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Nike Air Rift

41 articles

A pioneering barefoot shoe inspired by geology and built for natural movement.

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Nike Air Rift HQ1474-200
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Parachute Beige"
  • €129.99
Nike Air Rift HQ1474-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Photon Dust"
  • €129.99
Nike Air Rift HM8288-800
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Healing Orange"
  • €129.99
Nike Air Rift HM5737-100
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "White"
  • €129.99
Nike Air Rift HM5737-003
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Metallic Silver & Sail"
  • €129.99
Nike Air Rift HF5389-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Triple Black"
  • €129.99
Nike Air Rift Breathe DN1338-100
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Breathe
  • "White & Pure Platinum"
  • €129.99
Nike Air Rift ‘Buckle Strap’ IH7346-222
  • Nike
  • Air Rift ‘Buckle Strap’
  • "Pearl White"
Nike Air Rift ‘Botanical’ IH7318-677
  • Nike
  • Air Rift ‘Botanical’
  • "Team Red"
Nike Air Rift IH3656-095
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Metallic Silver & Black"
Nike Air Rift Satin IH1990-010
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Satin
  • "Triple Black"
Nike Air Rift IB8881-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Buckle Strap"
Nike Air Rift Premium SE ‘Ribbons’ HQ3761-640
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Premium SE ‘Ribbons’
  • "Light Soft Pink"
Nike Air Rift HQ1474-201
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Red Sepia & Mink Brown"
Nike Air Rift HQ1474-002
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Ironstone"
Nike Air Rift HM8288-101
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Sail"
Nike Air Rift Lace HM8288-100
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Lace
  • "Light Orewood Brown"
Nike Air Rift HM8288-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Off-Noir"
Nike Air Rift Leather HM5737-600
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Leather
  • "Fire Red"
Nike Air Rift Leather HM5737-002
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Leather
  • "Triple Black"
Nike Air Rift Leather HM5737-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Leather
  • "Pure Platinum"
Nike Air Rift FZ4749-400
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Concord & Varsity Maize"
Nike Air Rift Breathe FN9326-666
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Breathe
  • "Pink Glow"
Nike Air Rift FN7772-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Kenya"
Nike Air Rift FN6740-500
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Lilac Bloom"
Nike Air Rift Breathe FB8864-112
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Breathe
  • "Primary Colors"
Nike Air Rift FB2366-200
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "United in Victory"
Nike Air Rift DZ4182-010
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Triple Black"
Nike Air Rift Breathe DX5422-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Breathe
  • "Polka Dots"
Nike Air Rift DX2677-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Light Bone & Honeydew"
Nike Air Rift DV3452-200
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Magma Orange & Rattan"
Nike Air Rift DV0782-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Enigma Stone & Metallic Silver"
Nike Air Rift Breathe DN1338-600
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Breathe
  • "Light Soft Pink"
Nike Air Rift Breathe DN1338-003
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Breathe
  • "Black & White"
Nike Air Rift Breathe DN1338-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Breathe
  • "Black & Rush Orange"
Nike Air Rift DJ6548-693
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Crimson Bliss & Infinite Lilac"
Nike Air Rift DJ4639-121
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Summit White"
Nike Air Rift Breathe DJ4639-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Breathe
  • "Football Grey"
Nike Air Rift CJ7552-960
  • Nike
  • Air Rift
  • "Metallic Gold"
Nike Air Rift Breathe 848386-100
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Breathe
  • "Triple White"
Nike Air Rift Breathe 848386-001
  • Nike
  • Air Rift Breathe
  • "Black & White"

Air Rift

Nike has a long history of designing innovative athletic footwear, with one of the most unique being the 1996 Air Rift. Created using insights from Kenyan distance runners who trained without shoes, this distinctive, sandal-like model harnesses barefoot principles to offer the ultimate feeling of comfort and freedom.

The upper of the Nike Air Rift is light, flexible and highly breathable, with a large opening across the top of the foot and a smaller one around the heel. While the original version was made of soft textiles, the 2016 reissue introduced Tech Ultramesh to the upper, providing even more cooling ventilation. Other contemporary editions feature plush suede or premium leather, but all have stretchy hook-and-loop straps on the heel and midfoot that allow the wearer to easily adjust the fit, with Velcro fastening to facilitate quick on-the-go use. Lastly, the Rift’s iconic split-toe forefoot design ensures proper articulation of the toes, preventing constriction and encouraging natural foot movement for a comfortable barefoot feeling.

The Air Rift’s midsole evokes the rounded shapes and varied textures of rocky terrain, offering a strong, sturdy combination of supportive foam and heel Air cushioning. Its tough, durable outsole also reflects rugged outdoor environments, with small, irregular tread patterns beneath the forefoot and larger pads under the midfoot and heel. This variation delivers outstanding traction, and the deep grip lines increase flexibility, thus contributing to the shoe’s overall manoeuvrability.

Aesthetically, everything about the Nike Air Rift reflects its key inspirations: Kenya’s Great Rift Valley and the country’s elite barefoot runners. The influence of the region’s distinctive geological fault lines can be seen in both the split toe and the outsole tread, while the mixed material upper keeps things minimal, its leather-tipped straps adding a chic touch. Refined branding effects take the form of an embroidered Swoosh on the lateral forefoot and Nike text on the rear strap, with some models swapping out the forefoot logo for one on the midfoot strap.

Since its 1996 release, the Nike Air Rift’s unique look and feel has made it a fan favourite. It has returned many times over the years, notably to celebrate the silhouette’s 20th anniversary in 2016, when a series of previously unseen images from the design process were released. They showed developmental prototypes as well as the different outsole formations that were tested to optimise traction. In the early 2000s, actress Halle Berry designed her own stylish colourway for Nike’s Artist Series, making it desirable as a lifestyle silhouette, and more recently, its elegant ballet-flat-style design has seen it become a beloved modern fashion item. Meanwhile, the Breathe variant focuses more on its practical applications with a quick-dry mesh upper suited to summer adventures.

Light and airy but with a powerful, outdoor-ready sole unit, the Air Rift is the perfect representation of the brand’s pioneering innovative spirit. With its one-of-a-kind look, incredible comfort and seamless barefoot feel, it stylishly supports effortless movement over many miles.

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