The Huarache were originally Released in 1991 with the question ‘Have You Hugged Your Foot Today?’. The reason for this question: with their Huaraches, Nike had developed a shoe that literally ‘hugged’ your foot by way of a design that incorporated a neoprene and spandex sock encased in a supportive exoskeleton. With its unconventional design, the Nike Huaraches revolutionized the shoe industry. The shoe had no heel counter which is the firm backing that wraps around and supports the heel, instead it has a distinctive, harness-like strap, similar to a sandal (This is also where it’s name comes from, a “huarache” is a kind of Mexican sandal). In addition to this the shoe also used neoprene, which had never before been done in a running shoe. Since its original release the design quickly spread beyond running to other products, such as basketball shoes and even cleats. Using the trademark harness-like strap and foot hugging design, Nike has come out with many different models of the shoe to cater to different demographics and purposes such as basketball, running, and street wear. The shoe also comes in a wide array of colors, patterns, and textures. The version of the Huaraches pictured above are the Nike Huarache Ultra in Olive Green. The design of the Nike Air Huarache Ultra focuses on comfort, flexibility, fit and ease of entry, resulting in a lighter shoe that still “hugs” the foot. This model looks a lot like the original Huaraches because it keeps all the elements of the iconic 1991 Huarache Airs with a modern twist on the exoskeleton.
