Reebok has an exclusive deal with CrossFit, so competitors in the upcoming CrossFit Games can’t wear the Nike Metcon 1, the brand’s high-intensity training shoe.
With the games happening this month, Nike is set to release a colorway of the Metcon 1 that pays homage to the Air Jordan 1 colorway that was banned from the NBA for violating the NBA’s uniform regulations.
The Nike Metcon 1 Varsity Red will hit stores on Thursday, with a retail price of $130.
The shoe’s upper is predominantly black, with the color extending from the toe cap to the heel, with varsity red making appearances on the toe cap, swoosh logo, heel and eyelets. The outsole of the shoe is white with varsity red appearing towards the heel.
For intense training, the Metcon 1 features the brand’s Flywire technology for stability, an abrasion-resistant mesh upper, a dual-density midsole, flex grooves on the bottom to allow for natural movement and a minimal heel-to-toe drop.
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The colorway is reminiscent of the Air Jordan 1 that was banned by then-NBA Commissioner David Stern on Oct. 18, 1985 for violating the league’s on-court dress code, leading Nike to launch a marketing campaign stating that while Jordan can’t wear them during games, “the NBA can’t stop you from wearing them.”
Also releasing Thursday is CrossFit competitor Lauren Fisher’s colorway of the Metcon 1 for women — a black, white and teal silhouette, with a retail price of $120.
