Brendan Dunne 
2014 has been one of the better years on record for Nike Huarache fans. This year has not only had a wider distribution channel for shoes sporting that classic Tinker Hatfield tech, but it’s also had a pretty impressive number of original colorways that haven’t been around for quite some time. The Nike Air Huarache Light “Ultramarine” showed up in Europe a couple of months back, and sneakerheads worldwide have recently been reveling in the opportunity to get a crack at the “Scream Green” Nike Air Huarache for the first time since 1999.
As Huaraches are so big at the moment, we’re shining the spotlight on them once more in Sneaker News NINE@NINE. Mind you this isn’t a comprehensive list of every pair of Huaraches that ever released, but rather a quick rundown of some of the notable models – this time we kept it to the originals to remind you where it all started. Continue reading to see these Nike Huarache Originals, let us know down in the comments which of them have stood the test of time and which of them don’t necessarily need a retro, and remember to stay tuned for the next episode of Sneaker News NINE@NINE.
Nike Air Huarache – 1991
The shoe that started it all. You’ve no doubt heard the story of Tinker Hatfield wanting to cut back on Swoosh branding with the Nike Air Huarache, hence the distinct lack of that logo. Do remember though that early renditions like this had the more standard Nike/Swoosh tag rather than that with the circular Huarache mark.
Nike Air Flight Huarache – 1992
The shoe made famous by the Fab Five. The Nike Huarache technology immediately proved itself in the basketball category with the release of this pair, which extended the fit further up the ankle and featured a cut out design that didn’t sacrifice any support. Like its predecessor, the Nike Air Flight Huarache totally ignored any Swoosh branding.
Nike Air Huarache International – 1992
The Nike Air Huarache International was one of the early additions to the line that kept things in the runner realm. They’re also one of the closest to the original Huarache in terms of the whole skeletal aesthetic, with the white leather cage that grips the shoe here letting you get an even better peek at the Dynamic Fit goodness below.
Nike Air Tech Challenge Huarache – 1992
This pair should feel more familiar than most of the entries listed here due to its retro presence in 2014. That presence isn’t entirely true to the original though: the tooling on the 1992 pair was different, and back then the shoe was just known as the Nike Air Challenge Huarache.
Nike Air Trainer Huarache – 1992
Tinker Hatfield made straps shine for Nike when he whipped up the Nike Air Trainer 1. Things came full circle in the early 90s when his Huarache tech was quickly paired with that approach for the Nike Air Trainer Huarache, a model that’s evolved countless times since and has popped up plenty of times in the retro realm as well.
Nike Air Huarache Plus – 1993
Yes, Nike Huaraches were getting graphic early on. The Nike Air Huarache Plus, which hails from ’93, seemed to be particularly prone to those sort of treatments for its neoprene cushioning. This OG pair had an almost turtle shell look there that switched between aquatone and laser lime.
Nike Air Elite Huarache – 1993
Hats off to you if you remember this one. The Nike Air Elite Huarache is a model that doesn’t get talked about too often when reminiscing on Huaraches of old, perhaps because of its status as a women’s trainer. If you flip through catalogs from its ’93 debut you’ll spot colorways like the “Aquatone”, “Dark Ocean”, and this “Wildberry”.
Nike Air Trainer Accel Mid – 1993
There are a handful of 90s Nikes that have the Huarache fit system but fail to directly directly make mention of it (The Mowabb and the Air Jordan 7 come to mind there). The relatively unknown Nike Air Trainer Accel Mid is another of those – you won’t find the Huarache logo anywhere on the shoe, but you’ll find the sock style fit lining the innards.
Nike Air Huarache Racer – 1994
Don’t call it a Huarache Light. While the two models are identical in terms of uppers, the Nike Air Huarache Racer here has a slightly different sole setup. Which means that the 2014 Light rendition of this blazing bright colorway was more a case of revisionist history than proper tribute.
