Photo Hints That Nike Could Release Self-Tying 'Back To The Future Part II' Sneakers In October 2015

Nike promised the futuristic self-lacing sneakers sometime in 2015, but we've heard no official announcements since shoe designer Tinker Hatfield made comments earlier this year hinting that a release would come by the end of the year. So where are they? A new tweet gives us clues to a possible release date.

Max Erdenberger, a former art director at Nike's advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, posted a photo of the Back to the Future Part II sneaker with the statement "October 21, 2015." Nike has not yet released any official information or commented, but this tease is encouraging. October 21, 2015 is the date that Marty McFly, Doc Brown and Jennifer arrive in 2015 in the beginning of the second movie. The date has been declared "Back to the Future Day", and will see the start of the We're Going Back fan convention, the release of the new Back to the Future documentary Back In Time and much more. So this might be the day to release these futuristic sneakers.

Germain Lussier's original story from January 8th 2015 follows:

Now that's it's 2015, you can talk all you want about Hoverboards and flying cars from Back to the Future Part II. For me, I'd just like a pair of the self lacing Nikes. The reason being Nike actually released a screen accurate version of the shoe, called the Nike Mag, to collectors a few years back so they're way more realistic than the other things imagined for the film.

However, the ultra-limited 2011 version did not have the power laces as seen in the movie. At the time, Nike did hint to fans they would try and get the technology created by the year the movie was set though. Well, it's the year the movie was set and, according to shoe designer Tinker Hatfield, they're close. There's more on the Back to the Future Nikes below, including images of Nike's patent.

Sneaker blog Nice Kicks was on hand at a trade show where Hatfield talked about the Back to the Future Nikes. He said the team is working on the power lace aspect of the shoe and hopes to get it ready this year. But he reminded everyone there are still "11 and two-thirds months left in 2015." So there's no word on a release date.

I know. It sounds too good too be true but Nike has, in fact, applied for a patent for an "automatic lacing system." Nike Kicks again has all the details, including 30 images and scans, but here's just one to give an idea.

You can only hope the sneakers, once they're released, aren't super crazy exclusive. They'll obviously be expensive and sought after by collectors but you don't go ahead an invent a system like this for a small, niche collector audience. It could potentially be a shift in how people actually do put on sneakers.

What is your number one wish for technology that was seen in Back to the Future Part II? Hoverboards, flying cars, self-drying clothes?