Nike is once again bringing back the Air Tech Challenge II, though this upcoming 2024 retro will be much different than previous iterations.

The Air Tech Challenge II originally released in 1990 and was famously worn on-court by tennis superstar Andre Agassi. The shoe has been retro’d numerous times over the years, though iterations from the past decade have been criticized for their shape and cheap materials.

The designers at the Swoosh have gone back to the drawing board for this 2024 retro, remastering the silhouette to recover some of the beloved specs from the OG 1990 release.

Comparing official images of the most recent release of the “Hot Lava” colorway (2019) to this year’s retro, we can see that the shape has been tweaked, most noticeably in the toe box area.

A similar remastering took place earlier this year with the Nike Air 180 “Ultramarine” retro, which re-introduced the silhouette with its OG specs from 1991.

Besides the remastered shape, another noticeable difference on the 2024 Nike Air Tech Challenge II “Hot Lava” is its darker midsole. This more closely resembles the color of the natural PU from the OG than the white painted midsole found on previous retros. The toe rubber has also been given a faux aged treatment, similar to what Jordan Brand did with the Air Jordan 3 “White Cement Reimagined.”

Other features on the 2024 retro that are more akin to the OG are the white front eyelets (instead of grey) and the more pronounced bubbling lava pattern on the forefoot and heel.

The remastered Nike Air Tech Challenge II “Hot Lava” is set to drop on August 30th via Nike.com and select retailers. Check out the official images below and stay tuned to Modern Notoriety for updates.

Nike Air Tech Challenge II “Hot Lava”
Color: Phantom/Hot Lava-Black-Silver-Pale Ivory
Style Code: FZ9033-001
Release Date: August 30, 2024
Price: $150 USD
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