An in-hand review of the Nike Air Max “Safari”

Head into the wildlife with a brand new crisp colourway of the extremely popular Waffle One! Favoured for its old-school construction mixed with sacai vibes, the Nike Waffle One remains high on the must-cop radar. This Nike Waffle One SE “Safari” highlights Safari elements with leopard prints and faux croc skin textures. The mix of White and Earthy pigments makes this an impressive colour scheme!

Nike never shies away from trying various themes on their popular trainers, and it’s evident on this one. While the launch colourways may stick to minimal colours, new renditions of the Nike Waffle One now appear in “wild” makeovers like this pair. We can already see the unlimited potential of upcoming Nike Waffle One colourways in the coming months, and we’re eager to see them drop soon!

The Waffle One is not the only trainer rocking this wildlife-inspired colour scheme. Nike also released the Nike Air Max 97 “Safari” just recently! This time, the shoe features a Green mesh base with a White faux croc-skin mudguard. Leopard print graphics adorn the tongue to complete the theme. We can expect other Nike models to follow the same path and utilise this “Safari” theme.

Nike pays tribute to the brand’s running heritage with the Nike Waffle One. Introduced in 2021, the shoe combines old-school aesthetics with modern materials. The Waffle One features a transparent mesh upper with an inner layer to keep the structure intact. Leather or suede comprises the mudguard depending on the colourway.

An asymmetrical tongue enhances the fit for a more locked-down feel. The NSW label on the tongue refers to Nike Sportswear, a label given to the brand’s lifestyle products. A raised plastic heel counter brings a lot of sacai vibes due to its double-stacked design.

The soft foam midsole provides a lot of cushioning to keep you on your feet all day. Nike never dug deeper into the details of what kind of foam they used, but we can assume it’s probably Cushlon!

A waffle rubber outsole fulfils the namesake of the model. Waffle sole came to life thanks to Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman’s tenure as an Oregon Ducks track head coach. His then track and field prodigy and eventually Nike co-founder Phil Knight teamed up with Bowerman to form Blue Ribbon Sports which later became Nike.

This  Nike Waffle One SE “Safari” features a White mesh base and a White leather mudguard. The Black Swoosh boasts a premium faux croc-skin texture while the heel panel brings leopard graphic prints. The Sail White double-stacked foam midsole adds a vintage touch to the shoe.

Hints of Olive Green appear on the leather eyestay and plastic heel counter.

Keep an eye out for this shoe on the Nike UK website as the Swoosh drops more colourways for the new season! This pair came out in early September 2022, but stay tuned as other pairs are expectedly dropping in this same colour scheme.

Images courtesy of Captain Creps