The Evolution of the Nike Air Presto

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Nike Air Presto Cage - A laceless basketball sneaker variation, this slip-on was designed for post-game wear with a plush upper and distinctive midfoot TPU cage.

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Nike Air Presto Chanjo - In another slip-on variation, the TPU cage was completely eliminated from the sneaker, replaced by a foot-hugging mesh and neoprene upper.

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Nike Air Presto Roam - This HTM collaboration translates the Presto design into boot form, and was limited to 1,500 pairs upon its 2002 release.

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Nike Air Presto Faze - Designed around a natural ride, this silhouette reproduced the lockdown of laces with an all-encompassing TPU cage.

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Nike Air Presto Gym - Evolving the Presto design language, the Gym introduced a redesigned TPU lace cage, while additional overlays on the reinforced sock-like upper provided better support and lockdown.

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Nike Air Presto "Abominable Snowman" - The 1983 Air Aloha might have been the first to utilize prints, but the Air Presto built upon that with its pioneering digitally-printed upper.

Originally released at the turn of the millennium, the Air Presto has made a return en force in recent years thanks to Nike’s push to revitalize the archival runner. Now, in the wake of the Air Presto’s latest incarnation in Flyknit form, Nike has cast an eye back at the strange and weird cousins of the biological sneaker that played brief but notable roles in its ongoing family history — from designs for basketball and training, to a slip-on and even a boot version. Take a look at these little-known evolutions of one of the most iconic and influential sneakers in Nike’s history in the gallery above.

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