From Penny to Pigskin: The Foamposite ‘Pearl’ Gets Cleated

Nike’s Foamposite legacy is once again breaking out of the paint and onto the turf. The Nike Vaporposite Pro ‘Pearl’ retools one of the most coveted Foamposite Pro colourways ever, giving gridiron athletes and collectors a hybrid hit of hoops heritage and football performance.

The 'Pearl' Foamposite first made waves in 1997, and became a cult classic known for its lustrous pearl-white shell, jet-black accents, and a flash of 'True Red' on the Swoosh. Decades later, Nike have resurrected that DNA for football’s fastest players, dropping the beloved palette onto a Vaporposite cleat for the very first time. Previously, only stars like Odell Beckham Jr were blessed with Foamposite-inspired player exclusives. Now, the gates are open for everyone.

Performance upgrades are more than cosm(et)ic. The rigid Foamposite upper has been fused with lightweight overlays for better flexibility, while the ankle receives a supportive mesh cuff to accommodate quick cuts and bursts of acceleration. Underfoot, Nike’s Vapor Edge 360 traction plate replaces traditional soles, engineered to maximise grip and responsiveness on the field.

That on-field transformation is only the latest chapter in a saga that started nearly three decades ago. From its debut, the Foamposite rewrote Nike’s playbook on design and technology. The moulded shell was futuristic, polarising, and practically indestructible – a sneaker that looked like it had crash-landed from another galaxy. Worn by Penny Hardaway and embraced by East Coast sneakerheads, the Foamposite carved out a cult following that’s only grown through retros and new colourways.

The Nike Vaporposite Pro is scheduled to land on November 28.

For more cleat heat, peep the ‘White Cement’ Air Jordan 4s.