Nike Just Launched All-Weather Vegan Overshoes Perfect for Life on Mars

Nike Just Launched All-Weather Vegan Overshoes Perfect for Life on Mars

Nike has launched space-themed vegan overshoes to protect your feet from the cold and the wet.

In collaboration with American contemporary artist Tom Sachs, Nike has developed the Mars Yard Overshoe. Nicknamed the “March Yard,” Sachs designed the shoe for one of the “worst months of the year,” says Nike on its website. “The late winter where one’s feet get cold and wet.”

At the core of the overshoe is the Mars Yard 2.0, a popular shoe designed by Sachs in 2017; the original NikeCraft Mars Yard — designed in 2012 — now resells for around $5000.

Nike intended for the new design — which retails for $550 — to be more durable than its predecessors. The upper is made from a nylon reinforced Dyneema, which, according to GQ magazine, “is literally trademarked as the strongest fabric in the world.”

The sole is made with sticky rubber and “fidlock magnetic Ladderlock buckles allow for additional lockdown,” says Nike.

“This is a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man of a sneaker,” says GQ. “A standard issue Martian Exploration sneaker, a Left the Rest of My Hazmat Suit at Home sneaker. Which is exactly the point.” The magazine added, “It is a remarkable amount of shoe, an absolute unit for those who the Balenciaga Triple S is a little too modest. Honestly, it kind of rules.”

The new overshoes are made with durable materials to protect against winter weather | image/Nike

The Rise of Vegan Sneakers

If you’re not sure about leaving the house looking like you’re off to explore Mars, Nike offers several other vegan sneakers.

Last year, the multinational corporation partnered with rapper Kendrick Lamar to launch vegan house shoes. As the name suggests, this design is a little more laid back than the Mars Yard Overshoe, ideal for running an errand without drawing attention from wannabe astronauts. “House shoes have always been part of LA culture,” said Lamar. “The shoe is all about being able to get up and just go out in style.”

Nike isn’t alone in offering vegan sneakers, Adidas also offers a range of designs. Earlier this year it teamed up with ethical designer Stella McCartney to launch Futurecraft 4D, a sustainable 3D-printed vegan sneaker. Prior to this, the sportswear giant launched vegan leather Stan Smith sneakers with the designer.