ASICS is out of the gate with two new runners featuring the propulsive power of a carbon plate. The METASPEED Sky and METASPEED Edge both boast an FF Blast Turbo midsole which is built around a lightweight, energy-returning carbon fiber plate. The Sky is the more stacked of the two, engineered to elongate your stride. The Edge is lower, designed to support and control cadence.
Nike’s latest addition to the Air Max legacy is the all-new Air Max Pre-Day. Named for running legend Steve Prefontaine, it merges 70s-era styling cues with modern tech. Recycled materials throughout the upper compliment a re-designed & streamlined Air Max outsole with a big window to display the airbag. Available on Air Max Day, March 26.
The latest & greatest from the Nike Running lab is the ZoomX VaporFly NEXT% 2, a fresh, race-focused runner in the ZoomX range. It retains the articulated carbon plate shank and a lightweight but durable rubber outsole with low-profile grooved treading. The upper is breathable mesh featuring asymmetric lacing to provides instep support and comfort for going farther faster. Available March 25.
An iconic and beloved running shoe in its 1970s heyday, Adidas Originals has now re-issued the slim, all-leather Cadet. It features a suede toe bumper and low-profile natural rubber outsole. You may not want to run a marathon in this shoe but dudes definitely did. Available now.
Reebok is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their iconic Pump Omni Zone II, a hoop shoe made immortal by Dee Brown in a 1991 NBA Slam Dunk contest. Before stuffing his first of many amazing dunks that day, Dee knelt down & pumped up his shoes. This 2021 limited re-issue pays faithful respect to the original design. Available March 4th.
For the third time in as many seasons, Salomon is teaming up with footwear design maven Fumito Ganryu for another fresh SMU. This time, it’s a crispy white variant of the Salomon ULTRA running shoe. In addition to its all-terrain outsole, this ULTRA features a zip-up raincover over the instep for a smooth & weatherproof silhouette. Here’s to hoping you log some miles before snow season turns into mud season.
Merging all-weather outdoor performance & top-end tech from Nike Running, the ACG Mountain Fly Low is a Gore-Tex equipped mountain-sport shoe with styling that’s fit for the city. It borrows a silhouette from ACG’s most popular hiker, the carbon fiber plate from the groundbreaking Next% design & adds React cushioning atop its wraparound lugged outsole. Available February 11.
With the goal of reducing impact and maximizing energy return, The North Face’s newest footwear tech is a system called VECTIV that brings carbon fiber and composite plates to their trail running and hiking range. Utilizing rocker in the outsole, these shoes reduce downhill tibial impact, offering lightweight construction plus enhanced forward spring & energy return. VECTIV debuts in eight run and hike styles.
The UltraBoost—Adidas’ most popular runner—has once again been updated & upgraded. The UltraBoost 21 retains a full-length Boost midsole but now has 6% more cushy foam than its predecessor. The shoe’s torsion system has also been juiced: it features LEP technology—Linear Energy Push—a 15% increase in forefoot rigidity for a more responsive stride. The upper is constructed with at least 50% Parley fabrics, comprised of upcycled ocean plastics.
Built on a full-length ZoomX cushioned midsole, adapted from record-breaking runners like the AlphaFly NEXT% and VaporFly NEXT%, Nike’s latest long distance running shoe is the Invincible Run. Blending cues from the recent React runners, it features a full mesh upper and pronounced rocker in the sole, for faster heel-to-toe transition & increased stride speed. Available January 7.
New York-based menswear brand Todd Snyder & New Balance teamed up to create a fresh, elevated capsule of classic American-Made 997s. The Triborough Collection features the brand’s “Flying NB” logo on the quarter—which graced the original 997 when it debuted thirty years ago in 1990. Choose from navy, burgundy, or classic dad gray.
Nike has reworked the iconic Air Max 95 for use on the tennis court. The NikeCourt Zoom Vapor X Air Max 95 pays homage to the original with a familiar upper design, while the lower half features Zoom Air in the midsole & the court-proven grip of the ridged NikeCourt outsole. Available now in 2 classic colorways.
Merging urban style & outdoor sport, Nike’s versatile ACG footwear line is popping off for the holidays. The 2020 Holiday capsule includes winterized, Gore-Tex clad versions of both the ACG Air Nasu & the ACG Mountain Fly shoes, offering weatherproof performance for all-terrain winter adventure. Both shoes will be available in early November.
In honor of the late, great Kobe Bryant, Nike and Undefeated have partnered up on a special edition shoe to mark his posthumous induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Kobe 5 Proto “Hall Of Fame” features a gold & purple colorway in a mix of luxe materials. A red-to-purple gradient swoosh features numbers 24, 8, & 10, denoting his 2 Lakers jerseys and one from USA Basketball. Release date TBD.
For its new top-shelf trail runner, New Balance is going all-in with super-size cushioning. The Fresh Foam More Trail v1 features a thickly-stacked midsole, breathable mesh upper, and an off-road ready Vibram outsole. Designed for comfort over the long haul, the shoe also features rugged weatherproof construction to handle tough trails.
Rugged, lightweight, and completely waterproof, Columbia’s Facet 45 OutDry trail shoe is a versatile all-sport slip-on with a booty-style fit. It features a ballistic textile upper backed by a waterproof, breathable OutDry laminate. Match that with its aggressive outsole & these are the ultimate all-terrain puddlestompers.
With the launch of the Terrex Protohype capsule, Adidas gains ground on Nike, Hoka, & NB, who’s recent trail running kicks have left Adidas in the dust. The 3 new trail-specific runners in this collection include Boost foam, Parley fabrics made of recycled ocean plastics, BOA closure technology, and dirt-slinging Continental outsoles. Choose from the Agravic BOA, the lean & light Terrex Two Parley, or the flagship Terrex Two Ultra Parley. Available Sept. 1.
Designed to go hard in the summer heat, Nike’s latest training shoe, the Metcon 6 is 16% more breathable than its predecessor, plus lighter, and it comes for the first time, in a flyEase variant. Developed with elite fitness athletes it features a Hyper Lift insert to support squats, snatches, & cleans, as well as a dual-density drop-in midsole for cushioning those box jumps & double-unders. Global release: August 31.
The latest evolution of the Chuck Taylor All-Star is the mid-top BB Evo, a performance basketball shoe developed with a group of rising NBA & WNBA pro players. The shoe features a streamlined light mesh and textile upper and a Nike React midsole for cushioning. A distinctive wraparound diamond-pattern outsole with a retro-inspired foxing stripe completes the design. Available August 1.
Designed from the ground up to be Nike’s most sustainable shoe, the Air VaporMax 2020 Flyknit is constructed with 50% recycled content. There are a few qualifiers but this minimalist high-tech runner achieves a standard of efficiency & sustainability called Circular Design. The shoe features the brand’s first full-length VaporMax air unit and the Flyknit upper is made of yarn containing 67 percent post-industrial recycled content. Available July 23.
