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CALLING ALL sneaker freaks with little ones in their lives. Nike just dropped a new shoe aimed at helping babies and toddlers look fly while they learn to get up on their feet and walk. The Nike Swoosh 1, a very fun Flyknit variation that echos the line’s adult range.
Following on from other pioneering kids’ shoes, like the Nike Dynamo Go and Air Max 270 Go and not just a cool-looking sneaker, the Swoosh 1 is functional and has plenty of thinking to back it up—it’s also the first shoe in history to earn a seal of approval from the American Podiatric Medical Association which is a nod to how the Swoosh 1 helps promote development. As Nike’s research states: ‘Our lifelong gait pattern begins to solidify as early as five to six months after we learn to walk. Our feet need to bend, flex, grip and splay in order to develop how they’re naturally intended to.’
How does it work? Babies have more concentrated nerve endings in their feet than any other part in their body—which is a traumatising thought when you think about the feeling of stepping on Lego as a kid —but they also need their feet to bend, flex, grip and splay in order to learn how to stand to support themselves and walk in the best way nature intended. The Flyknit and TPU sole design, complete with velcro fasteners, has actually been engineered to mimic the feeling of going barefoot—not unlike many of Nike’s pioneering running shoes. This allows it to have 360-degrees of pliable support and the ability to bend in all directions. The sole is super grippy for traction and durability too, meaning it’s totally play-ready. Plus, it’s made with 80 percent recycled materials.
The Swoosh 1 drops just in time for earning those sweet sweet Christmas present clout points, and is now available globally. But as with all hyped sneaker drops, we’re watching to see how fast sneaker freak parents and friends will rush to cop—so get your wish lists sorted now.
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