Is Nike’s Cult Outdoorsy Brand Getting Serious About Trail Running? It Sure Looks That Way

An unreleased prototype suggests a performance-guided pivot in the works.

Published February 25, 2025

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Updated February 26, 2025

Super shoes have revolutionized road running and no brand knows it better than Nike.

Plated racers like the Vaporfly and Alphafly have broken myriad world records since their arrival nearly a decade ago; the latter even propelled the first, and only, marathon effort to go under two hours (albeit on an unofficial course with optimal conditions and pacers).

nike running shoes — The Vaporfly (top) and Alphafly (bottom) have broken myriad world records, including the marathon for both men and women.

But if Nike is the one to beat on the roads, it’s squarely in the chase pack off it, where Hoka and Salomon thrive on uneven terrain with shoes like the Tecton X 3 and S/Lab Ultra Glide.

That could be changing with an update to the Nike Ultrafly, only it won’t be coming from the Swoosh’s traditional Trail roster but its retro hiking division, ACG.

Provocative prototypes

The prototype was first spotted on the feet of American runner and Nike athlete Caleb Olson, who wore a pair of unreleased racers to break the the course record at the 2025 Transgrancanaria Classic in Spain.

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At first glance, Olson’s shoes simply looks like a marginal update to the existing Ultrafly, which hasn’t received a follow-up since its debut in 2023.

Similar to that shoe, Olsen’s features a low-top upper (likely fashioned from Nike’s highly breathable, semi-translucent Vaporweave fabric) and a shark-fin heel flare to encourage a smooth transition underfoot.

Interestingly, though, it’s missing the word “ZoomX” on the midsole, suggesting perhaps a new foam compound material in the works.

More interesting still: a closer look at the tongue and upper reveal ACG branding — a first not just the Ultrafly but Nike’s super-shoe lineup as a whole.

Back to its roots?

Of course, ACG — short for “All Conditions Gear” — originally launched as a performance-oriented sub-brand directed toward the outdoors. Early models like the Air Pegasus ACG and Son of Lava Dome were made for genuine trail running and general outdoor galavanting.

However, recent years have seen ACG focused predominately on vintage reissues and city sneakers that fall under the urban Gorpcore umbrella.

Nike acg shoe — These days, ACG sits squarely in the lifestyle sector, however, it started as a genuine performance sub-brand with outdoorsy takes on shoes like the Pegasus (pictured).

Though Nike has yet to offer any details on the release, let alone a larger pivot for ACG, such a move does have some precedent on the road.

Late last year, the company shared a plan to condense its shoe offerings under a smaller subset of sub-brands, starting with the new Pegasus Premium and Vomero 18.

If the Ultrafly 2 does debut as part of ACG, it will break years of convention for the historic sub-brand, injecting it with the kind of credibility only an ultramarathon like the 78-mile Transgrancanaria Classic can deliver.