Nike Revived an Obscure But Stylish Mega-Buckled Stomper
Buckle up! A new-ish Nike sneaker just dropped. The Nike ACG Air Phassad, part of Nike's All Conditions Gear (ACG) outdoor category, is inspired by the great outdoors in both design and function.
Essentially a reprint of Nike's 2002 Air Phassad shoe, which was designed by Scott Portzline, the new Air Phassad sneaker still wears a velcro-strapped flap, inspired by a tent door. The flap covers the sneaker’s mesh upper and attaches with a buckle near the collar.
Like a tent flap that keeps airborne rubble and dust out, the sneaker’s shroud is designed to keep out common trail debris like rocks and pebbles. More important than any of that in my hike-adverse opinion is the air of chicness that the bucked flap gives Nike ACG’s Phassad.
Despite being inspired by a sneaker that's over 20 years old, the lace-free mechanism resembles the retro-futuristic vibe found in other laceless sneakers like Nike's Air Max Sunder.
Like the Sunder, the Air Phassad also has an air unit for additional underfoot cushioning. The outsole wears a tooth-like pattern that provides extra terrain-withstanding grip that can go from the trails to streets and back again, granting enhanced durability while providing the shoe with a formidably chic aura that screams "Gorpcore ain't dead."
Dropping later this year for $125 on Nike’s website, the Air Phassad comes in two colorways: "Cave Stone/Aluminum" and "Triple Black."
Now, unexposed or hidden lace mechanisms make up some of the most peculiarly stylish offerings from Nike's ACG line. The elderly gorped-up ACG Izy moccasin and the weird AF ACG's Rufus mule play into this theme quite well. For all intents and purposes, though, the Air Fasado is miles ahead of its ACG comrades in the chicness departments.
