Nike Debuts Waterproof Air Force 1 In Sleek Monochromatic Gray

These weather-ready, minimalist kicks continue Nike’s 40th anniversary celebration of the Air Force 1.

It’s sometimes dizzying to keep up with new releases from Nike, but a few iconic silhouettes rise above the rest. And those silhouettes, like the classic Nike Air Force 1, are worth celebrating when a milestone hits (the Air Force 1 turned 40 last year).

Icons can also be improved upon, and the timeless low-top style is now even more functional: Nike just announced it’s getting a waterproof treatment in a crisp new color.

There’s also an ever-evolving crop of luxury sneakers in bold colors and fabrications, but the Air Force 1 has pedigree in spades.

For instance, the Nike x Louis Vuitton Air Force 1s debuted last year as designed by Virgil Abloh, and Nike and Tiffany collaborated earlier this year on Tiffany Blue-inspired pair of AF1s.

There’s even an impossibly crisp all-white version of the Air Force 1 Low out on the market, but the sleek monochromatic grey version boasts a touch more utility: The leather itself is waterproof, and Nike streamlined much of its traditional stitching to keep water out of the shoe.

Even the Nike “swoosh” is visible via an outline rather than raised stitching, and it’s an effect that requires a second look.

Nike’s “Air” branding near the back heel and on the tongue itself remains consistent.

And yet, Nike appears to have tackled a key problem with the minimal Air Force 1, as even slight water damage or scuffs are enough for the most fervent sneakerheads to retire a pair (if only for a moment).

For the time being, the one catch might be the fact that there’s no release date set for this covetable, useful update to the Nike Air Force 1. Stay tuned and clear some space in your sneaker rotation in the meantime.