Archival Rummaging: Nike Lava High (1988)

Entering the outdoors has always been a prime method of freeing ones headspace, taking in photosynthesised air from the natural environment, moments of silence only interrupted in intervals by birdsong or natural occurrences, and the best way to enjoy these spaces is wearing a bloody good pair of shoes.

The Nike Hiking product line acted as a precursor series to the brands timeless and constantly reinvented ACG line, a range originally designed with function and technicality at the top of the specs list (I’d imagine a vibrant colour palette was also a key talking point in briefing discussions as there were some eye-watering shades in certain collections).

Leading the charge in the earlier part of the 1980’s were a trio of boots that included the Approach, Magma, and Lava Dome. Although outdoor footwear was continually developed throughout the 1980’s, it’s not until you reach the end of the decade where the technical elements really started to develop. The featured Lava High released in 1988 in several vibrant colourways, and were even lucky enough to have sat in the spotlight within one of Nike’s infamous Wieden & Kennedy directed print ad’s of the era.

I happened to came across these by chance at a car boot style clearout sale from an old Graffiti writing acquaintance from Plymouth’s older generation, I walked past the odd bits he was taking back to his car and although I wasn’t sure about a positive ID on the model at the time, knew they were something I needed to snatch up for archival purposes. I’m sure I only paid maybe a tenner for them, but they’re something I’ve always enjoyed having within the collection as a keepsake (and they always end up finding their way into a throwback article like this).

There are some great features on the Lava High, including a heavyweight, hardwearing suede which seemed like the go-to fabric of choice for this era, thick hiking laces, cushioned ankle support around the collar, and a strong plastic enforced lacing system.

I feel as though items like this are a reminder of a time before mass-consumption and the style-over-function trap that I think the a large portion of the world of footwear finds itself stuck in nowadays. We see a few releases that maybe ‘pay homage’ to this golden era but without having the rigorous materials to back it up, and they end up falling short at the first sign of a bog.