The Nike Shoe Everyone Had in the Late ’00s Is Coming Back
Brand: Nike
Model: Free Run Trail “Green Glow”
Release Date: April 2
Price: £105 / €120 (approximately $145)
Buy: Nike SNKRS (Europe)
What the Internet Is Saying: @danxkamppinen echoes all of our thoughts: “Is this really happening?!? This was my favorite shoe of all time.”
What We’re Saying: Nike Free was everything anyone was wearing in the mid to late ’00s, when it established itself as the brand’s most popular running technology. The idea behind Free was for the shoe to mimic barefoot walking by freeing up the movement of the foot.
In 2004, the Nike Free 5.0 OG was released and — although originally a performance shoe — was adopted as a lifestyle sneaker mostly due to the sneaker’s seamless upper and flexible sole unit, which made it incredibly comfortable. It’s an understatement to say that everyone and their grandmothers had a pair of Nike Frees in the ’00s. It was the Nike shoe.
Now, over 15 years later, Nike is reintroducing one of the earlier Free models, the Free Run Trail, which features a sole unit with more traction (and one also seen on Tom Sachs’ Mars Yard experiments). The sneaker also makes use of a bootie-like construction that offers more comfort and a more seamless upper design, which lends itself to non-performance styling.
Nike Free was relaunched in the performance sector in 2019 and has also been used in collaborations with Matthew Williams. The return of the Nike Free Run Trail is likely to remain more lifestyle-focused, though the technology is obviously track- and road-ready.
Shop More Nike at Highsnobiety Shop
To stay updated on everything happening in the sneaker world, follow @highsnobietysneakers on Instagram, check out the best sneakers to add to your rotation this week, and sign up to our newsletter for the latest sneaker news sent straight to your inbox.
Our designated Selects section features products that we love and want to share with you. Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase.