Jake Pulver

Barefoot Essentials: The Evolution of Nike Free

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Nike Free Run 2+

Nike Free Run 2+

Photo via Sneaker News

The Free Run paved the way, but it was the Nike Free Run 2+ that launched Free technology to heights that it never reached before in the casual world of sneakers. Yes, the sneaker was built with the runner in mind, but with an asymmetrical lacing system and cutaway design that mimicked the anatomy of the foot, it impressed far past that circle by embracing an elegant, performance-driven aesthetic. This was the Nike Free sneaker that everyone needed to get their hands on, even after the introduction of the Nike Free Run 3+.

Nike Free Run 2+ "Doernbecher"

Photo via Sole Collector

Lifestyle materials, like suede, premium leather and woven fabric, were thrown onto the Free Run 2+. The model was the first in the Free line to receive a City Pack treatment, paying tribute to running clubs and crews in five cities around the world. And the height of Nike Free Run 2+ hype came with the 2012 Doernbecher edition of the sneaker (pictured above), laden in bright colors and outer space details that drove sneakerheads wild. Apart from advancing the Nike Free Run line in terms of performance (which it did with the asymmetrical lacing, dynamic fit, and center-of-pressure heel geometry), the sneaker signaled Free’s entrance into lifestyle mainstream.

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