The Nike Foamposite “Royal” Is Finally Back This September

Thirty years later, the Nike Foamposite “Royal” is back. First arriving in 1997 with an astounding $180 MSRP, the Air Foamposite One is remembered for its otherworldy foam-molded upper and minimal Swoosh branding. It was debuted by Mike Bibby, but most commonly associated with Penny Hardaway, with many considering the shoe part of his signature shoe line.

It was one of the costliest shoes to produce in Nike history, and it’s understood that Nike didn’t break even on this project until several years layer. Throughout the 2000s, Foamposites were a collectors item as they only appeared on retail in 1997. That changed in 2007, when Nike chose to bring back the model in a variety of new colorways; a community of Foamposite fanatics emerged, mostly situated in the Northeast. It reached unthinkable heights with the Galaxy Foamposites in 2012, an apex of sneaker fandom that we’ll likely never see again due to changing policies regarding sneaker release protocol.

Since that fateful February 2012 release, the meteoric rise of Air Foamposite series began its descent and eventually cooled off as it re-entered the stratosphere. Changing trends saw sneakerheads give the bulky shoe a rest in favor of thin-skinned elastic knits, ushering in the age of Yeezy, Ultra BOOST, and NMD — all dominated by adidas. Foamposites haven’t rebounded fully yet, but with its comeback beginning in September with the re-release of the “Dark Neon Royal“, there’s opportunity to revisit that apex.

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Official Nike images of the Nike Foamposite “Royal” have emerged, unchanged from its original 1997 set-up. That striking blue on the foam-molded upper, the black lace collar and ankle, the carbon fiber plate on the mid-foot, and the translucent rubber outsole are all back. By re-centering the Foamposite back to its original, Nike is hoping to rekindle the fire, with confirmed releases throughout 2024 and 2025 stoking the flame.

A release date is currently expected for September 13th, 2024 with a $240 MSRP; the shoes will be available on SNKRS and at partnering Nike retailers.