How the Air Jordan 4 “Lightning” Represents an Important Era of Collector

Imagine dropping double retail on a pair of retros Mike didnâ€t even play in. Now, imagine this inflation being justified through a matching t-shirt you never wanted nor planned on wearing.

This is the predicament fans of the Air Jordan 4 “Lightning” found themselves in all the way back in 2006.

Launching online only at Jumpman23.com as Sneaker Files cites, the first run of “Lightning” 4s sold for $250 a pair at a time when “Military Blue” 4s – then back for the first time ever – only cost $115. This massive markup, outrageous colorway, and baked-in merch play were polarizing to many at the time and criminal to some. 

Oddly enough, coughing up that extra cash for a statement sneaker online was not only forecasting the future, it was pretty smart in hindsight.

2006 Air Jordan 4 “Thunder” & “Lightning” Packs (Image via Freshness Mag)

Released on the same day as the “Thunder” Air Jordan 4 and “Tour Yellow” Air Jordan 4 of the same sentiments, the “Lightning” launch was quite literally a storm the sneaker culture had never encountered. 

Testing the market and the ability to mark up, these loud Lifestyle launches pushed the boundaries of clothing and collectibility. Famously, the “Thunder” 4s retailed for a whopping $500 as an online exclusive that came with a matching jacket. The “Cement” channeling White/Tour Yellow take was the only pair not handcuffed to apparel or the Internet, hitting select LS accounts in limited fashion for a cool $125.

At the time, the imaginative trio of Air Jordan 4s appeared similar to previous packages but louder and more lavish. Previously, the “Nubuck” Air Jordan 12s and “Fire Red Laser” Air Jordan 4s toyed with the idea of tying matching merch to that of an energy colorway and making it available only online for an exaggerated rate that never felt fair nor added up.

The Air Jordan 4 “Lightning” Pack shirt from 2006 (Image via Flight Club)

At a time when new colorways were finally starting to catch on, Jordan Brand looked to make their mark in apparel through the buzz. Rather, fans felt exploited by the companyâ€s push to move clothing which eventually aided in the closing of some stores as they were forced to swim in oversized shirts bearing impossible to purchase shoes. 

In the early to mid-2000s, these high-priced launches weighed on collectors looking to keep up. Over time, they aged as good investments.

While weâ€re certainly not here to treat sneakers like an ‘asset class,†weâ€d also be remiss to not acknowledge the envy and value that grew around the bright yellow 4s. From their point of launch and into the 2010s, the “Lightning” 4s came to be considered quite possibly the most coveted Air Jordan 4 on both the market and aftermarket for collectors of a certain age.

In a sense, the Air Jordan 4 “Lightning” signifies the era of Collector 2.0. While the original crop of footwear fanatics found favor towards Jordans due to Mikeâ€s inspirational play on-court, the second generation considered fashion their sport, spending less time on the hardwood and more online. 

Wale & Travis Scott in the ‘06 Air Jordan 4 “Lightning”

Funny enough, the irony surrounding the original Air Jordan 4 “Lightning” is that while the clothing combination was likely meant to appeal to the notion of that growing consumer base, it instead served as a tax for those that had to have the shoes. This Collector 2.0 was comfortable paying extra for the ability to rock these kicks, shelve the shirt and match them with apparel of their own choice.

Through the course of the 2010s, the “Lightning” 4s have aged arguably better than any Lifestyle launch from Jordan Brand during that era. Fan favorites like the “Altitude” 13s, “Cool Grey” 3s, “DMP” 6s, and “Nubuck” 12s have all returned on their lonesome with in-store availability and standard retail pricing. Theyâ€ve been met with a warm response and wear, well, just the same. 

Because of their 15 years in the vault and head-turning colorway, the “Lightning” 4s in original form have lit up outfits over time for the likes of A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott, DJ Clark Kent, Wale, and Stalley. Some were likely digging deep to pull out their old pairs while others flew to Flight Club.

Nick Young & Sheck Wes in the ‘06 Air Jordan 4 “Lightning”

Similarly, the likes of Nick Young and PJ Tucker have even rocked their pairs on-court, while Jimmy Butler and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have saved them for the tunnel. For someone like Sheck Wes, who was only seven years old when the “Lightning” 4s first struck, itâ€s easy to see why they rank as a grail to those now in their 20s and early 30s.

In 2021, the Air Jordan 1 High still reigns as the casual king for the mainstream masses that make up Collector 3.0 — the wide range of fans who fell in love with sneakers in the last ten years and have next to no trouble paying over retail. Collector 3.0 isnâ€t bothered by new colorways, whether basic or loud. They still align strongly with fashion and consider chasing rarity as the new sport.

For Collector 2.0, the “Lightning” 4s represent both an acquirable grail and a signal for style. Unlike Mount Rushmore rarities of the 2000s like the “Eminem” 4s or “UNDFTD” 4s, the “Lightning” launch was a pair you could actually purchase, even if they were limited. Contrary to popular pairs of the same era like the “Space Jam” 11s or “Fire Red” 5s, the “Lightning” 4s spoke loudly to leveraging imaginative streetwear over ‘90s nostalgia. 

Air Jordan 4 “Lightning” (Image via Nike)

This month, the Air Jordan 4 “Lightning” returns for the first time ever. It wonâ€t come with a t-shirt, but it will retail for $200 – just $10 more than your average pair of AJ4s at MSRP. Early leaks suggest plenty of pairs will be made, speaking to a new age of customers that are as stoked or more so to get their hands on these than last fallâ€s “Fire Red” 4 with Nike Air on the heel. 

Though the abundance of pairs on the market will make spotting “Lightning” 4s in the wild less novel for the Collector 2.0s of the world that made them matter, itâ€s worth not worrying about having $1,000 on your feet ready to crumble at any time. In any era with any amount of pairs produced, the “Lightning” 4 is forever a head-turner.

Today, we can all thank the bold ballers who took the t-shirt tax on the chin in 2006 paved the way for a world where we can all get “Lightning” 4s on their lonesome and for a reasonable retail price. Maybe they messed it up by allowing big brands to move the goal post, maybe they made it possible for big brands to eventually give their consumers exactly what they wanted.

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How to Buy the Air Jordan 4 “Lightning” for Retail 

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