The track and field line from Nike was not always what we’ve come to expect from the brand today. One early effort, though not the first, was the Pre Montreal. The concept was a genuine high performance track shoe that was not designed in Europe. The name was a bit of a double entendre, as the shoe was released ahead of the Montreal Olympics, but was also designed with the help of Steve “Pre” Prefontaine, who was a favorite for the 5,000 and 10,000 meter events. The suede forefoot was selected because of the foot forming nature of the thin sueded cowhide. The nylon rearfoot was a visual feature as well as a production/performance aspect of the lightweight nylon.
