‘Nike ACG – A Personal History’ By Chris Aylen.

The earliest elements of the Nike ACG range were formed back in the early 1980s, when shoes such as the Lava Dome, Magma and Approach were released, but it wasn’t until 1989 that the ACG concept was formally announced. Before this time, Nike had primarily been targeting the sports performance category, with only a few notable exceptions to the program: with ACG, performance was still very much at the heart of the range, but the aesthetic was perhaps more suited to the great outdoors than much of the sports footwear had been. Rugged materials, solid sole units and colour palettes that both blended in with their surroundings yet still turned heads were the order of the day.

For such aggressive-looking silhouettes, comfort still reined supreme, with models such as the much-loved Mowabb (named after the terrain of Moab, Utah) featuring neoprene sock linings and superb ventilation. ACG’s success on the streets was easy to understand: a shoe that could grip boulders and hop across rock faces would probably handle the concrete jungle equally well.

One thing that’s interesting to note, is that many of the original designs have aged particularly well. Shoes such as the Lava Dome and the Wildwood still look as fresh today as they did when they first launched. Colours, branding, materials, marketing… Everything was on-point.

The only things that proved difficult were tracking down many of the models (especially here in the UK), pronouncing some of the crazy names and trying to work out which models fitted into which categories. Some of those things were frustrating at times, but that was definitely a big part of ACG’s appeal.

With the relaunch of the Autumn/Winter 2015 Nike ACG collection imminent, here are five of my favourite shoes from the ACG and Nike Hiking archive.

1) Nike Son of Lava Dome (1989)

Intended as the low-cut successor to the original Lava Dome (1981), this updated version was one of the frontrunners of the official ACG launch in 1989. The black and purple colour way was good, as was the black and blue Escape edition, but the silver and yellow colourway remains one of my favourite shoes ever. The rubberised Swoosh was set into the sides of the shoe, adding a strange tactile quality to the upper section, whilst the toe panel showed off the layering of materials perfectly. The Son of Lava Dome influenced elements in later models, such as the Ashiko boot, where the clean lines of the midsole made a hefty shoe look decidedly high-tech. The Son of Lava Dome felt as solid as it looked, but without the weight.

2) Nike Air Approach 150 (1996)

The Air Approach 150 dropped with what I personally would call the second wave of ACG, when the entire range looked rejuvenated with new materials and more detailing that I’d noticed before. At a time when many of us were hunting out nautical jackets and Polo Sport apparel, the ACG shoes of the mid ‘90s fitted the look perfectly. The Air Approach 150 was a mid-cut boot, with an unusual triangular side profile that made your feet look like Vaughn Bodē characters. I first saw the 150 in Nike advertisements on the back covers of various US magazines, but the original Black/Varsity Red-Smoke colourway never reached UK shelves. I settled for the blue, tan and yellow domestic release until I could find the other colourway on eBay many years later. One of the few original ACG shoes in my collection that has held up well over the years, I actually skated in these for a while too!

3) Nike Air Baltoro High (1991)

This shoe dropped in some truly hideous/amazing colourways (how does Bright Magenta, Navy Blue, Neo Turquoise or Amethyst, Citrus-Infrared, Vivid Grape grab you?), but the original Baltoro was a classic boot design that fell under the pre-ACG Nike Hiking range: a sturdy high-top with sports performance qualities. Alongside the Lava Dome and Lava High, the Baltoro  The retro edition, released in the mid 2000s, may have pushed the colour boundaries a bit too far, but the original shoe remains (quite literally) a highlight of the genre.

4) Nike Air Mowabb (1991)

A predictable choice perhaps, but the Mowabb is in here with good reason: for many, it’s the archetypal ACG shoe. The original colour scheme has been successfully applied to many other models (you’ll be hard-pressed to find an ugly shoe in this colourway), and its legacy is strong: neoprene boot, speckled midsoles and the Huarache strap have been utilised continuously on later designs, perhaps beginning with 1992’s Air Revaderchi. The Mowabb is proof yet again that when Tinker Hatfield creates a shoe, he doesn’t do it by halves.

5) Nike Takao Mid GTX/Low GTX (2011)

A more recent addition to the range, the Takao only seemed to release in Asia – a shame, as they looked perfect for the UK winter season, with extra GORE-TEX protection on the uppers and an outsole that could crush bones. The lateral and media sides both utilised straps and webbing reminiscent of earlier models such as the Terra Tor, but in bright colours that takes things back to the Terra Sertig days. I like to think that there’s still room for this shoe to flourish: Nike, please bring the Takao officially to the UK!

Special Mentions

Many think of the Air Terra Humara from 1998 as an integral part of the ACG puzzle, and with good reason: alien-esque loops hold the laces in place, while the windows in the heel section give a small glimpse of the technology inside. It looks and behaves like a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Although not classified as an ACG release, I feel that the Air Terra Goatek (1999) fits the bill as well. With an outsole pattern based on the hooves of mountain goats, the Goatek amplified the manic jagged stylings of the Terra Humara and added a Zoom sole unit for extra comfort. The grey, yellow and blue colour scheme still looks clean.

The NSW Lunar Macleay from 2010 is another recent design (from the skilled mind of Nate VanHook) that united traditional ACG styling with modern tech, such as the Lunarlon cushioning. The Macleay didn’t take off as much as I hoped it might, but I still break out my pairs every autumn. Finally, and perhaps controversially, I always thought that the Air Safari from 1987 would have been right at home in the first ACG line-up. Although it was designed as a running/track sports shoe, many of us had thought of it as a trails runner… until Tinker confirmed otherwise in person.

You can follow Chris at The Drop Date.