Around 1984, Bill Bowerman reunited his famous trio of designers, the HTM (Mark Parker, Hiroshi Fushiwara and Tinker Hatfield) to take on a new challenge, this time based on the idea for a sock… but with a sole. That is, a shoe in which wearing socks would not be necessary. A year later in 1985, the Nike Air Sock Racer was released, a kind of sock-sandal in yellow that, far from its frail appearance, was designed and prepared to be used as ultralight footwear that could even be used to run a marathon. It was in fact so true that just a year after they were released the athlete Ingrid Kristiansen won the Boston marathon with them. Another famous record that launched their takeoff was the 1985 Ironman in Hawaii, as the winner Joanne Ernst also ran with them. And so from then on they began to be labeled with a “warning” that the Nike Air Sock Racer is made for high performance exercises.
The peculiar shape they had and continue to have is based on footwear used in surfing. The upper was made from a single piece, very light and breathable and strong since it was just a simple mesh made from synthetic wool. But not just the shape took inspiration from surfing athletes, by forgoing shoelaces and having two adjustable straps in their place, they could perfectly mold to each foot. Two very common ingredients were used for the sole: phylon and rubber.
However, for their 20th birthday, the idea of the shoe that no longer seems so innovative and should be valued within the context of the 1980s has been reinvented and relaunched, with the same essence but with a different name. This is how in 2004 the Nike Air Sock Racer became the Nike Sock Dart as we know it today. Last year we received news thanks to the initiative of their designer Hiroshi Fujiwara to create a new edition. Once again there is lots of talk about the Nike Sock Dart, to the point where a fake collaboration was leaked with a camouflage print that had to be discredited by Fujiwara himself after it had already made its way around the world. The reissue of the reissue itself from 2004 was a hit: it was released in 6 colors, and in some places around the world it sold out in a matter of hours. NikeLab re-released a limited edition in 2014, marking a new direction moving back to simplicity.
It is true that the idea it conveys no longer surprises us because after there came others, such as the Nike Presto or the Nike Free, based on the same shoe concept of creating a shoe that would be like wearing nothing. However, credit where credit is due: given that they were the first, the rest are the debtors who have been inspired by the Nike Sock Dart, previously the Nike Air Sock Racer. Not only were they the first to implement this concept, but they were also the first to use the synthetic wool fabric to create this type of upper made from one piece. So in the current panorama of ultralight sneaker enthusiasts, they also prefer the Sock Dart, and the idea now is not to recover an old model but thanks to their changes, it seems even like a new design.
The latest Nike Sock Dart went on sale March 11th in three colors:
The upper is still incredibly flexible and breathable, along with a fabric design in the center and changes in textures. In addition to the strengthening of the heel and toe, the adjustable straps have been merged into one covering more of the foot’s surface. The midsole of the Nike Sock Dart (which in the 2004 version was changed for EVA rubber) is back to being made of rubber covered Phylon with a much more attractive design. You can choose among red, grey or navy blue. And in addition to this version, we’ve recently seen it with a sole that matches the summery color of the upper and even the upper that’s been renewed with Tech Fleece technology.
Who knows what the future holds for the Nike Sock Dart now that the Flyknit technology is so popular and is used on so many models. If it will continue to have an air of exclusivity letting it be seen very little, or on the contrary if it will become a regular among the releases. Only time will tell.
Get your Nike Sock Dart at footdistrict.com and share them with us through your social networks using the hashtag #footdistrict.
Pics @Complex & Sneakerhead