The 25 Best Nike ACG Sneakers of All Time

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Year: 2010

Lunar sole, speedlacing all the way to the top, sleek Vac Tech upper, low 3/4 cut. The Lunar Macleay was the sports car of ACG when it was introduced in 2010, and the Tier Zero variations just gave it even more cachet.

Year: 2007

The criminally overlooked Talaria runner re-imagined as a boot. Light and low, the Talaria Boot was really a boot in name only - not that you couldn't hike in it if you really wanted to.

Year: 2011

The Zoom Meriwether mixed the look of a classic full-leather mountaineering boot with all the tech Nike had to offer. An inner zipper made for easier on-and-off, while Zoom Air cushioned the ride.

Year: 1994

Improving on the original Mowabb was something of a futile task, but give Nike credit for trying. Sleeker than the original, the Mowabb II featured a lower cut and similar Huarache construction. Its only failure was not being the Mowabb.

Year: 2000

The go-everywhere, do-everything (hence the name) of the ACG line, the Pocket Knife was the shoe you rolled up and stuffed in the bottom of your bag to kick around camp in. More adventurous types wore it from the get-go.

Year: 2012

A more beefed-up version of the Pocket Knife, the Okwahn II wasn't really a trail runner, but wasn't heavy-duty enough to be considered a boot. It really found its place with Tier Zero offerings, as more of an outdoor-inspired city shoe.

Year: 2008

The Tallac Lite was right on the midway point between a trail runner and a full-on hiking boot. Unfortunately it came out right before the advent of Flywire and Lunar, so it may have been overlooked by some. Bad move.

Year: 1992

Before the Terra line became its own thing, the Air Terra was a part of ACG. Even more stripped-down than the Wildwood, the Air Terra was a hardcore trail runner in party dress. They don't do colors like this anymore.

Year: 2009

The Ashiko marked the introduction of Flywire to the great outdoors. A rugged boot with a classic hiking sole and a lightweight synthetic upper, the Ashiko merged ACG's past with its future.

Year: 1990

A classic lightweight hiking boot flipped in inimitable Nike style. The suede and mesh construction was more or less standard, the vibrant neon colors were a Nike exclusive. More Baltoros were worn to school than the mountains, and that was OK.

Year: 1992

Not to be confused with the pre-ACG Escape runner, the Air Escape was more in the mold of the Mowabb, although without the Mowabb's signature neoprene bootie. It wasn't really a takedown as much as it was something a little more civilized. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Year: 2007

The ultimate in urban ACG wear. The full-leather upper offset by a full Air Max sole, the Goadome is plenty sturdy enough for the great outdoors, but is primarily a city dweller. Legendary stuff.

Year: 1995

Nothing crazy here, just a traditional chukka-cut leather (or nubuck) boot with an Air sole and an embossed Swoosh. No visible Air, no neon colors, just a simple boot that did its job. If these were still out now, they'd be a spring and fall staple.

Year: 2007

A high-tech update of the classic Wildwood, the Wildedge featured speedlacing and a Gore-Tex liner. Most Nike trail runners (like the Terra Humara) weren't part of the ACG line - the Wildedge for whatever reason made the cut.

Year: 2009

What started as a project from Denmark's Wood Wood - a Lunar update of the Wildwood - became an ACG staple. No complaints here - the Lunar sole complements the techy Wildwood upper perfectly, and the midsole spatter nod to the Mowabb is perfect.

Year: 1990

The Super Dome was a monster. Super high and super tough, this was the ACG boot to wear if you were going to scale K2 or spend a month in the frozen woods. There was a retro version with an Air Max sole, but the original didn't need all that.

Year: 1994

Long before the Roshe Run became the in-thing, the Air Moc had the simple formula down pat - a super-basic upper (without laces, even, just a toggle) on top of a well-cushioned sole. This wasn't a hiking shoe per se, more of for in-camp wear, but it became a cult classic far removed from the beaten path.

Year: 1989

The original Nike Lava Dome preceded ACG by nearly a decade, and as such was the forefather of much that was to come. The Son of Lava Dome was a high-tech upgrade of that ancestral classic with all the same attributes (lightweight, low-cut, boot traction) that made the original an icon.

Year: 1996

The Air Mada 2 took the no-nonsense look of the original Mada and gave it a little flash in the form of anodized aluminum speedlacing. Mountain bike guys and rock climbers - who'd been using anodized aluminum bits for years - got it right away.

Year: 1993

The Nike Air Deschutz proved that there was room in the "performance sandal" category for more than just Teva. The river classics didn't go away - heck, they're still popular now - but the Deschutz expanded what the category could be, and took a big slice for itself.

Year: 1989

Designed by Geoff Hollister, the Aqua Sock was about as simple as a shoe could get - a slip-on sock with a thin rubber outsole. That was it. (1991's Aqua Sock Too and Aqua Sock Classic provided a little more structure.) They were meant for water sports (no, not that kind, perv) but also were an early vanguard of the minimalist movement.

Year: 1994

If the Air Mowabb was ACG's Corvette, the first Mada was its Malibu - the fleet car, if you will. Designed by Sergio Lozano (who also did the Air Max 95), the Mada was an outdoor shoe without pretense, suitable for anyone anywhere. And judging from the sales numbers, it succeeded tremendously.

Year: 1990

Much of what made ACG great was the fact that the shoes were running shoes disguised as hiking gear. The Wildwood (and it's techier cousin, the Wildedge) wore thinner disguises than most. The original Wildwood was as close as ACG came to making a true "street" shoe, and owed more to classic runners like the LDV and the Terra TC.

Year: 1992

A sequel to the Mowabb in all but name, the Air Revaderchi (Nike with the jokes) was designed by Steve McDonald and provided some technological upgrades to its predecessor.

Year: 1991

The all-time classic. Designed by Tinker Hatfield (who else?), the Mowabb pioneered the soon-to-be-everywhere spattered midsole, and brought Huarache to the mountains. Lightweight boots were already a thing, but never quite like this. Essentially a Huarache runner with a full-height neoprene collar and a more aggressive outsole, the Mowabb is legendary for good reason.