Nike Revives Retro Challenger With Fresh 2020 Colorways

Nike has revived a vintage silhouette as part of its Summer 2020 lineup. The 1979 Challenger, with its variable-width system and low-cut mold, has been tweaked with modern materials and colorways for a vibrant refresh. This release follows “Black” and “Sail” iterations unveiled last month.

The silhouette comes with a low-cut construction that likens to that of the Tailwind 79 and Daybreak, except with subtle differences along the uppers. Nike Senior Global Product Manager Rory Fraser noted in a press release, “after re-releasing the Tailwind OG, Waffle Racer and Daybreak, we wanted to follow up with a model from the same era, but with a slightly different upper construction. The Challenger has more splits and panels, allowing us to play around with material and color in a slightly new way — and providing fans of the classics with something different to add to their closets.”

A retro “Nike” tag is placed at the top of the tongue, over retro waffled mesh, complemented by zigzag-shaped suede eyelet panels that cover the forefoot. A smooth full-grain leather Swoosh is woven over nylon-based sidewalls, while nubuck panels appear at the toe and heel — the new silhouette has a widened heel for a more comfortable fit compared to the original slimmed-down version. All of these features rest over an articulated white midsole with a thin black outsole to complete the shoe’s reworked design.

Though no official release dates have been revealed, Nike’s new Challengers are slated to launch for Summer 2020 on Nike’s website — prices have yet to be confirmed.

In case you missed it, Nike’s Tailwind 79 OG has been given a vintage “Track Red” colorway.