The Nike MetCon 1 “Banned” Is Returning This August

As CrossFit experienced a meteoric rise in the 2010s, Nike, ever-forward-facing, embraced the trendy new regimen with the Metcon 1. The company of the same name, however, quickly banned the novel cross-trainer from their official competitions, invoking their exclusive Reebok deal as they made any Swoosh products a no-go. While CrossFit’s exponential growth has petered out, Nike is bringing back the controversial silhouette with the Metcon 1 “Banned” this August.

Though the “Bred” Metcon 1 layout set to retro isn’t the shoes debut look, it’s one of the more latest in the series that now spans 9 models. Surely the iconic Chicago colorway doesn’t need much of an introduction, guided by the incredibly iconic “Banned” promos heavily utilized in the Air Jordan 1‘s original run. The reasons behind both shoes’ exclusions are of different tenors entirely, but it’s synergistic all the same.

While the 8 years that have elapsed since the original release of this shoe and its retro isn’t entirely noteworthy, the launch of the Metcon 10 certainly is, and the “Road to Metcon X” subtitle hints at additional retro efforts this year. The Nike MetCon 1 “Banned” hits Nike.com and select retailers on August 2nd, carrying a $150 MSRP.

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