One Good Stealthy Retro Racer

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The waffle-soled sneaker epidemic crept in when nobody was paying much attention, and has refused to leave ever since. Sparked by Nike’s Moon Shoe revival, courtesy of Jacquemus, no less, the sportswear giant has spent the last few seasons slapping the once-obscure sole onto a growing roster of similarly minded silhouettes. 

As someone who has worn a pair of PUMA Speedcats into the ground and recently adopted an off-the-beaten-path slim sneaker into my rotation, the Waffle Racer stood out to me, specifically because it wasn’t, in fact, another Moon Shoe. The latter has had enough airtime at this point, maybe even a little too much. The Waffle Racer, though? Now that’s where it’s at.

It’s retro in all the right ways. Everything about it feels lifted straight from Nike’s glory days, which is probably why it looks so at home right now. Low-profile, nylon-heavy, and sitting atop that unmistakable waffle outsole, it scratches the same vintage itch as the Moon Shoe without feeling like the obvious choice. 

When it comes to colorways, the black-and-white pair was always going to be the sensible choice. I had every intention of turning these into daily beaters, and so far they’ve worked with just about every thrown-together fit I've put together. I was toying with the summer-ready “Star Blue” pair, which would look exquisite with denim, but at the end of the day you can never really go wrong with a black Nike. That said, the blue ones are still sitting in the basket. Who knows, the trigger may still be pulled. 

Worth noting before picking up a pair: the Waffle Racer does run a little snug. I’d recommend going up half a size if you prefer a bit more room, especially if you’re not into that more fitted, old-school runner feel.

One of the best things about Nike’s recent run is that half of these sneakers look like they should cost considerably more than they do. The Waffle Racer falls squarely into that camp. It looks premium, feels considered yet somehow avoids the hype tax that usually comes attached to archive revivals. Long may it continue.

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