Is This Sleeper Nike Shoe Set to Become the Brand’s Next Retro Icon?

After a successful trial run, an obscure Nike design puts on its game face. Is it ready for the big leagues?

Published 14 hours ago

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First it was the Killshot. Then the Field General.

Old shoes have a knack for sneaking their way back into Nike’s mainline catalog, usually after high-profile collaborations with designers, artists or even retailers (looking at you, J.Crew).

After checking off that first order of business, a relatively obscure design called the Astrograbber may well be next.

black nike and bode astrograbber — Dormant for half a century, the Astrograbber first resurfaced in 2024 as part of a collaboration with menswear label Bode.

Built by Bowerman

First released in 1974, the little-known design spent half a century in the dark, buried deep in the back rooms of One Bowerman Drive. Then Emily Bode Aujla stopped by.

Visiting the Department of Nike Archives in search of a shoe to headline her inaugural collaboration with Nike in 2024, Bode Aujla found herself drawn to the Astrograbber’s lack of notoriety within the broader sneaker world, despite some impressive credentials.

For starters, the design is attributed to none other than Nike cofounder Bill Bowerman, who equipped it with his signature waffle outsole in response to the rise of synthetic football fields back in the 1970s.

Contextually, it also marked “a moment in the 1970s that was pivotal in the history of both Nike and American sports,” Bode Aujla said in a press release.

But for whatever reason, Nike failed to revisit the shoe — that is, until its series of sold-out collabs with Bode Aujla’s eponymous brand in 2024 and 2025.

green nike and bode astrograbber — Bode’s inaugural collaboration with Nike in 2024 marked the first time the Swoosh had revisited the Bowerman original.

Ready for the big leagues

After those seemingly successful trial runs, it looks like Nike is ready to introduce the Astrograbber to a wider audience, namely by way of a handful of general-release colorways set to drop as soon as this month.

The first pair making the rounds is called “Aluminum,” characterized by a light-blue upper with a pale yellow Swoosh. That same yellow will serve as the primary color on a second pair, grounded by black accents for a slightly more muted appearance overall.

Foiling both summer-friendly colorways is a hunter-green variant scheduled to drop later this fall.

All three feature tonal rubber outsoles that underscore their clean lines and reimagined purpose as daily drivers off the field.

Availability and pricing

Nike has yet to confirm the exact pricing and release date, even overseas. However, the general-release Astrograbber is expected to carry a price tag between $130 and $150 — a step up from most heritage designs around the $100 mark.

Whether that hurts or helps it’s case as the brand’s next “it” shoe remains to be seen.

The most recent sale of Bode’s simple black-and-white reimagining of the Astrograbber went for $800 on StockX, only adding to its allure.

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.