The Nike P-6000 is as much an outlier as it is archetypal of the Nike brand. Originally released in 2019, the shoe, although initially described as a runner, was quickly indoctrinated into streetwear culture, and has maintained a fairly steady stream of success since its debut, which has spiked more recently. What makes this release both out of the ordinary, and dare I say it, groundbreaking, is the means in which this success has been achieved. The Nike P-6000, by modern standards, is relatively unassuming and boasts no headline collaborations or trademark special editions. With only a handful of available colourways, and what can be effectively described as a total void of the common Nike razzle dazzle to boost the shoes appeal, the biggest accolade you can give the Nike P-6000 is that it has got to where it has on merit alone.
That being said, what the Nike P-6000 represents is a fairly common trend in the wider sneaker world, albeit a popular one. It is by no means irregular for what is, or has been, classified by the brand as a quote, unquote, “running shoe” to be favoured by consumers for a variety of activities other than running. In fact, it is perhaps a staple of brands like Nike and Adidas to promote athletic wear in the lifestyle space. In the case of the Nike P-6000, however, the initial label employed by Nike might have been done so, slightly less disingenuously than in other similar cases. All the while, the explanation for this claim hides in plain sight, this is because the “P” in the P-6000 directly pertains to the Nike Air Pegasus, one of Nike’s most legitimate running shoes, which was first introduced as far back as 1983. The Pegasus line has a rich and distinguished history and the P-6000 is a futuristic ode to the line in its entirety, as well as more specifically to two particularly iconic iterations from within its catalogue; the Nike Air Pegasus 25, and the Nike Air Pegasus “2006”.
Splicing the DNA from both, and injecting an ultra modern twist, the P-6000 is a visual marvel. Somewhat of a space cowboy, the aesthetics of the shoe puts the Pegasus on the moon. Combining a blended composition of mesh, leather, and synthetic materials to great effect. The silhouette might seem relatively familiar thanks to its heritage, but what exists within the shape is entirely new. What has been achieved, in all honesty, is a massively impressive feat. What can perhaps be objectively described as a dad shoe, all the while looks concurrently new age and old school and ticks a lot of boxes for consumers in 2023. The widespread enjoyment of these types of shoes is not a new phenomenon, but what began as satire breaching style, has since gone on to completely define the streetwear space. Cool has always been subjective, but now more than ever these styles are being pushed into the mainstream as part of a more entrenched collective of trends that encompasses retro sports wear, football jerseys, jean shorts and tote bags, and flood social media platforms and associated spaces both online and in-person.
Despite the talk, the aesthetics aren’t the only thing that is winning favour with the consumer. Nike have stayed true to their aforementioned runner claim and the reviews and requisite testimonies have been overwhelmingly positive in relation to the level of comfort provided by the Nike P-6000. You might not necessarily be thinking about the P-6000 as a high performance runner, but that certainly isn’t to say that it isn’t more than capable of holding its own in a similar fashion to what its muse the Nike Air Pegasus has been able to achieve since the 1980s. The deployment of foam cushioning alongside breathable overlays has been essential in defining this shoes practical application, and the overwhelming response is that although not considered a first choice for clocking miles, this shoe it perfect for long walks, gym sessions and general urban traversal.
In regard to the fit, like the majority of Nike brand trainers, the Nike P-6000 is close to if not exactly true-to-size, and our recommendation would be to go for your size, as there is no need to go up or down even a half size. The Nike P-6000 also is incredibly affordable, and actually despite its popularity remains somewhat of a sleeper pick in the sneaker community, with some colourways even still available fairly close to their original retail price. By no means is the Nike P-6000 a total unicorn, its retro futurism which despite sounding like antonyms as become a fairly recognised trend has been seen across a wide variety of shoes in the expanded Nike catalogue like the Nike Air Zoom Spiridon and the Nike Shox which follow almost the same formula with altogether positive results, but for us its the Nike P-6000 that has quietly gone about its business and some how, with very little in the way of help, dug its heels into the sneaker world and proclaimed that it is here to stay. Something we certainly aren’t complaining about.
