The eccentric Nike Air Sock Racer was originally released in 1986 as a marathon shoe. In the era of nylon, suede and rubber, Nike Air Sock Racer’s four-way stretch, elastic mesh upper with two straps was certainly ahead of its time.
Designed by Bruce Kilgore, he gave this laceless shoe a bold colorway, black and tour yellow. The combination of polyurethane foam sole with a full-length Nike air bag midsole offers comfort and performance. Bold advertising line like “Still Crazy After All These Years” added culture importance to the shoe.
In 2014, Nike Air Sock Racer was released in an HTM version (a collaboration between Hiroshi Fujiwara, Tinker Hatfield and Mark Parker) as part of the “Genealogy of Free” campaign, cementing it as a precursor that influenced Nike Free technology.
This year, Nike brings its latest innovations to the original shoe. For the first time, Nike Air Sock Racer uses Nike Flyknit upper to enhance breathability and improve the fit.
The lighter Nike Ultra outsole consists of dual-density foam tooling, a sipe pattern and encapsulated, top-loaded air in the heel.
The two buckles now come with slightly thicker straps, one for preventing the wearer from shifting too far forward, another one for medial and lateral support.
The Nike Air Sock Racer Flyknit is available April 27 on nike.com, select Nike retailers and Limited Edition stores for S$209, while the Nike Air Sock Racer Flyknit Premium will be available from 5 May at S$225.
