I imagine that most true fans of Air Jordan 4's are also fans of the Air Flight '89 which came out at the same time the 4's did. There were clear similarities between the two, particularly the sole & midsole design, the plastic lace tabs and the fact that both shoes were the mid-top variety. I don't know how much the Air Flight 89's cost when they came out, but they were surely considered the poor man's AJ4. Even to this day the AF89 is a relatively affordable high quality sneaker with timeless good looks. I have owned many pairs of these shoes and at the moment I am down just to one pair, which was a Nike ID shoe I had customized in white/grey. I really liked the original colorways and of course the original leather they used was very supple and would easily get creased. I don't know about you guys but I don't mind the creasing. Just give me the high quality leather they used back in the day. The leather they use nowadays--and I may be generous by calling it leather--is so stiff and vinyl-like that the shoes have fake look to them. And for whatever reason, Nike ID is no longer offering the AF89 as a customizable shoe.
But here is a pair I once had. These came out in the late 2000's or early 2010's. All black smooth leather with some grey highlights. I never wore these. I was saving them for a rainy day. Eventually they too ended up leaving my collection. Another decision I regret to this day. These are impossible to find now. I like black sneakers but not all black. The only sneaker I'll wear in 100% black is Vans Authentic. (I must admit I once had an all-black pair of AF89's that were not bad at all). Everything else I gotta have some highlights in other colors, preferably white. This was a kickass pair of shoes and I can only hope that Nike will make these again in this colorway. Air Flight 89 is definitely in my top 10 of all-time best sneakers.
