Nike’s Legendary ’70s Waffle Racer Gets a Refined Urban Upgrade

This modern version of Nike’s original shoe retains the classic styling but gets elevated with mixed materials and a great colorway.

Nike

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By Sean Tirman

Published 2 hours ago

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The footwear that started everything for Nike was the Moon Shoe, a sneaker that would go on to be known as the Nike Waffle Racer.

Well, several versions of that sneaker are still in the brand’s catalog today. But one of the latest, the Nike Waffle Racer SE “Black/Filbert-Sail,” might just go down as the best to come out this year, at least where style is concerned.

Black and beige Nike sneaker with mesh and leather upper, patterned laces, and translucent sole. — The silhouette remains intact, but the mixed-material upper helps elevate the classic sneaker.

Bang, zoom, right to the moon!

So the story goes, Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman got the idea for the original Moon Shoe when glancing at his wife’s waffle iron, a wedding gift received back in 1936. What started as a failed experiment (pouring pure urethane into the waffle iron ruined it and permanently sealed it shut) led to a footwear revolution.

By and large, this sneaker remains true to its roots, bearing that same knobby tread that carried over from the Moon Shoe to the Waffle Racer. It even has other intentionally retro elements.

Top view of black and beige Nike sneakers with white tongue and black-and-beige braided laces on a beige background. — The sneaker gets an exposed foam tongue and two-tone braided laces.

For instance, the tongue has exposed foam around its edges, which hearkens back to the earlier days of these sneakers. Even the mixed-material upper is a reference to how the original Waffle Racer was built.

Yet, there is also some modernity intentionally imbued into this redux. And the styling cues help elevate and refine it even further.

Pair of black and beige Nike sneakers viewed from the back on a beige background. — The upper combines leather reinforcements and details with dimensional mesh.

A big flex

This is not the first version of the Waffle Racer SE we’ve seen recently. A highlighter-yellow-and-black version came out just a couple of months ago. Largely, this one and that one are the same, especially in construction.

Like the previous version, this shoe boasts a dimensional mesh upper that is flexible and breathable (especially compared to the all-leather or nylon versions that have come before). It also has leather reinforcements to add a bit of protection and durability and additional leather details, which add some extra stylistic depth.

Shoe sole with translucent rubber studs and black upper edge on a beige background. — The classic knobby waffle iron-inspired outsole thankfully remains.

But what really sets this version apart from even its siblings is the Black and Filbert Sail colorway. The black upper is a timeless classic, the white of the tongue and outsole offers excellent contrast and the Filbert Sail tan of the swoosh, heel and laces serves to tie the whole refined package together. (I also like that the tan somewhat matches the gum of the outsole.)

I wouldn’t dare call a Nike Waffle Racer SE a dress sneaker, but this take is definitely a bit more streetwear-friendly. And it might go down as the best colorway of the year (at least for me).

Pair of black Nike sneakers with beige swoosh, white padded tongue, and translucent rubber soles. — These could be the best-looking Waffle Racers of the year (although there’s still a lot of time left).

Availability and pricing

While the Nike Waffle Racer SE “Black/Filbert-Sail” hasn’t yet launched stateside, it’s currently available in Japan through Billy’s Tokyo for ¥13,860 (approximately $86).

Black and beige Nike sneaker with mesh upper, leather overlays, patterned laces, and translucent rubber sole.

Nike Waffle Racer SE “Black/Filbert-Sail”

$86 at Billy's Tokyo

About the Author: Sean Tirman is an associate editor at Gear Patrol who specializes in EDC, cannabis and outdoor gear.

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