words & images_Nick DePaula
For being the very first Zoom Air based shoe out of Nike Running, the Zoom Alpha has gone fairly under the radar over the years.
To most people (myself included), the Zoom Spiridon was the more classic runner of the two, and yet, the Zoom Alpha still perfectly captures the era of funky overlays, elongated toe designs and muted grey and neon tones. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more 1996-styled outsole design too, as the podular bottom-loaded Zoom look didn't quite become the norm. Take a look back at a nearly fifteen year-old original development confirmation sample.
What do you remember about the Zoom Alpha?
To browse the Air Zoom Alpha and more than 1,500 other classic Nike sneakers, check out the Ultimate Kicktionary in Sole Collector's upcoming Issue 34, launching on 10.23.10 at Nike Santa Monica and Nike Roosevelt Field. 
