Nike’s Iconic Sneaker Keeps Proving Why It’s the King of Camo

In celebration of its 35th anniversary, Nike has lined up a massive year for one of the most famous sneakers of all time – the Air Max 90, especially for camo and tactical aesthetics fans. 

Late last year, extensive rumors and images started circulating the internet concerning an Air Max 90 “Camo Pack” that would be dropping this spring. 

The leaks initially showed three versions of the well-known silhouette draped in various combinations of neon colors and multiple camo varieties. In January, two additional versions surfaced following the same pattern.

Now, another has popped up this month blending iconic Nike color with a camo base. And few of the models are also finally available for purchase on Nike’s online store.

Here’s everything we know about the 2025 Air Max 90 Camo Pack Collection and context on how the new collection builds on a long legacy of camo-clad Air Max 90s. 

Putting Camo’s Versatility On Full Display

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For now, it appears the Nike Air Max 90 Camo Pack will include six versions in 2025.

While they’re all part of a series and embrace the same general design formula, each sneaker also stands on its own, in large part due to its signature color and unique color-matched camouflage that any connoisseur of camo patterns should appreciate. 

The Nike Air Max 90 “University Gold” shown above marries Nike’s well-known golden yellow with what appears to be a beige, olive and black derivative of woodland camo. 

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The newest camo version to crop up is officially called “Light Khaki/Magic Ember/Mink Brown/Black.” The bright reddish pink pop will remind many of the most famous iteration of the Air Max 90—the Infrared. Magic Ember is another similar hue Nike has used for years though across other sneakers and even a Nike Apple Watch band.

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The “Hyper Pink” iteration features the all-time classic iteration of woodland camo alongside pops of florescent pink.

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So far, the only option in the color pack that directly integrates shades of the sneaker’s signature color into the camouflage pattern is a “Safety Orange” version of the Air Max 90. 

As the name implies, the sneaker is a play on a common color companion to hunting camouflages—i.e., hunter’s orange. 

However, in this case, the color is applied to Desert Camo, or cookie dough camo, as it’s also known, thanks to its distinctive clusters of black and white, instead of a hunting camo pattern. Many may recognize desert camo due to its use by the American military during the Persian Gulf War, although the pattern is no longer used by U.S. Military forces today. 

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Another version known as “Light Lemon” features the iconic “Volt” neon yellow that’s been a trademark of Nike’s and the Air Max line for years. It’s also not the first time we’ve seen an Air Max 90 feature digital or pixelated camouflage, first introduced by Canada in 1997. 

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The “Aurora Green” version looks more like aqua or sky blue to the casual onlooker. Its camo pattern is also harder to place and feels like a cross between reptile, Flecktarn and Frog Skin/Spot designs. 

A True Nike Icon That’s Very Familiar with Camo

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Nike has made plenty of notable sneakers over its 60-year existence. So, how do you separate the good from the great and the great from the iconic?

For starters, very few Nike products gain enough acclaim to merit a dedicated history page on Nike’s website, like the Air Max 90. 

The 90 also holds the distinction of being one of several iconic sneakers created by arguably the most famous sneaker designer of all time, Tinker Hatfield, most famously known for his work on the Air Jordan III – XX and less famously known for his work on the Michael Keaton’s bat-boots in Batman and Batman Returns. 

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While plenty of sneakers include arbitrary numbers in their name, the 90, in this case, refers to the year it officially launched. Although in a fun bit of sneaker trivia, it was initially dubbed the Air Max III and was only re-named to the 90 after it relaunched ten years later in 2000. 

Over its 35-year run, the Air Max 90 has also appeared in plenty of camo iterations.

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The new camo pack shares a similar feel to a series of Orange Duck Camo, Volt Duck Camo and  Reverse Duck Camo Air Max 90s released in collaboration with Atmos in 2013, the latter of which was re-released again in September of 2024. 

Plenty of versions have also fully embraced the tactical look, including this glorious but sadly women’s only desert camo take in 2022. Other options were included in a Country Camo pack that featured camo prints for various countries, including Japan, the UK, and Italy. Several rarer Digi Camo editions have also popped up on retailers StockX for $2000.

Air Max 90 Camo Pack Pricing and Availability

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Only two versions of the Premium Air Max 90 in the camo pack are available on Nike’s official US retail channels right now, which we’ve linked to below.

Three models are also available on Nike’s UK site.

We expect more to pop up in the coming weeks as Nike uses the spring season to kick off the Air Max 90’s 35th anniversary in tactical style. 

Some versions of the Camo Pack are also already appearing on reseller sites like GOAT and eBay for a premium.

For a full look at the new camo collection ahead of its official launch, check out House of Heat’s coverage.

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