Nike Brings Back The Waffle Trainer With Athletics West Inspiration

The archival model throws back to the very beginning.

Matt Varga October 25th, 2024 (updated)

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New Nike Innovations like the Sabrina 2 and Air Jordan 4 RM will always get the headlines, but nothing ever tops the classics in Beaverton. Blue Ribbon Sports and “Since ’72” colorways that have emerged this year are proof of that, but the newest retro effort for the Oregon company goes elsewhere in the archives. The Nike Waffle Trainer is back in black & white, bearing allusions to Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight’s Athletics West.

The allusions to the Nike originator’s running team are found on either insole, one bearing the club’s logo and the other a brief rundown of its history. In that section, this shoe outlines how the post-collegiate outfit inspired the athletic wear that the Swoosh got its start with, a category that the Waffle Trainer certainly fits into.

To that point, the original construction provides a foundation, but isn’t replicated one-to-one. While the suede split toe is true to the OG, the shoe swaps to a mesh upper rather than nylon. Additionally, though it’s hard to argue with black & white, the colorway is more of a nod to the default look for the Waffle Trainer 2 than the iconic blue & yellow colorway of the 1972 edition. Nonetheless, the retro appeal of one of Oregon’s first runner models is still undeniable some four decades later, and the aged sole underfoot only adds to that argument.

The Nike Waffle Trainer is expected to return for Fall 2024. Pricing info is unclear at the time of writing, but will be added here as soon is emerges.

Sticking on retro offerings, take a look at the latest colorways of the New Balance 550 as it continues its street-level dominance.

: Nike Waffle Trainer JD Sports

: Nike Waffle Trainer JD Sports

: Nike Waffle Trainer JD Sports

: Nike Waffle Trainer JD Sports

: Nike Waffle Trainer JD Sports

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WHERE TO BUY

Mens Nike Waffle Trainer "Athletics West"

SKU: HM0950-001

RETAIL PRICE: $100

RELEASE DATE: Aug 1, 2024

US 08/01/2024 Thursday

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Written by

Matt Varga, Junior Editor

Matt Varga is an Editor at SneakerNews. Initially earning a degree in Video Arts and Technology, he got his start in video editing and writing in the music world — primarily on hip-hop and electronic. A long-standing interest in sneakers led him to switching over to footwear. An avid collector, his favorite sneaker of all time comes down to either the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe” and Air Jordan 5 “Laney,” his first ever pick-ups. When he’s not writing, you can find Matt cooking, traveling, attending concerts and when weather permits, on the handball court.