The Nike Air Presto: Sneaker Retrospective Series

Presto! A Nike T-Shirt for Your Foot!

Nike has brought along many, many innovations from its patented Air technology to the concept of the cross-trainer to the first superstar basketball sneaker in the Air Jordan. The latest in Nike's innovative concepts has been its Free technology, where particular signature Nike shoes have serrated midsoles and/or outsoles that simulate the natural motions of the foot. While this has become a big hit for Nike, Inc. since its introduction in 2004 (especially for runners and footballers), the precursor to the Free technology was produced in the form of the 1999 hit-the Air Presto.

The Nike Air Presto was a running shoe with a mostly one-piece upper made entirely of Lycra spandex. For support, thermoplastic eyelet supports cradled the foot while sitting on top of an extremely light Phylon foam midsole housing a heel-Air sole. The shoe totally changed what a normal sneaker could be because of the seemingly endless flexibility that the shoe allowed the foot, while also allowing for foot to be comfortable with a lighter rubber outsole (trademarked by Nike as "Duralon").

Critics praised the Air Presto for its trendiness, which was shown in abstract Nike commercials showcasing the shoe with nicknames for its myriad of color schemes. The Air Presto was also praised for its evidence of brashness, eschewing materials of the status quo, like full-grain leather, traditional mesh, and synthetic leather (known as Nike's Nubuck). Some consumers even compared the Presto to being a T-shirt for the foot.