Tom Sachs’ NikeCraft Mars Yard 2.0 is Cleared for Landing

The NIKECRAFT MARS YARD 2.0 is a follow-up project to Tom Sachs’ original Mars Yard footwear design, which was released as part of his SPACE PROGRAM 2.0: Mars exhibition that took place in NYC back in May 2012.

Tom Sachs’ interactions with NASA’s highly specialised scientists led to the groundbreaking design of the first Mars Yard shoe. Exploring the physical and fitness demands of space travel through the artist’s unique lens, the resulting design became high sought-after and remains a very collectable piece of footwear. Just five years after the initial release, the NikeCraft Mars Yard shoe is relaunching in a new 2.0 form with a material update informed by Sachs’ long-term trial of the original shoe which revealed an unknown flaw…

“It passed the abrasion test. It passed the strength test. It passed the folding test. It passed all the tests, but when we started using it, it didn’t meet our expectations.“, explains Sachs.

Guided by Nike designers, Sachs took the next five years to test the shoe thoroughly, during which he learned things one could only learn through thorough daily use. The end result is a new, improved NikeCraft Mars Yard 2.0, and its build is indicative of the design ethos shared by Sachs and Nike: Working to advance human potential, we believe there is no finish line.

On the new shoe, there are many small but significant updates. On the upper, the Mars Yard 2.0 replaces the original Vectran with a polyester warp-knit tricot mesh: a more breathable material that results in fewer weak spots. The shoe’s red straps are now adhered with a stronger X box stitch, whilst on the outsole, the tread of the SFB, originally protruding for use in the desert-like Mars Yard, has been inverted for more appropriate wear in urban environments. Finally, the Mars Yard 2.0 comes with two insoles, mesh and cork – which is ideal for sockless wear).

The NIKECRAFT MARS YARD 2.0 releases in conjunction with the Nike and Tom Sachs’ Space Camp: a unique consumer experience based on Sachs’ studio practice. The NYC camp opened on THURSDAY 8 JUNE, with an additional camp taking place in London over the course of the month. For those who couldn’t attend the Space Camp in NYC, a global release is taking place on THURSDAY 27 JULY: a series of games and online teasers is now live at NikeCraft.com. Click the banner below to check the release page with full stockist details.