If you’ve ever been tempted to take your Air Force 1s into the wilderness, we hope you’ve had the good sense to stop yourself. However, after Nike started putting waterproof Gore-Tex membranes on the famed sneakers a few years back, they certainly became more of an all-weather candidate.
While we’ve seen plenty of Gore-Tex AF1s since 2019, Nike has just recently decided to pair the material with an outsole that’s all but monopolized the outdoor hiking category: Vibram. And now there’s an all-black edition that’s stealthier and more rugged than any they’ve ever made.
A Brief History of Weather-Ready AF1s
When Nike first integrated Gore-Tex into the Air Force 1 lineup, it aimed to adapt Bruce Kilgore’s 1982 basketball silhouette for practical, everyday use in less-than-ideal weather while keeping the iconic style intact. But those early versions still had limitations — namely, the same rubber outsole that never delivered much confidence on slick surfaces.
This latest iteration addresses that shortcoming head-on. By adding Vibram’s proven traction technology underneath, Nike has essentially created a sneaker that handles wet pavement and slush better than some actual hiking boots.
Black Attack
The Off Noir colorway (though calling it anything other than triple black feels generous) maintains every design cue that made the AF1 a cultural staple. You’ve got the all-leather upper, the signature Swoosh, padded collar and tongue, and even that metal AF1 tag above the toe. But Nike swapped the traditional flat laces for round, cable-style ones borrowed from outdoor boots.
Hidden beneath that leather, the Gore-Tex membrane provides complete waterproofing. Even the perforations on the toebox are now purely aesthetic rather than providing you with ventilation so as to preserve the weather-resistant properties.
Down below, the Vibram outsole does make its presence known — first through the deeper tread pattern, and second via the yellow Vibram logo on both the heel and center of the sole. These are the only color breaks in an otherwise blacked-out design.
The Tech Breakdown
Constructed from Gore-Tex-coated tumbled leather, these are totally waterproof. That ePTFE membrane blocks rain and snow while still allowing moisture vapor to escape, so your feet stay dry from both external and internal sources. The ballistic mesh tongue is another upgrade for durability, while the midsole still features that classic Air cushioning we’ve come to expect.
Spec Sheet
Model: Air Force 1 GTX Vibram Black
Colorway: Off Noir/Speed Yellow/Black
Upper: Gore-Tex-coated tumbled leather
Midsole: Rubber with Air cushioning
Outsole: Vibram with enhanced tread
Lacing: Round cable-style laces
Features: Waterproof membrane, padded collar, ballistic mesh tongue
Price: $150
Pricing & Availability
The Nike Air Force 1 GTX Vibram in all-black is available now through Nike’s website for $150. Given how quickly weather-ready AF1s tend to sell out, especially in this kind of all-black execution, you’ll want to move fast if you’re interested.
Recap
Nike Air Force 1 GTX Vibram Black
Nike’s finally paired Gore-Tex with Vibram on the Air Force 1, creating an all-black variant that’s more capable in bad weather than some actual hiking boots and also incredibly stealthy.
