Nike ACG Chalk Up the ‘Ash Green’ Air Mada
have unexpectedly revived the Air Mada model from circa 1994 to a welcoming horde of retro hiking fans. The design’s rugged aesthetic and panelled construction lends itself well to vivid colourways, which the brand is taking advantage of by releasing strong combos such as ‘Ash Green’.
While the colour name sounds somewhat powdery, it’s actually a rich shade of teal, which appears on the main leather overlays on the upper. This is met by durable black twill inserts and matching rubberised bumpers – they are meant to be used and abused, after all.
The functionality continues with the dense rubber cleat tread, fused to the padded foam midsole containing Nike Air tech inside. Up top, generously sized pull tabs on the tongue and heel aid with easy on-off, and can even be hooked up to a carabiner or similar device for freehand carry on a backpack for example.
This model also implies some sort of sustainability engineered into the design, as the insoles depict the old Nike Regrind logo –meaning it’s likely there’s some recycled materials in the mix.
The ‘Ash Green’ Air Mada releases on May 13 via Nike, alongside it is the OG edition.