Outdoor in Orange: Nike is Reintroducing the ACG Line
PublishedQuick Facts
- Arriving at the same time as the rollout of new drops for the Winter Olympics, the revived Nike ACG line is all about trail running, hiking, and exploration
- They will tailor footwear and clothing to produce gear that pushes “performance innovation for the outdoor athlete”
- On the sneaker side, the brand is anchored by the ACG Ultrafly and ACG Zegama
- The Nike ACG refresh debuted with a new ad campaign featuring Bigfoot, an expansion of the Nike Trail Running team, and a new ACG-specific store in Beijing
Nike wants you to put down the phone, unplug, and get outside. To help with the push into an analog lifestyle, Beaverton is refreshing the ACG line with a new look, new store, new athletes, and a renewed focus on the great outdoors. Setting out into the wild with a new shade of bright orange, the reintroduced ACG line takes a bold approach to the trail.
Arriving at the same time as the rollout of new drops for the Winter Olympics, the revived Nike ACG line is all about trail running, hiking, and exploration, tailoring footwear and clothing to produce gear that pushes “performance innovation for the outdoor athlete.” On the sneaker side, the brand is anchored by the ACG Ultrafly and ACG Zegama. We first saw both silhouettes last year, with a campaign pushing the Ultrafly as the first supershoe for the trail and a debut colorway of the Zegama in collaboration with Sacai. On the clothing side, the ACG Lava Loft jacket has already become a standout.
“This is a defining moment in ACG’s history — a recommitment to all conditions and an invitation to athletes: unplug, get outside and explore,” says Scott LeClair, VP and GM of ACG. “ACG has the foundation to shape the future of outdoor performance while pushing into spaces that feel fresh and unexpected. It is going to be a fun ride.”
While Nike has been dropping ACG-branded apparel and sneakers throughout the 2020s, the advent of Gorpcore caused the brand to lean more into being fashionable over functional. Still, the gear worked for outdoor use, but it was no longer at the forefront of ACG’s ethos as a sub-label. It’s great to see Nike return ACG to its utilitarian roots.
The Nike ACG refresh debuted with a new ad campaign featuring Bigfoot, an expansion of the Nike Trail Running team, and a new ACG-specific store in Beijing. To keep up with all the latest Nike ACG news and drops, make sure to download the Sole Retriever mobile app.
Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com
