Nike's Flawless Grandpa Steppers Are Back to the Future
Who doesn't love fresh waffles more than Nike? As of 2024, Nike been toasting up a new iteration of its oldest running sneaker, the LD-1000, for some time. At last, it seems like there's finally a release date for when these hot boys are ready to pop out.
Originally conceived during Nike's earliest years in the 1970s, the LD-1000 sneaker was one of the first Nike running shoes to ever boast a waffle sole.
Yes, the waffle idea was actually brought to Nike co-founder Phil Knight after a United States Olympic Track coach, Bill Bowerman, conceived the idea while eating that crunchy sweet treat for breakfast. Bowerman even tested the design concept by pouring a can of liquid urethane onto a waffle iron to create his own soles.
And I thought DIY streetwear brands screenprinting their own T-shirts at home.
Imagine if Bowerman ate pancakes instead? Our eyes wouldn't be feasting on these good grandpa running steppers Nike's dropping in 2024.
Oh, let's just quickly clear the air and specify that the LD-1000 is not the same sneaker that Emily Bode re-worked for her first Nike collaboration.
While that's also a Nike waffle shoe likely sitting inside your grandpa's attic, that model was the Astrograbber, a '70s Nike football shoe.
The LD-1000 does low key look like a good Nike Bode Astrograbber dupe, though, and it's rumored to drop on August 2, mere months after the much-hyped Bode drop. It's also relatively affordable, anticipated to cost around $85.
So yeah, that means if you just wait a little longer, you won't have to force yourself to buy a pair of adidas Sambas and dress like everyone else this summer.
But when it comes down to munching on these waffle soles from the '70s, remember that Nike's not just cooking up its oldest recipes.
In June 2024, we also saw the reveal of Nike's Air Waffle Racer SP, a wild sneaker hybrid that put a '90s-era Air Max sole onto a Waffle Racer from the '70s.
Call Doc Brown because Nike's heading back to the future.
