Nike's Latest Dad Shoe Is the Ultimate Y2K Chunkster That Never Was
Nike's Air Pegasus Wave brings yet another retro-cool dad sneaker to the brand's ever-growing line of Pegasus running shoes. And, yes, it again riffs on the slick Y2K styling present in nearly all of the previous styles.
Like the models of Pegasus past, the Air Pegasus Wave includes some of the Pegasus series' best technical features.
For instance, the sneakers incorporate a blend of durable synthetic materials and lightweight mesh that've been constants on various recent models like Nike's recently revived Air Pegasus 2005 shoe, sometimes called the 2k5 and recently refreshed both by the sportswear brand itself as well as Japanese fashion house COMME des GARÇONS.
The Nike Air Pegasus Wave — which bears a striking resemble to the 2k5, seen below — still stands out on its own, thanks to upgrades like the incorporation of Nike’s Wave cushioning technology underfoot.
Externally, the sneaker wears a revamped mesh pattern, allowing top-notch ventilation and, simply, a fresh new look.
Little wonder some sites covering leaks of the high-tech, old-school-looking sneaker inadvertently referred to it as the Air Pegasus Wave Cyber — the Y2K flavor is in full effect.
Though Nike Air Pegasus 2k5 colorways have released at Nike stockists for $160 as recently as July 2024, the Air Pegasus Wave is only set to release by fall 2024, according to sneaker leakers. So far, only two additional iterations of the chunkily technical runner have been teased: a very on-brand "Volt" colorway and the enjoyably elderly "Triple Black."
The Nike Air Pegasus Wave is just one of the many 2024 footwear drops from the retooled running shoe-meets-lifestyle line, which includes the flagship Pegasus 41 sneaker.
That sneaker joins the long line of Pegasus running shoes — over forty iterations and counting — spanning the past few decades.
With the sheer volume in this line, you might think Nike would throw in the towel but the latest Pegasus Air Wave sneaker is ample evidence that innovation abounds in even the most familiar arenas.
