Current Prices]
Why Buy?
The Jordan 4 Military Blue is an OG colorway with a great shape and a colorway that is extremely wearable.
Why Avoid?
The Jordan 4 Military Blue isn’t as comfortable as other recent releases, and doesn’t quite look like the pictures.
Specs
| Model | Jordan 4 |
| Height | Mid |
| Materials | Leather / PU / Rubber |
| Size | 13 |
| Weight | 681 g / 1 lb 8 oz |
| Construction | Cemented |
| Country of Origin | China |
History
For a person who is on record as not being the biggest fan of Jordan 4s, I have to give credit to Jordan brand. In the past couple of months, they have released two colorways that even this 4-hater wanted to take a look at. This week’s offering is this one, the Jordan 4 Military Blue.
Or, at least it was that. Just as the hype was building around these, Jordan brand announced that they would be changing the name. These are technically the “Jordan 4 Industrial Blue.” There has been plenty said on this, and I’ll leave the speculation to others, but here is my piece. If you’re releasing a retro based on it being as close as possible to the original, it should probably be as close as possible to the original.
Speaking of being original, the Military Blue Jordan 4s were actually one of the first four colorways of the Jordan 4 released. This was somewhat special too as they were the first original colorway to feature something other than red, white, and black since the original Jordan 1.
As a person who currently has nothing red in their wardrobe, and black only in belts and boots, is this Jordan 4 enough to change my mind on the pair? Let’s dive in and find out.
Looks
Upper
Let’s start off with something important. The upper of the Jordan 4 Military Blue is not what it looks like in the pictures or the leaks. Where you might think you’re getting a primarily white sneaker, the upper actually has almost no white at all.
The primary color of the leather is actually entirely grey. I’m struggling a bit with trying to describe it. The only word that comes to mind is dingy, which I think is accurate, but gives off the wrong vibe. It isn’t that the sneaker looks dirty or beat, but rather than it has the opposite of pop. I like having bright white sneakers as much as anyone, but sometimes it’s nice to have a color that you don’t need to be worried about getting a spec of dust on.
There is some white – on the tongue tag and Nike Air logo on the back for example – but in hand these are definitely not a “white” sneaker.
Supporting this grey are the also grey nubuck toe guard and the blue hits. Much like the white, the blue that Jordan brand used is significantly more subdued than what you might expect from a military, er… industrial, blue.
Again, while this won’t look as good sitting on a shelf, I think it is actually more wearable. It doesn’t scream “LOOK AT MY SHOES” in the way some other colorways can.
The upper does have some nice retro hits. There are the peaks on the leather cuts to mimic the style from the 1980’s. You also have a bit less padding throughout than other recent retros, again more like the original.
Mid- and Outsole
The bottom half of this sneaker is all classic Jordan 4. It’s much harder to change the tooling on a pair of sneakers than the upper so this isn’t really a surprise.
Made primarily of a white midsole (actually white this time), you have a blue painted outrigger and back support running most of the length of the sneaker. Inside that midsole, a visible air unit is all white inside.
Underneath, a blue, white, and grey rubber outsole finishes everything out. Of course, being an original colorway, you get Nike branding on the bottom. The outsole traction pattern is primarily herringbone. This pattern is nice and thick, managing to look great while also providing usability. The stars can be found on the toe. Helpful if you want to see how worn a used pair might be.
Summary
I have to say, I like what Jordan brand did with the Military Blues from a style perspective. The problem that I’ve always had with 4s is that 4s are typically extremely chunky in design, and typically extremely bright in color. Even on colorways I find a bit boring like the breds, black and red are hard for an average guy to style around. Besides, the chunkiness doesn’t work well with my dad-core outfits I’ve worn since becoming a father myself.
The changes that Jordan brand made with theses which are catching flak elsewhere – the duller colors and the reduced padding – make it a much better sneaker for me. Of course, it’s still a Jordan 4. You’re not getting a pair of Common Projects slimmed down sneakers here, but it is a more approachable design.
Fit & Comfort
Fit
The Jordan 4 Military Blue utilizes the new Jordan 4 shape that came out with the SB 4 last year. Also being closer to the original retro, the wider toe box is much more accommodating. With previous Jordan 4s you had the option of going true to size and getting your pinky toe crushed, or sizing up… where your foot slides forward and your pinky toe got crushed.
With the wider toe box in these, I would suggest going with your typical Jordan 1 size. For me, that’s a size 13 and what I wear in most sneakers.
I will say, the reduced padding in these make them less accommodating. You can’t get away with a size that doesn’t quite fit and let the padding make it up in the way you can with other Jordan 4s.
Comfort
Speaking of the padding, these are probably the least comfortable of all the new-shape 4s that have come out. Don’t get me wrong, the new last is a big improvement, but the other changes take it back a step.
First, and most obviously, the reduced padding in the tongue and around the collar is noticeable. The insole itself is also less plush than on the reimagined Breds. Next, add in that the leather on the upper is much stiffer than on the other 4s we’ve gotten in this shape, and it just doesn’t add up well for comfort.
Still, I would put these in the wearable all day category, but they wouldn’t be my first pick if I was going to be doing a lot of walking.
Materials & Construction
Materials
I would say that the materials on the Jordan 4 Military Blue are typical GR Jordan materials. That isn’t a compliment. To be fair, the leather and the nubuck are real, which can’t be said for every sneaker. However, the leather is both thin and stiff. It features a heavy poly coating on it which will mean it isn’t likely to age all that well.
To be clear, to get a leather this color you need some type of coating, but this much is just there to hide flaws in the leather.
The wings and heel tab are the more modern plasticky rubber. They are much softer than what you might find a couple years ago on 4s. This makes the sneaker more comfortable to wear, and is closer to the original, though be mindful it will make them more brittle after 4 or 5 years. Still, a trade off I think is worth making.
The midsole of the Jordan 4 Military Blue is made of polyurethane, or PU. If you want more information on different types of sneaker foams, you can click here. The short version, though, is PU tends to be denser and less springy. Think memory foam. I personally really like PU for casual sneakers, just be aware it is the foam that is most likely to crumble if you don’t wear the pair for a while.
Finishing everything out, the outsole is made of rubber. It’s a fairly hard blend and pretty thick, so you should expect pretty good durability out of it. Much better than modern Jordans like the 38.
Construction
The Jordan 4 Military Blue is made using cemented construction with some stitching for structural support. Cemented construction is how nearly every modern sneaker is made. The upper of the sneaker is sewn and lasted, then glued directly to the midsole.
This style of construction tends to be the most weather resistant and flexible (not to mention the most affordable to make). On the other hand, it is the least durable and makes it hard to replace the outsole if it wears out and you want to keep your pair.
The Jordan 4, like other sneakers from that era, also features a bit of stitching along the toe. This helps keep the sneaker together, even if you damage the front by kicking something or dragging your toe on an outdoor court.
How Much Does the Air Jordan 4 Military Blue Cost?
With an MSRP of $215, the Jordan 4 Military Blue is not a cheap sneaker. Placed firmly at the top of the market, this pair comes in above most other main line brands premium offerings.
The good news is that there is going to be a lot of pairs. Rumors say somewhere around 1 million will be released, approximately twice as many as the Jordan 4 Bred reimagined. This website is not a resale advice website, but those pairs are still sitting at just a bit over retail, depending on the size. I’m writing this before the main drop, but you can find pairs for around $260-280 on eBay.
While I’m not sure if these will end up in outlets, I would not be surprised if they hover around retail in the aftermarket for a long time after the drop.
Are the Air Jordan 4 Military Blues Worth It?
Like I stated at the beginning, I’m not a huge Jordan 4 guy. I don’t think I’ve ever kept a pair more than a few weeks. I do think this pair is different. In fact, this pair is so different my wife actively pushed for me to keep this pair.
The changes that were made go a long way in making the Jordan 4 Military Blue more of a “grown up” pair of Jordan 4s. Or, at least as much as a pair of blue Jordan sneakers can be grown up. They don’t scream for attention.
Even better, with hype on the Jordan 4 going down and stock numbers going up this is a pair that you’ll almost certainly be able to get for retail, or maybe even a couple dollars less if you’re lucky.
Does it change my opinion on all Jordan 4s? Probably not, but it might be the first 4 that stays in my closet.