A Closer Look at the Nike Presto Houndstooth
One of the most iconic colorways in the Nike Air Presto line was the Houndstooth. The shoe hit the market along with the pinstripe edition of the Nike Air Presto as the two new colorways for the year 2010. It’s been nine years since the introduction of the Houndstooth and it’s a shoe that is still popular. To understand the impact of this sneaker upon the brand and the world, we must take a closer look at its attributes.
Description of the Nike Air Presto Houndstooth
The upper of this unique iteration of the Air Presto features an upper that has a houndstooth print of green and grey square-shaped designs. The shoe is accented with bright blue laces with matching blue trim around the edge of the upper, in the socklike inner lining and on the front part of the outer sole. There are five green dots towards the heel of the midsole, which is a brilliant white color, with a green Nike swoosh on the side of the midsole and another small swoosh in matching green at the toe of the shoe, just in front of the opaque green toe guard which gives the shoe the necessary support and protection of the toes. A preformed midsole cage made of durable plastic in matching light green is built into the sides of the shoe for additional support. It’s a different looking style, yet nonetheless, exquisitely attractive.
Construction of the Nike Air Presto Houndstooth sneaker
The 2010 version of the Air Presto follows the same innovative technology and construction as its predecessors which were first launched in the year 2000, with their original 14 OG print colorways. It was time for Nike to introduce something new and bold that would satisfy the cravings of consumers who were hungry for more. The Houndstooth colorway fits the bill with grand style. While the shoe wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it did amass a large following of fans. This was a print that became immensely popular. The comfort of this shoe was right on par with the other Nike Air Presto’s made with an upper that combined lightweight mesh and neoprene fabric, which both added dynamic stretching and flexibility so the material allowed for natural movement of the foot. In addition to this, the materials are highly breathable, which meant that the ventilation was top notch for keeping foot overheating and sweating at bay for a more comfortable feeling, even during peak activity periods.
A second Air Presto Houndstooth released
Another version of the Nike Air Presto Houndstooth colorway was released later, and it featured a few changes that were strikingly sharp. The green toe guard was replaced with a black patent looking toe cap, the Nike Swoosh on the side of the midsole was colored in a nice black which contrasted sharply with the brilliant white color of the midsole. The cage on the mid sole was also made of similar material as the toe cap with black accents n other areas of the rear of the shoe near the heel area and a black inner lining. The houndstooth pattern was also changed to a slightly different print and instead of mint green, the blocks were more solid and square with deep black and a darker green color. The new darker green was also used for the outer sole and it created a look that was exquisitely smart and sophisticated. Black laces on a solid green tongue completed the black and green theme in style.
The popularity of the Houndstooth
Prior to the release of the Nike Air Presto Houndstooth colorway, there was a fair amount of hype. It was announced months in advance of the actual release date in the summer of 2010. Some of the critics thought that the toe box was a bit on the plain side, but others were thrilled at the prospect of the mint green houndstooth which was far more attractive and stylish than the traditional black and white print. The hype was set in motion prior to the release of the shoe and there was a decent crowd who were highly anticipating the day when they could secure their pair. Upon the release of the sneaker, it sold in high volumes, creating a void after the initial run of stock was deplete and there were still consumers out there who had missed their opportunity to buy a pair from local retailers. Those who had bought several pairs of shoes when they were available were able to put them up for sale at various auctions, getting higher prices than the manufacturer’s suggested retail selling price.
Final thoughts
The Nike Air Presto in the 2010 release of the Houndstooth colorway was yet another of the obscure designs that were released by the brand that sent the public of adoring Air Presto fans wild. The decade later release of the shoe sent waves of hype through the sneakerhead universe and there was a bit of clamor for that intent on ownership. As usual, the demand for these very stylish and unique sneakers far exceeded the supply, which meant that those who missed out on the initial run of stock generally ended up paying more than the MSRP. Now, nine years after the initial launch of the Houndstooth colorway, you can still find them for sale, some in used condition and others new in the box. The selling price varies between $80 and $153, depending on the condition, the size and the vendor, but the point is that if you’re interested in getting a pair, the odds are in favor that you still can. There is a second release of the shoe that is a bit of a variation from the first, featuring a sharper print with deeper greens instead of the mint as well as a lot more black on the shoe. Finding the original version in the mint green expression is far more difficult and in our search, we were not able to find them, making them a rare find and we can only imagine what a pair in mint condition, no pun intended may fetch with regard to an auction price.