BEHIND THE DESIGN

While being constructed and designed for serious activity, Nike’s original ACG product was designed to be as playful as it gets. Vibrant tones, active patterns and striking logos were utilized throughout. Although it has been a while since ACG was originally introduced, the original design insight and playfulness hasn't changed a bit. The new ACG Dog Mountain is a perfect example; a new innovative design that is built for outdoor use while still keeping it casual with a laid back silhouette, vibrant tones and eye-catching details.

Led by Aaron Cooper, the design was born from the mind of Tinker Hatfield. While being designed by the pioneers that paved the way for plenty, the team behind the Dog Mountain knew they could not take themselves too seriously. “We’re dead serious about the product and what we believe it can do for the athletes wearing it, but we don't want to be too serious about ourselves. That infusion of fun was super important, ” Cooper expressed as he reflected on the early stages of the design.

The elements of play are seen all through the ACG Dog Mountain’s thoughtful design, including the rugged outsole with reverse branding. An active hiker himself, Cooper would always find himself wondering what shoes other hikers wore based on the footprints he’d see left on the trails. “The reverse branding came from when I was out hiking. Sometimes you're just grinding it out and to keep me busy, I look at the footprints that are already on the ground from people that came before me,” he explained. “So, the reason why the branding is flipped, is so that when you walk and you leave this imprint in the dirt, it'll be right side up, so you'll be able to read it.”

Arguably the design’s most playful element is its colors inspired by spring flowers in Oregon's Columbia Gorge and reminiscent of original ACG product. Vibrant tones draw your attention to further detail in the playful design. These details include laces and a Swoosh design inspired by climbing rope. “The laces come from climbing rope, and then I was also thinking if you could take that into a flat material, what would that look like? That's where the Swoosh material came from.” The innovative thinking behind the laces didn’t end there for Cooper. The upper eyelet is engineered to keep your laces tight with the help of rubber grommets. “The idea was they pull easily through one way, but they're harder to pull the other way, so it helps you keep your laces tied, and also helps if you want to wear the shoe without tying your laces."

In the end, the goal of keeping it “playful” was met in more ways than one by the team. From the reverse branding, to the vibrant tones, ingenious details and beneficial elements, the 2018 ACG Dog Mountain will keep the essence of All Conditions Gear alive for years to come.