Classic Nike ACG Footwear

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Written by: XEONIQ [ Instagram | Tumblr ]

Contents

• Introduction
• Nike ACG i-95 Posite Max
• Nike ACG Air Zoom Tallac Lite
• Nike ACG Mowabb
• Styling Examples

Introduction

Nike ACG began as a novel sportswear approach to the outdoor apparel industry, and has waxed and waned in popularity since its 1989 debut, currently enjoying a resurgence as outdoor-themed streetwear. While in the contexts of practicality and performance some of the new products are a step in the right direction, such as the ACG Karst Backpack (REVIEW), the majority lack many of the qualities that made classic ACG so appealing. While ACG introduced numerous interesting garment and accessory designs, the truly novel innovations, in my opinion, were in the footwear department.

All three ACG designs in this article are black, with contrast coming from mixed materials and design features. I believe that a strong outfit will always compliment and support the person wearing it, and brightly coloured, overly-branded and eye-catching shoe designs, especially those paired with mostly black “techwear” outfits, are going to make those viewing you notice your shoes first, rather than you as a person. The industry today is rife with gaudy, busy designs that offer neither subdued aesthetics to complement outfits nor performance and rather focus on providing shoes that stand out on their own against a white studio background for e-commerce. As the “sneakerhead” market cares very little about performance and often buys far more shoes than they have a need for, it is not a mystery as to why brands like Nike have evolved as they have. Thus, I’ve always had my eye open for low-key, performance footwear for styling with my own outfits, and felt it valuable to share with fellow tech enthusiasts who desire alternatives that work better for their urban technical outfits.

Rather than prepare one of my typical exhaustive reviews of a single new product, I thought I would discuss a few of the classic ACG shoes I have on hand and have worn off and on for a long period of time in my wardrobe rotation. I will provide long term impressions of each model and discuss what features and components make them useful for the urban consumer.

While these products aren’t sold by Nike any longer, brand new and used versions are offered regularly on sites such as eBay and Grailed. Further, thinking about footwear critically, or any garment or accessory, at the product level, specifically about what makes it valuable for our individual use cases is a useful practice that I hope my readers also engage in when making their own purchases. I will conclude with a few styling examples and how and why the shoe was chosen as part of an overall coordination.

Nike ACG i-95 Posite Max

I was initially drawn to the i-95 for its zipper closure and futuristic aesthetic. The design looks like it could work as a costume piece in a 90’s science fiction film. While branded with two outwardly-facing Nike “swooshes”, these are low-key and do not overwhelm the design like many of Nike’s current shoes do.

A 2012 holiday release, the i-95 Posite Max is a marriage of the Nike Air Flightposite and the Air Max. Not a very creative name but it describes what the boot is perfectly: a waterproof basketball shoe. The i-95 moniker refers to an interstate freeway in the USA spanning Florida to New England. Beneath the zipper and stretch polyester cover is a traditional high top basketball lacing system. Ankle support is very high and your foot is sealed with the zipper engaged.

This boot is a tank. It is completely impervious to water, I’ve even submerged it on the beach and there was no leak through. It is extremely heavy for a Nike sneakerboot but it is exquisitely made. While I am not shy to say that the majority of Nike’s footwear are poorly made compared to the competition, this particular shoe is extremely well put together. I have worn this shoe frequently in severe weather over the last six years and it still looks as new, a testament to not only the construction but the materials used in making the i-95. I won’t be wearing this boot regularly because of how insulating or heavy it is but for extreme weather I haven’t found it’s equal.

i-95 Summary

• 100% waterproof
• Heavy and Insulating
• Enormous silhouette limits styling
• Highest construction quality and robustness of any Nike sneaker I’ve encountered
• Low key branding, all black futuristic aesthetic

Nike ACG Air Zoom Tallac Lite

I purchased the Air Zoom Tallac Lite years after the other two ACG shoes in this article. With the Mowabb and the i-95 I really had no knowledge or appreciation of classic ACG and bought each sneaker based on looks alone. With the Tallac Lite, I was interested because I knew that this boot was the favourite of veteran Nike and ACG designer Peter Fogg and because it provided a techno-organic aesthetic with an intriguing use of mixed-materials as part of its design.

The external plastic cage was inspired by a bat’s wing, while the ripstop nylon outer textile was inspired by the material used on hiking backpacks and the moulded supports were taken from basketball shoes. Despite the use of an external exo-skeletal cage akin to the Air Mowabb, Huarache and Presto, this boot wears and feels like a traditional hiking boot on foot. The original Air Zoom Tallac was made from Gore-Tex, and I wrongly assumed this “Lite” re-release would be as well. Unfortunately it is not, and the result is in my mind a quite heavy, insulating and non-waterproof hiking boot. I wore this several times in tropical storms to test out the new Nike ACG Karst (Review) and the boot soaked through within 15 minutes each time. On top of that, it’s weight and insulation means it retains water easily. However, as a hiking boot I did enjoy the traction, particularly in mud, and its ample ankle support.

Despite my qualms with this boot’s performance in the wet or its versatility for styling in urban outfits, it has a few strengths that are worth discussing. Firstly, like the i-95, it feels high quality in hand and is well-made. This is not a cheap, mainline Nike sneaker like the React Element 55 (REVIEW). Like all three sneakers in this article, classic ACG construction and material quality far exceeds mainline Nike. The use of both organic and technical aesthetic inspirations is something I would like to see more of in new footwear designs and I think as more and more people begin interacting with a techwear style, they will appreciate shoes which have made such considerations to better coordinate with their looks.

Tallac Lite Summary

• Mixed-material design, high quality construction
• Techno-organic design inspired by backpack materials and a bat’s wing
• Good ankle support
• Heavy, despite its “Lite” name, insulating and not waterproof at all
• Bulky hiking boot silhouette and features limits its use for casual outfits

Nike ACG Air Mowabb

Easily my favourite sneaker, ACG or otherwise. I purchased my first pair of Air Mowabbs on a whim while in Japan, wanting a black mid-top sneaker for planned hiking at Chiba’s Nokogiriyama and for evening running and gym sessions, as I was staying for roughly three months. Not knowing anything about ACG or this shoe’s reputation at the time, I was surprised with how well this low-key, inexpensive all-black sneaker performed and these barely left my feet for the entire duration of my trip.

The Air Mowabb was conceived and tested in and inspired by Moab, Utah by one of classic ACG’s and Nike’s most prolific designers, Tinker Hatfield. There is an interesting Sneakerfreaker Interview with Tinker Hatfield available here: Link. In the interview he details the desire to have a sneaker that could do anything from trail running, to climbing to bike riding, and to do them all well; as well as his inspiration for the sock upper which came from neoprene ski boots. The Air Mowabb was the first instance of Nike using speckling in the rubber sole, and its hard to believe that for a shoe that is now turning 30 years old how ahead of its time the design is – in terms of performance and utility – and that we have had so few sneakers from ACG or otherwise to match it in three decades.

The black nubuck leather upper takes on a blue-green patina over time, which I find very attractive, but some might not. This is my second pair of Air Mowabbs, with the first lasting five years of regular wear including outdoor, training and travel use. That original pair is still wearable but very tired. This kind of robustness and longevity is something I feel characterises classic ACG footwear and that is not present in a majority of Nike’s modern lineup. True to Hatfield’s design inspiration, this really has been a sneaker I could do everything in, and it’s only during times I desire a more casual aesthetic would I choose another alternative.

Don’t confuse this original nubuck leather Air Mowabb with the more recent CDG collaboration. That shoe has not only fallen victim to hypebeast pricing, it is also flimsily made with a polyurethane micro-suede upper and offers none of the water-resistance or durability that the classic ACG design provides. Further the materials marks easily and is difficult to clean and its extraneous panel flaps and overt branding reduce its utility for those looking for urban techwear shoes. Overpaying for under (or lack of) performance is something any rational consumer should try to avoid when it comes to athletic footwear.

Air Mowabb Summary

• Lightweight, incredibly robust, mixed-material design
• Breathable despite its leather construction and moderately weather resistant
• Nubuck leather outer develops an interesting blue and green patina over time
• Low profile, versatile for styling with tapered, cropped or cuffed pants
• Suitable for biking, running, gym, hiking, and casual urban activities

Styling Examples

I’ve presented here a few older outfits from my Instagram and Tumblr that were styled with the Air Mowabbs and the i-95s. The Tallac’s quite frankly are too busy for my current style and I feel they require a more wide-legged hiking pant to style properly, which I no longer have.

Travel

These are two outfits I wore to Chiba, Japan (left) and Belgrade, Serbia (right). The emphasis was on storage and comfort with minor weather resistance and insulation. The Air Mowabbs being so lightweight and comfortable they work well as a travel shoe, styled here with cuffed cargo joggers from Cotton On which suit the sock-like upper of the shoe. Their low sheen texture works well with the muted, dark outfits.

Wet Weather

Below are two techwear looks that each feature a shell and are coordinated for stormy weather: the left for lighter rain and the right for a torrential downpour. As the sole and profile of the i-95 is much thicker than the average boot, the zip gusset of the Tech Woven pants was left open as wide as possible. This boot does not suit heavily tapered or cuffed pants.

Daily

The final two looks include winter and a summer interpretations of casual urban techwear for daily use. This kind of context includes commuting on foot, exercise in the gym, carrying roughly 10kg of personal carry and equipment, and to look casual enough to not be out of place in social and work situations. The Tech Woven pants used in the light stormy weather above are coordinated with the Air Mowabbs, but with fully closed zip gussets to increase tapering and completely the sock upper of the shoe.

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Ethical Statement: The products featured in this article were purchased by myself with my own funds and are in no way endorsed or otherwise sponsored by the manufacturer (Nike).