Nike Goes ‘Back to the Future’ With a New Air Tech Challenge II Colorway

For anyone who grew up watching Back to the Future Part II and dreamed of owning your own pair of Marty McFly’s self-lacing Nike high-tops, you’ve probably been frustrated with the lack of available options.

That’s not so say Nike hasn’t tried. In 2011, the company released a screen-accurate replica. It was limited to just 1,500 pairs and sold out instantly, even though it lacked the self-lacing technology. Then, in 2016, with the help of the Michael J. Fox Foundation, a second edition came out, this time with laces that laced themselves. However, these were absurdly limited to just 89 pairs, all auctioned off for charity.

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The futuristic technology was then applied to consumer footwear, like the HyperAdapt with its cool $720 price tag, and subsequently the basketball-focused Adapt BB at $350. But since 2020, no new advancements have been made in the realm of the Nike Mag, self-lacing or both.

For its latest release, Nike is taking a different approach entirely, putting the Mag aesthetic on one of its most acclaimed sports shoes ever.

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Hoverboard not included

Nike is about to drop a new variant of the Air Tech Challenge II built around the silver, white and neon palette of Marty’s Nike Mag. Needless to say, this is the closest the brand has come to bottling that aesthetic in a widely available silhouette.

Nike

The colorway lands in Photon Dust and Dusty Cactus, a silvery-white base with acid-yellow-green accents that mirrors the upper of the fictional Mag without reproducing it directly. Nike has not stated any official Back to the Future tie-in, so the connection is visual rather than licensed, but the reference is difficult to read any other way. And it probably goes without saying but these will NOT be self-lacing.

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A legend in its own right

The Air Tech Challenge II has its own piece of tennis history to stand on. Andre Agassi first wore it on court in 1989, and its original colorways were deliberately loud at a time when the sport expected players to dress in mostly white. That willingness to be visually aggressive is part of why the silhouette works as a canvas for a colorway this unusual. The shoe’s paneled upper, visible Air unit and ankle strap all stay put while the retro-inspired scheme draws all the attention.

Nike

Nike

Availability and pricing

This Back to the Future Part II-inspired Air Tech Challenge II in Photon Dust and Dusty Cactus will drop on August 18 at 10 a.m. ET from the Nike SNKRS app. It’s priced at $180 and will likely sell pretty quickly.

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Nike Air Tech Challenge II ‘Photon Dust and Dusty Cactus’

• $180 at Nike

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