Nike have spent the last 6 months really expanding their footwear range to cater for more niche varieties of football. Expanding from their imperious presence in the football boots market, Nike have gone on to make specialist footwear for modern 5’s centres, indoor courts and the street. Now they’ve moved on to something even more unlikely – the beach!
Say hello to the Nike Gato Beach, which is – as far as we know – the first sandal with football boots technology ever to hit the sand!
Looking a bit like a ‘Croc’, the Nike Gato Beach‘s main selling point comes in the form of it’s Solarsoft technologies.
The Solarsoft construction combines a high-density, ultra-durable foam that feels light and wraps to the shape of the foot, providing comfort and a secure fit.
Solarsoft foam is also integrated into the footbed of the Nike Gato Beach, making sure they’re super-comfy and supportive; not to mention making them versatile enough to wear when you’re off the beach too!
Nike have also gone all out on the sole; once again using the Solarsoft foam, Nike have used a different ‘durometer’ (‘harder version of’ for those who refuse to use PR-speak) to make the outsole as durable as any trainer, and used a similar pattern to that found on the sole of the Gato Street to give the Nike Gato Beach a superior level of traction. Presumably even on sand!
Another piece of technology that makes the transition form ‘Street’ to ‘Beach’ is that funky prism-inspired instep from the Street Gato. On the Nike Gato Beach it stretches all the way the from arch of the foot to the toe, allowing you maximum surface area to control the ball, and enough friction to put wicked spin and dip on any longer passes or shots.
Whilst the Nike Gato Beach is certainly a fun experiment, fusing football boots-technology with a beach clog/sandal seems a tiny bit frivolous to us!
Is it aimed at serious beach soccer players? If not, who takes a kickabout on the sand seriously enough to buy a pair?
The Nike Gato Beach is available for pre-order right now, and will be available at the start of May – just in time for Summer!
Let us know what you think of the Nike Gato Beach – we can’t wait to get your opinions on this one!
Thought half the fun of beach football was blistered feet and bruised bunions from playing barefoot!!!
Would still make a good beach sandal/shoe I guess – on those really prickly beaches!
Madness.
Having grown up by a beach I can see that sand will get in and form a nice combination with moisture in the shoe, creating a lovely sandpaper-like layer to get all the skin off your foot. -_- This will all be solved by wearing socks but then you could play in the socks anyway……
Nike seem to really be grasping at straws. It seems a very nice pair of sandals to wear to the beach and then suddenly start to lay football in but unless they cost the same as normal sandals there is no point….not to mention you will have limited use for them due to their construction.
I repeat: Madness.
Madness? THIS IS NIKE!
hahahahahaha, now this is funny!
are u guys sure that this is a beach football performance sandals?
i’d rather look at it as an beach sandals – modeled after gato street, with the looks and texture of gato street. for gato street hardcores that wanted to bring their gato looks even to the beach.
cuz if it does a beach football performance sandals… boy, i do sure wanted to test them out. it should be a good laugh.
i think this is an attempt from nike to steal market share from crocs.
this is gonna be epic.
epic fail.
these are totally pointless and a waste. the whole point of beach soccer is being barefoot and the fact you dont need boots like you might want if you are playing in the street. Nike are wasting their money with this boot if you ask me. looks downright terrible. and everyone agrees that playing barefoot is the best if not the safest, so why ruin the beauty of being able to play barefoot on the beach with this rubber nasty
i mean they’re not that bad of an idea, for futboleros that live by the beach and play these could come really useful 🙂
@ Jimi , “…could come really useful” – yeah, useful to walk TO the beach, then take ’em off and play barefoot. Read the first comment (from kuuku). This is 100% true. The sand WILL get in, mix with your sweat and humidity, and when they do, boy oh boy, you’re going to have a “good time” playing in them. /sarcasm/
we can all agree that these are some of the most USELESS and UGLY hinks we have ever seen from nike. I’m really surpirsied that nike would waste their resources on making these
dissapointing
Think of trying to go to a beach in Rio with these on. They will laugh you out of there. I feel ashamed to call myself a Nike fan right now.
i like the close but not the boots