Nikelab Free Rift Sandal [2015]

Brand new with tags and OG box! Dubbed the NikeLab Free Rift Sandal, the new design fell closer to the sandal end of the spectrum than its predecessor. The textile upper and rubber outsole of the original gave way to protective TPU cages and plush Phylon midsoles. Nike Free technology, a concept trail blazed by the original Air Rift, completes the package to create the ultimate protective and flexible sneaker/sandal hybrid. Originally developed as protective training footwear for volleyball athletes, the NikeLab Free Rift Sandal features hexagonal flex grooves to achieve a natural and barefoot feel. To increase the shoe’s longevity, durable rubber pods were added to the outsole in high friction areas. The one-piece TPU upper was originally meant to cooperate with an interchangeable midsole but ultimately the two components were fused together. As a final nod to the original Air Rift, a topographic motif was added to the NikeLab Free Rift Sandal’s upper, referencing the Rift Valley in Kenya - the original inspiration for the OG 90s silhouette. A great piece of modern footwear design, very hard to come across in this condition!