Nike ACG Unveils the Picklejus, Its High-Alpine Ultra Shoe from the Future

Nike wants to own trail running in 2027

Over the past few weeks, the Swoosh has been everywhere. The recent strategic repositioning of the All Conditions Racing Department is already paying off, with standout results, including Jenn Lichter’s win at Western States. On the product side, the range keeps expanding with the Ultrafly, the Kigerfly and now the Picklejus. There’s clearly strong momentum around the brand with the comma. A few weeks ago, it was already making noise with the mysterious Kigerfly rollout, in an athlete-led campaign that felt genuinely authentic. A few weeks later, we get a complete shift in tone, with a much more product-first vision. And this product is seriously eye-catching. You can’t miss it. The new Picklejus looks like it dropped in from another planet, straight out of the lab: biomechanical studies, validation cycles, and a partnership with the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL). It’s also the very first ACG innovation to come out of that center, Nike’s product R&D epicenter. Nike is clearly leveling up with 2027 in its sights.

Nike ACG Picklejus: built for ultras, shaped by athletes

If the Picklejus is set to be a real turning point for Nike, it’s because it presents itself as the most complete expression yet of ACG’s mountain know-how. This pair is aimed at ultra-trail, a brutally demanding discipline with varied terrain, technical descents and climbs that never seem to end. The stated goal is clear: help athletes climb efficiently, protect legs on the downhills, and build confidence on technical ground thanks to standout stability. Essentials for anyone lining up for a 100-miler. What’s just as strong is what sits behind the product. Development was fueled by three years of back-and-forth with athletes training around Chamonix, the global hub for high-mountain trail, plus a massive body of work: 10 studies, 20 prototypes, more than 100 athlete testers. Nike left nothing to chance and is getting ready to drop a shoe that’s going to make a lot of noise in 2027. Visually, it’s something we haven’t seen before. On paper, the ambition is obvious: fight at the front on the trails. Now the real question is what it actually has underfoot.

© Nike

© Nike

A new dual-density foam: an unprecedented technical jump for Nike

From a tech standpoint, it’s a mini revolution at Nike. The Picklejus introduces the brand’s first co-molded, dual-density supercritical foam platform designed specifically for trail. A softer ZoomX core delivers cushioning and downhill protection. Around it, a firmer outer ring plays a role similar to a plate, adding stability, support and durability, but without the extreme stiffness of a traditional carbon plate. The two ZoomX foams are molded together to create a natural transition and a smooth ride.

Up top, there’s a trail-adapted Flyknit upper with containment cables that wrap the foot without sacrificing comfort. Another interesting point: hydrophobic fibers limit water uptake, helping avoid the weight gain from moisture that’s so common over long trail days. For protection, Nike is betting on a collar designed like a gaiter to keep debris out.

© Nike

© Nike

© Nike

© Nike

© Nike

The driving force behind the Picklejus was zero compromise. Validating a shoe that could boost efficiency both uphill and downhill over long, demanding terrain required a true partnership between the NSRL, the product creation teams and our ACG athletes. The design breaks with the usual conventions around efficiency, protection and stability. It’s a great example of what happens when you put an athlete’s biomechanical needs at the center of the process, to meet the challenges of a sport that’s as precise as it is subtle.

GOATEK: the other big story is under the shoe

Under the midsole, there’s another major new feature. The Picklejus sits on GOATEK, the brand’s new traction platform. The claimed numbers are impressive: 45% more grip on wet ground and 25% better abrasion resistance compared with previous ACG systems. Those figures were validated in the field across five long-duration test cycles, totaling more than 18,000 miles in real mountain conditions.

That number should ring a bell for the most attentive readers: it’s the exact same mileage total the Kigerfly cited at its unveiling via the All Conditions Racing Department. High standards that show just how little Nike leaves to chance.

© Nike

Where does the Picklejus fit in the ACG lineup?

Nike ACG’s trail map gets easier to read with this launch:

• Kigerfly : a shoe you could call a hybrid between the Kiger and the Ultrafly; a prototype already spotted in races (Western States win); a lively model with its Flyplate carbon plate (rumored but not confirmed)

• Ultrafly : the lineup’s benchmark for protection and carbon plate performance; the most tested to date, with 13 cycles and 30,000 miles before launch

• Picklejus : a new positioning, likely the most complete model yet, built around dual-density ZoomX and the GOATEK outsole for extreme high-mountain ultras

But one question remains: does the Picklejus complement the Ultrafly with an even more demanding racing focus, or is it ultimately a sign it will replace it? No certainty yet, but Nike calls this new model “the most complete expression” of its ACG range. That doesn’t leave much room for doubt about the ambitions behind the Picklejus. As for key specs, just like with the Kigerfly, Nike isn’t sharing weight, drop or price at this stage.

© Nike

The name, the shape, the color: Nike went for it

Impossible not to pause on the name, which will surprise plenty of readers. Picklejus is a nod to pickle juice, that mythical endurance folk remedy runners swear by to fight late-race cramps. Nike even takes the wink into the design: the shoe’s very pronounced rocker profile is said to echo the shape of a pickle…

From the first photos making the rounds, the reference doesn’t stop at the name: the Picklejus comes in a pretty radical neon yellow, paired with a massive outsole. Hard not to see a real visual wink to the pickle, beyond the wordplay. It definitely stands out in a trail market where silhouettes tend to blur together. With a design this polarizing, you could read it as a statement in a scene that can feel a bit sanitized and uniform. Just like it did with the ACG Radical AirFlow NXT race top, whose look split opinion, Nike ACG is once again leaning into an aesthetic choice that’s guaranteed to get people talking. You either love it or hate it. One thing’s for sure: Nike often has a move in hand.

© Nike

✔ Explore the full Nike ACG range on the official site nike.com