Barefoot Essentials: The Evolution of Nike Free

2016 will mark 12 years of Nike Free, one of Nike’s staple technologies. As the story goes, Tobie Hatfield and Eric Avar created an organically moving sole that was inspired by an ice cube tray, found success when testing the new technology against traditional running shoes. This ushered in a new understanding of biomechanics and design philosophy with Nike Free. With the latest iterations, the Nike Free RN and Nike Free RN Flyknit, dropping on Thursday, April 7, we thought it was only right to pay tribute to the line’s history and present 10 Free releases that changed the game.