Nike’s status as the biggest name in sport wasn’t built overnight. As long it’s existed, the swoosh has bet its business (and reputation) on record-breaking performance — radical, industry-defining innovations that date back to the Bill Bowerman-incepted waffle sole, and continue to this day across virtually every plane of athletic achievement.
Now, Nike is digging back into its archives to revive one of these historic silhouettes.
A forgotten long-distance trainer from the late ‘70s, the LDV — short for Long Distance Vector — boasts a number of accomplishments; it was the first-ever sneaker to summit K2, and would ultimately go on to spawn Nike’s ACG (All-Conditions Gear) unit, the brand’s beloved sub-label which churned out a ton of legendary sportswear-meets-outdoors designs. Nearly 50 years later, Nike is reissuing the LDV, albeit with new, modern technology now baked into the retro blueprint.
While the ACG LDV may look like it was pulled straight out of Nike’s ’80s-era archives, in keeping with similar reissues — the LD-1000 and imminent Moon Shoe both come to mind — the style leans on cutting-edge design DNA, utilizing the swoosh’s best-in-class ReactX foam and All Terrain Compound (ATC) outsole for a supremely cushioned and highly stable ride. The textile and leather upper has been similarly reworked, with improved durability that now includes a bulkier look and new branding. (Crucially, the new version doesn’t sacrifice the classic racer color scheme.)
For a bit of context, the sneaker itself wasn’t originally an ACG special — the outdoor offshoot wouldn’t be officially created for more than a decade — or even a “trail” shoe, but rather, a cushy, nylon trainer that Nike offered to hikers John Roskelley and Rick Ridgeway for the historic ascent of the world’s second-tallest mountain in 1978, in exchange for real-time wear-test and evaluation from the expedition.
Unlike the standard leather hiking boots of the time, the LDV’s waffle-tread, quick-dry nylon upper and maximal springy cushion offered a lighter, bouncier and more comfortable ride, and under the guidance of mountaineering legend Jim Whittaker, the duo became the first Americans to make the 110-plus-mile summit, sans-supplemental oxygen and wearing the lightweight runners for much of the trek. The feedback from the historic climb would eventually lead not only to trail-focused innovation from Nike but the whole creation of ACG.
The newly reissued ACG LDV launched late last week in two retro colorways — a “dark sulfur” and “brilliant blue” and is available in limited sizing at Nike and retailers like Huckberry (who also put together some fantastic editorial to accompany the launch) for $130.
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