Remember the Air Force 1 Duck Boot that Nike introduced to the world last year? They didn’t get us all that excited because, let’s face it, they were essentially a slightly-winterized version of the classic AF1 that dropped at a time when the AF1 was waning in popularity. So we were a little surprised earlier this week when we heard that Nike plans on going back to the Duck Boot well again this winter.

However, that surprise quickly wore off when we saw what they have in store for us with the second version of the Air Force 1 Duck Boot. For starters, this year’s version is much beefier and reminds us of something that we’d actually wear in the winter months, as opposed to something we’d slide our feet into simply because we can’t live without our AF1s. The first thing you’ll notice is that the outsole looks like it’s ready to handle the elements. We can already picture ourselves gliding down a slippery street while the rest of you fools are slipping and sliding all over the place. The toe cap has also been redesigned and it looks like it’d shed snow, sleet, and hail without a problem. The Duck Boot features a new weather shield fabric, too, so there will be absolutely no mistaking these sneakers for anything other than all-purpose winter sneaks.

Essentially, Nike repurposed the Air Force 1 Duck Boot this year with function rather than form in mind. It still looks very similar to last year’s model, but it also looks better prepared to operate as a winter sneaker. Wearing them will still get plenty of second looks—both good and bad—but, if nothing else, you can be sure your feet will be covered when you step out into the cold this winter. So, bring on the snow! Er, well, give us a couple more months, Mother Earth, and then bring on the snow when these drop in early October. You can be sure we’ll be ready…

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