In the 1960s, running was not seen as a sport or a hobby. There weren't many running sneakers on the market, and those who did take up running were often considered geeks or students. It was also around this time that the story of the iconic Nike Waffle sneakers began to be written. The Nike brand was in its infancy at the time, focusing on distributing running shoes, while its founders Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight led the university's cross country team. In the early 1970s, when the Hayward Field cross country team switched from cinder tracks to artificial surfaces, Bowerman was looking for shoes suitable for different types of surfaces. He found inspiration at a waffle breakfast, which led him to the idea of using a waffle texture for the sole.
Tennis shoes with a unique sole were introduced to the marketin 1973, exhibited excellent performance on a variety of terrains, and could absorb shock, protecting runners' joints. They were the first athletic shoes with such an innovative waffle-inspired sole. The first model made in Japan had a nylon upper and was hugely popular. A canvas version called the Waffle Racer followed. Gradually, further improvements were made to the sneaker and the original waffle sole began to be used on other Nike products. Over time, these sneakers became a favorite among American football players.
Nike also produced a limited edition of 12 pairs of Nike Waffle for Olympic athletes, with one unused pair becoming the world's most expensive sneaker. The history of these shoes is fascinating and combines both comfort and style - a strong case for adding them to your collection.
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