Nike Waffle Racer

Once upon a time, in the 1960s, to be precise, running was not considered a sport or a hobby. People didn't run. The running sneakers on the market could be counted on the fingers of one hand, and anyone who ran at all was considered crazy or a college student. And this is exactly where the story of the Nike Waffle sneaker begins. Nike was in its infancy at the time and only distributed running sneakers when its owners, Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, ran the track team at the University of Oregon. In the early 1970s, the Hayward Field running team was transitioning from a cinder track to an artificial surface, and Bowerman was looking for a running shoe that would be suitable for multiple surfaces. One day, Bowerman was having waffles for breakfast with his wife, and there it was. He saw the waffle and thought: "If I flip the sides of the waffle so that the waffle part comes in contact with the track, this could work." He got right up from the table, went to his lab, and started working.

The sneakers with specially modified soles first came out in 1973, were suitable for both flat and uneven running surfaces, and helped push the idea that the sole could also absorb shock to the joints. Prior to that, all athletic soles were flat, so the Waffle-inspired outsole was the first major innovation in the industry. The first model was made in Japan, had nylon upper, and gained popularity at a cosmic speed. Later came a canvas, slightly redesigned version called the Waffle Racer. Over time, the sneaker was improved upon, and the original waffle sole was used on other Nike products such as the Astro Grabber, Nike Elite, and the Tailwind silhouettes, which even became the chosen sneakers of American football players.

Nike also made 12 pairs of these Nike Waffle sneakers for Olympic runners, and one of these pairs, completely unworn, is the most expensive pair of sneakers in the world. If you want to know how much it went for and what it looked like, read our blog article Sneakers for Millions - Top 20 Most Expensive Shoes in the World. You have to admit that not many sneakers have so much history behind them, they are both comfortable and stylish, and honestly, those are already compelling reasons to get a pair for your shoe collection, don't you think?