Nike Air Huarache Runner

Air Huarache Runner

The 1991 Nike Air Huarache is one of the brand’s most iconic silhouettes. From its water-skiing-inspired design to its structural heel clip, the shoe had a unique look and a comfortable feel, making it popular over many years. In 2023, this classic model returned in the form of a new sneaker called the Air Huarache Runner.

The Nike Air Huarache Runner retains the retro styling of the original shoe but with a modern profile and updated features. Its chunky sole unit is almost identical, incorporating soft Air cushioning for high levels of comfort and with blocky rubber grip pads for excellent traction. Also similar to the 1991 design is its upper, which includes a sleek heel cage that delivers fantastic support around the back of the foot.

Alongside this, various materials have been placed atop one another to produce a stylishly layered upper. Breathable mesh acts as the base, with premium leather and durable suede panels forming the dynamic overlays. The elongated, 90s-inspired tongue is filled with perforations for additional ventilation over the top of the foot, and the circular Air Huarache patch at its peak emulates that of the original shoe. On top of this classic piece of branding, the Air Huarache Runner is also adorned with embroidered mini-swooshes on the sidewalls, the back of the foot and the toe, while glossy Nike text has been embossed onto the heel clip and Air lettering debossed into the midsole below it.

Instead of the snug-fitting bootie design of the 1991 Huarache, the Runner model has a more conventional inner with a plush lining that hugs the foot just like the original did. Comfort-giving elements such as these make the Nike Air Huarache Runner a great everyday sneaker, while its heritage esthetic forges a dapper look that is at once charmingly nostalgic and stylishly modern.