Update on the Nike Ballestra Shoes

[Craig]

For the past several months (actually since before the Olympics), we've been speaking to Nike about the Ballestra fencing shoes that were developed as part of their Olympic push and made available in limited retail release.

Up until now, the only way to get them has been:

• Jump on them when they came out in August 08
• Be an Olympic team member
• Be on a Nike sponsored NCAA team

Now I can confirm that Nike will be making the Ballestra available for sale. (And Fencing.Net will carry them.)

Even during the Olympic Games I was talking to Nike about a broader release of their fencing shoes and Nike has recently put someone in charge of going through the specialty shoes and figuring out which ones would be able to go retail with enough sales to be interesting for Nike.

Right now, fencing is one of a handful of sports that has made the cut and we'll have the shoes out before the start of the 2009-2010 fencing season.

What I don't know or can't say right now:

• Actual release date
• Final color scheme

Since there were rumors flying around about this, I thought an update would be good.

To help us gauge interest and share some date with Nike, please fill out this survey:
Nike Ballestra Survey

Craig

[trafl926]

If they come out in size 15s I will buy 10 pairs, no joke.

You can act as if this is a legal contract and I will happily fulfill my end of it.

[noodle]

green and white, am i right?

[epeemike81]

green and white, am i right?

Hell yeah!

The only thing better would be green and yellow (maybe with a little black accenting).

-m

[Phrogger]

Awesome. Thanks for hounding them about this, Craig!

[FreshPrinceofEWU]

Ah it would be so sweet to finally get my hands on a pair of these.

[Redblade]

The higher the price, the longer I expect the shoe to last. Unless these are magical fencing shoes that provide something no other sport shoe can.

[edew]

One quick comment: change the lace to something that doesn't slip so easily. My only problem with them is that the laces get loose too easily.

Also, they might not have enough protection against toe touches. Maybe a flap over the laces area like cycling shoes (which cover the laces to prevent laces from getting caught on the chain ring).

[Craig]

Awesome. Thanks for hounding them about this, Craig!

I've been talking to people at Nike since the Olympics about this. Nice to see some movement and soon we'll see the fruits of our labors.

Craig

[Soberin]

I know that you mean what you say, but I'll believe the shoes are here only when I see them for sale.

[academe]

Hell yeah!

The only thing better would be green and yellow (maybe with a little black accenting).

-m

You mean like this?

[telkanuru]

Do NOT show those to my coach...

[epeemike81]

You mean like this?

you got a link to somewhere I can purchase these??

-m

[Sinestra]

awesome news

This...just made me inordinately happy. Thanks for the update!!

[sionnach]

You mean like this?

Almost perfect for Irish fencers

[DangerMouse]

Nike did a whole line of green and yellow a couple years ago to honor Prefontaine. I was shocked to see my school colors in footlocker halfway across the country.

[academe]

Nike did a whole line of green and yellow a couple years ago to honor Prefontaine. I was shocked to see my school colors in footlocker halfway across the country.

Indeed, that was the Nike Men Air Coos Prefontaine Running Shoe...may not be easy to find now, but since Pre is a Nike (and Univ of Oregon/Oregon) hero, it wouldn't surprise me if there are newer versions out or in the queue.

You got to love a competitor that says:

"Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it."
Steve Prefontaine

[KD5MDK]

Do NOT show those to my coach...

Official club shoes now?

[epeemike81]

Official club shoes now?

If we could find them in sufficient quantity and sizes, maybe...

so far I've found one place that has them in size 8. no help to me.

-m

[telkanuru]

Knowing Dave, we'd have to resize our feet...