The Black Cat has retro'd twice before (2006, 2020) — both with a Jumpman heel. The 2025 pair is the FIRST time the Black Cat has ever had Nike Air on the heel, and that alone is why StockX is at $315–350 for common sizes. Reps get you that specific version.
Three Black Cat AJ4 releases exist. Which one you want matters, and reps ship different specs.
| Year | Style code | Retail | Heel branding | Peak resale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 OG | 308498-002 | $150 | Jumpman | $1,200+ |
| 2020 Retro | CU1110-010 | $190 | Jumpman | $800–1,000 |
| 2025 Retro | FV5029-010 | $220 | Nike Air | $315–350 (current) |
The 2025 version is the first Black Cat ever with Nike Air on the heel. That's the point. Nike Air is treated as OG-tier branding by Jordan Brand — normally reserved for '89 colorways. Extending it to Black Cat (a 2006 non-OG) was a statement.
Black Cat's whole aesthetic is stealth. Triple-black nubuck upper, tonal blacked-out hardware, black mesh, subtle grey Jumpman on the tongue. From six feet away it just reads as clean black shoes.
Which is why nubuck quality matters more on Black Cat than any other AJ4. Cheap nubuck pills at the toe within 20 wears. Good nubuck stays clean past 100. On a shoe where the whole surface is the same material, that difference is visible.
Released Black Friday 2025. Multiple restocks Dec 5 and Dec 15 via JD Sports and Foot Locker.
Rep factories default to 2020 spec unless you specify — because that's what's been the tooling standard for years. Say "2025 Nike Air spec" in your WhatsApp message and we'll ship the factory batch that has the correct heel branding.
If you don't specify, you might get a 2020-spec pair (Jumpman heel) that costs the same and looks 95% right — but the 5% is the whole reason you probably want the 2025.
Style code FV5029-010. Tap any photo for full-screen. Every batch photo below is the actual pair we ship — not stock imagery.
2025 spec. The 2025 is the first Black Cat ever with Nike Air on the heel. The 2020 used Jumpman. Say '2025 Nike Air spec' on WhatsApp — factories default to whichever tooling is current, so specify.
Nike Air heel branding. Every previous Black Cat (2006, 2020) used Jumpman on the heel. Nike Air is normally reserved for '89 OG colorways. Jordan Brand extending Nike Air to a 2006 non-OG was a significant treatment upgrade.
The 2006 OG. Original retail was $150. Currently $1,200+ deadstock. The 2020 retro peaked at $800–1,000 before supply dried up. The 2025 is currently $315–350 — modest premium above the $220 retail.
Nubuck pilling at the toe. Since the whole shoe is one material (black nubuck), any material defect is immediately visible. Ask for a bright-light close-up of the toe box on QC photos — should be even nap density, no bald patches.
MJ's childhood nickname in Wilmington, North Carolina. Basketball friends called him that for his court instincts. Tinker Hatfield picked up on it while studying MJ for the AJ13 design in 1997. Applied to the AJ4 for the 2006 release.
Retail pricing, release dates, style codes, and colorway details on this page cross-checked against Jordan Brand SNKRS listings, StockX product pages, and Sole Retriever release records. Rep batch pricing reflects July 2026 landed-to-US-doorstep quotes.