Nike Honors Its Running Roots With The ZoomX VaporFly NEXT% 2

The Nike ZoomX VaporFly NEXT% 2 might not make an appearance at the Tokyo Olympics (bested by its AlphaFly NEXT% counterpart), but it’s surely helped dozens of athletes prepare for the global event. For its latest proposition, the sport-changing model has emerged in a multi-color arrangement harkening back to 1972, a pivotal year for Nike Running.

Akin to an accompanying Nike Cortez and Nike React Infinity Run 2, the forthcoming pair indulges in vibrant hits of green, yellow and red. By comparison, however, the VaporFly boasts a golden tone throughout the majority of its ultra-breathable upper, instead of shades of navy or off-white. Although the significance of the aforementioned color palette to Nike Running’s history is uncertain, the latest take on the carbon plate-infused shoe features a bevy of “72” logos throughout the upper. As history tells it, the Swoosh made a name for itself at the Munich Olympic trails that year with the Nike Waffle “Moon Shoe”; one of the 12 pairs made sold at auction for over $400,000 USD in 2019. Prior to appearing at the German event, Bill Bowerman’s waffle-pattern outsole debuted at the Eugene, Ore. Trails held in June, a moment alluded to by the date on the pair’s spine. Lastly, plump ZoomX cushioning rounds the style out.

Enjoy official images of the shoes here below, and anticipate a Nike.com release soon.

For more from NIKE, Inc., check out the Air Jordan 1 Low, which recently emerged in a handful of summer-ready colorways.

Images: Nike