Nike Air Force 1 has been through numerous iterations in the last four decades. In 2022, as the sneaker which was first introduced in 1982 marks its 40th anniversary, we are bound to witness some innovative variants show up. Case in point the Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 by Virgil Abloh on auction via Sotheby’s. In the coming weeks, another interesting Air Force 1 Low is expected to launch with a removable Swoosh-shaped carabiner fastened over the rubber Swoosh on its lateral.
Air Force 1 was the first basketball shoe to debut the iconic Nike Air technology, which forever altered the on-court “sneaker culture.” Over the years, the AF1 has evolved from the basketball sneaker image into a fashion staple; it is modernized for street style, and now it wants to tinker into the outdoor trend with a pair featuring a detachable carabiner. The first images of the two expected colorways of the sneaker have appeared online, and the sultry images already have the sneakerhead in me enticed.
Designer: Nike
The interesting catch here, for an outdoorsy in you, is that the carabiner is of no more use than being used as a keychain hanging from a loop of your jeans. The metal EDC on the Swoosh is removable, but the labeling on it suggests, it can only bear a kg of weight (roughly 2 pounds). So, if you were thinking of strapping out a carabiner from your shoe and begin your excursion on a vertical rock, turn back! Now that the purpose of this metal accessory is out of the way, let’s get back to the sneaker.
The carabiner in the shape of Swoosh is affixed over the leather logo on the outside of the shoe. The Swoosh is smaller in size than you’d usually see on an AF1. To hold it in place, the Swoosh carabiner is attached seamlessly using a colored Bungee cord, while the tongue features a stash pocket. The new Air Force 1 is likely to arrive in black and white color variants with blue and matte red Swoosh carabiners and accents respectively. Nike is yet to provide an official release date for these sneakers, but from the word around the internet, we are expecting them to retail for about $130 a pair.
