Updated May 10th, 2024: The Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue” just restocked on Nike here.
The Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue” is confirmed to release globally on May 4th, 2024. Full family sizes (Adult, Grade School, Little Kids, Toddler, Crib) are expected to be available on SNKRS, Foot Locker, Finish Line, Dick’s, other nationwide retailers, and specialty sneaker boutiques. It is reported that Jordan Brand produced several hundred thousand pairs in order to satisfy the demand; however, considering how coveted the shoes are, they may not be that easy to purchase. See below for a full rundown of everything you need to know about the Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue”; access our Jordan Release Dates 2024 page for the latest.
OFFICIAL IMAGES + STORE LIST
Below are official images of the Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue” aka “Industrial Blue”. Again, the shoes are confirmed to release globally on May 4th, 2024. Prior to the official release date, there were two earlier drops on SNKRS via Shock Drop (April 11th) and Exclusive Access (April 25th).
WHERE TO BUY
Air Jordan 4 "Industrial Blue"
US 05/08/2024 Wednesday
Retailer | Release type | Status |
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Nikestore US | Standard | Check Site |
CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE COLOR
The sneaker community (and even Jordan Brand) had been calling this release the “Military Blue” for decades. However, upon the shoe being officially previewed on SNKRS Live in March 2024, the shoe was referred to as “Industrial Blue” and no mention of the well-known moniker was made. On SNKRS, the shoes are currently labeled as “Industrial Blue”. However, the box label on the shoes clearly reads “Military Blue”. Our theory on this name change is that Jordan Brand does not want to be associated with the term “military” and do not want to make light of the current world events. Understandable move, but again, the box clearly states Military Blue.
A HISTORY LESSON
The Air Jordan 4 is fourth model in the historic Air Jordan footwear legacy of Michael Jordan. Designed by Tinker Hatfield, the Air Jordan 4 is most recognized for a number of striking details including the netting on the upper, the lace eyelet “wings”, the visible Air cushioning at the heel, and the tall tongue with the Jumpman Flight logo. Currently, the Air Jordan 4 is considered to be among the most popular Air Jordan Retro models on the market.
The Air Jordan IV released in 1989 and was produced in four colorways throughout the year. Following a similar assortment of color schemes as the Air Jordan 3, the Air Jordan 4 released in two white-based Bulls colorways (Jordan 4 “White Cement” and Jordan 4 “Fire Red”), one black-based colorway (Jordan 4 “Bred”), and a white and blue accented version (Military Blue). It retailed for $100, making it one of the most expensive basketball shoes on the market at the time.
RETRO TIMELINE
The Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue” has been re-released as a Retro on two different occasions thus far. The upcoming May release will mark the third overall Retro drop, and the fourth overall release including the ’89 original.
As mentioned earlier, the Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue” originally released in 1989. The first-ever Retro release arrived on September 9th, 2006 with an MSRP of $115. It featured a Jumpman logo at the heel, replacing the original Nike Air at the heel. This was largely due to Jordan Brand looking to further distance itself from Nike and establish itself as a completely separate brand.
The next re-issue arrived six years later, dropping again on June 9th, 2012 with an MSRP of $160. Like the 2006 release, the 2012 version utilized the Jumpman logo at the heel.
The upcoming May 4th release of the Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue” will be the first Retro release to feature the Nike Air on the heel (see above). The MSRP is expected to be $215.
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A TIMELINE OF EVENTS
Updated December 19th, 2023: A closer, detailed look at the Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue” has been revealed via Instagram user @fkzsnkrs.
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UPDATE November 25th, 2023:
We now have a first-look at 2024’s “Military Blue” Air Jordan 4 thanks to known sneaker-leaker @jfgrails. According to the Instagram user, next year’s retro will feature all original details for the first time since 1989. Furthermore, the Military Blue 4s will borrow the Nike SB x Air Jordan 4 “Pine Green”‘s shape, which has been widely celebrated.
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UPDATE July 24th, 2023:
According to @sneakerfiles and @zsneakerheadz, the 2024 Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue” will feature an “Off-White” upper as well as cut/shape similar to that of the OG.
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ORIGINAL STORY April 20th, 2023
Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue” fans rejoice!: The beloved sneaker is rumored to finally see a retro come Summer 2024.
If you’ve been following footwear for at least the last handful of years, rumors of the “Off White/Military Blue” pair returning are nothing new, but fever over the original color scheme has grown exponentially over the last six months. Reliable early sneaker information outlets @zSneakerHeadz on Instagram and Sneaker Files broke the rumor.
The last time the “Military Blue” Ar Jordan saw a retail launch was in 2012. NIKE, Inc. released a modified-for-golf version of the style in September 2021, much to the disappointment of many eager fans. The next reissue of the pair, however, is expected to feature near one-to-one specifications to the debut from 1989. The shape of the shoe should fall in line with Jordan Brand’s “Remastered” series, while branding on the spine and outsole should read “Nike Air.” There’s no word as to whether or not the sole units will feature a yellow tint for a “vintage” aesthetic, but sources state the Jordan 4 “Military Blue” will release for the whole family.
Please note that the return of the popular Air Jordan is purely speculative as of this writing. The final version – if one even releases in the rumored timeframe – may differ from initial mockups and unconfirmed descriptions. If the sneakers do drop, however, they’ll surely land on Nike SNKRS for $210 USD.