Jovani Hernandez Before NIKE, Inc. took over the sneaker space with its revolutionary Nike Air Max line, the North American company was impressing die-hard runner with silhouettes like the Nike Challenger, which has recently returned in its inaugural “Black/White” colorway.
Akin to the Air Tailwind, which precedes it by a year, the Challenger features a low-cut trim and waffle-pattern outsole. Launched in 1979 with the purpose of solving weight and fit issues reported of the Tailwind throughout the Honolulu Marathon of 1978, the model boasts a minimized-use of mesh around the forefoot and tongue. Zigzag eye-stays, uncommon at the time, allowed wearers to customize the fit of their shoes unlike other performance-propositions on the market, making for a notable evolution from the Swoosh’s earliest racing options.
This Challenger OG is now available on Nike.com for $90 USD.
For more from NIKE, Inc., read up on all forthcoming Jordan release dates.
Images: Nike
