Why is the sole of the LD-1000 so wide?

Designer Bill Bowerman thought a wider landing surface would make the foot more stable, so he extended the sole far out at the rear. In practice, that shape caused knee problems for many runners, after which Nike reduced it in later models.

What does LD stand for?

For long distance. The model was intended as a long-distance shoe in 1976, at a time when the brand still named its running models after their purpose rather than after technology or shape.

Who was Bill Bowerman?

Co-founder of Nike and athletics coach, known as the creator of the waffle sole that he poured in his wife's waffle iron. He designed several early models for the brand, including this one, drawing on his experience as a coach.

The model comes from the running world but is outdated by modern standards, and it was precisely the wide sole that makes it distinctive that caused complaints at the time. Today the LD-1000 is almost exclusively worn as an everyday sneaker.

Does the Nike LD-1000 run large or small?

The model generally follows the brand's regular sizing and is built narrow, like most retro running silhouettes. People with wide feet often choose a half size up. The sizing information for each version provides the definitive answer.

Nike LD-1000 – compare prices & all colorways

Size Sort

Nike

Nike LD-1000 Cow Print Phantom Safety Orange (IM8073-030)

Nike LD-1000 (black / sail / safety orange / gum light brown) – HF3227-001

Nike LD-1000 SP Velvet Brown Safety Orange

Nike LD-1000 SE “Ember Glow / Sail / Alabaster / Beyond Pink” (IH2128-800)

Nike LD-1000 Soft Pearl (IH7345-001)

Nike LD-1000 (summit white / black white) – HF3227-100

Nike LD-1000 (black / white) – HJ4687-002

Nike LD-1000 “Baroque Brown Pearl White” (IB8868-222)

Nike LD-1000 Lightning White Black University Blue (HF3227-700)

Nike LD-1000 (malachite / arctic orange / summit white) – IF1761-300

Nike LD-1000 Black Sesame (HM0950-001)

Nike LD-1000 Iced Lilac Sail Black Pacific Blue (IF1761-500)

Nike LD-1000 “Soft Pearl Muslin Black” (HJ4687-004)

Nike LD-1000 SP (game royal / opti yellow) – FQ9079-400

Nike LD-1000 Premium “Mosswood Brown” (IM1651-200)

Nike LD-1000 Bandana Black Iron Grey (IH4479-001)

Nike LD-1000 SP Stussy Sanded Gold (FQ5369-700)

Nike LD-1000 “University Red Silver” (HF3227-600)

Nike LD-1000 (linen / desert ochre / sail / black) – IF1761-200

Nike LD-1000 Coconut Milk Gym Red

Nike LD-1000 SP “University Gold” (safety orange) – FQ9079-700

Nike LD-1000 Desert Ochre Hyper Royal (HF3227-702)

Nike LD-1000 Laser Orange Sundial Sail Stadium Green (HJ4687-800)

Nike LD-1000 Bandana Mosswood Brown (IH4479-235)

Nike LD-1000 SE “Black Sail Blue Hero Gum” (HV4455-001)

Nike LD-1000 SP “Light British Tan” (FQ9079-200)

Nike LD-1000 “Stranger Things” (IM3887-500)

Nike LD-1000 SP Stussy Particle Grey (FQ5369-002)

Nike LD-1000 Premium Black Coconut Milk

Nike LD-1000 (vast grey / blue lagoon / sail / black) – HJ4687-001

Nike LD-1000 Black Soft Pearl Dark Grey (IM6022-010)

Nike LD-1000 SP Stussy Phantom (FQ5369-001)

Nike LD-1000 Worn Blue Light Armory Blue Soft Pearl White (IH3642-499)

Nike LD-1000 Light Armory Blue (HF3227-400)

HF3227-400

At
3 shops

From
€ 44,00

Which Nike LD-1000 gives off the strongest hype signal?

The Hypescore reads the signal strength of every Nike LD-1000 colorway. Community votes, resale movement, search demand and scarcity together decide how much hype a sneaker gives off, expressed in GSv. On the left the strongest hype signals, on the right the colorways just being picked up and rising fast.

Strongest hype signal

1Nike LD-1000 Cow Print Phantom Safety Orange (IM8073-030)SEISMICNike LD-1000 · from €60 · 12 shops53GSv
2Nike LD-1000 Soft Pearl (IH7345-001)SEISMICNike LD-1000 · from €48 · 10 shops53GSv
3Nike LD-1000 “Stranger Things” (IM3887-500)SEISMICNike LD-1000 · from €47 · 5 shops53GSv
4Nike LD-1000 Black Sesame (HM0950-001)SEISMICNike LD-1000 · from €82 · 8 shops50GSv
5Nike LD-1000 SP “Light British Tan” (FQ9079-200)SEISMICNike LD-1000 · from €52 · 6 shops50GSv

Just in, rising

1Nike LD-1000 Black Soft Pearl Dark Grey (IM6022-010)CHARGINGNike LD-1000 · from €46 · 6 shops38GSv
2Nike LD-1000 Soft Pearl (IH7345-001)SEISMICNike LD-1000 · from €48 · 10 shops53GSv
3Nike LD-1000 Desert Ochre Hyper Royal (HF3227-702)CHARGINGNike LD-1000 · from €40 · 5 shops36GSv
4Nike LD-1000 Light Armory Blue (HF3227-400)CHARGINGNike LD-1000 · from €44 · 4 shops39GSv
5Nike LD-1000 Cow Print Phantom Safety Orange (IM8073-030)SEISMICNike LD-1000 · from €60 · 12 shops53GSv

About Nike LD-1000

Nike LD-1000

The LD-1000 is one of the strangest shoes in the Nike archive. The model appeared in 1976 as a long-distance shoe, designed by co-founder Bill Bowerman, and had a sole that extended so far outward at the heel that it was almost twice as wide as the foot. The idea: a wider landing surface would stabilize the foot.

It turned out differently. The wide sole actually caused knee problems for runners, after which Nike scaled the shape back in later models. What remained was a silhouette that became recognizable because of its failure, and that for precisely that reason returned as a street shoe.

The design is otherwise classic. The upper combines nylon with suede overlays on the toe and the heel, with the Swoosh as a large stitched panel across the side. The model designation is printed on the heel, and under the shoe lies the waffle tread that Bowerman devised with his waffle iron. The midsole runs in layered bands that emphasize the protruding shape.

Within the same generation the Nike Daybreak and the Nike Waffle Debut serve the same retro-running look.

On this page you can see which versions of the Nike LD-1000 are currently hottest according to the Hypescore, from which price they can be found and at how many shops they are in stock.