Fernando H. Green Blog: Nike’s Vapor Fly Blackout Driver is Just the Beginning

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Nike’s Vapor Fly Blackout Driver is Just the Beginning

Nike Golf's run of purposeful weirdness continues with the announcement of the new Stay Hidden. Be Seen. collection.

This latest release of unusual apparel (and gear) is a celebration of sorts for the 30th anniversary of Nike golf's foray into the golf apparel marketplace (hence the NG86 on the hat and shirts).

"Three decades on, the 'Stay Hidden. Be Seen' pack celebrates this historic year. Taking inspiration from the past in order to launch golf style into the future, it infuses performance-led garments — a polka dot packable hooded jacket, a Nike AW77 Crew, Nike Legacy cap, washed polo and short, and t-shirts with various designs — with a healthy dose of attitude."

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you that future.

Fashionistas, should one mix camo-print and polka-dots? I'm going to need a ruling on this.

A Black Driver

To supplement (Nike's word) the new gear, the company will also introduce a Limited Edition all-black (matte crown) Blackout versions of its Vapor Fly and Vapor Fly Pro drivers.

For those of you with Nike iDs, you can unlock the fun now for $350.

The Larger Metaphor

Other than the whole camo/polka-dot thing, there's not too much to get riled up about here, and frankly, I think the black with bold print is actually going to go over well.

For me, the most intriguing part of all of this is the name. Stay Hidden. Be Seen. I think that's a fair assessment of Nike's updated approach to the golf industry. It's a bit hard to describe, but I get the sense the company is content to lurk in the shadows while at the same time making a lot of noise in ways that only Nike can.

We've discussed at length Nike's failure to make a meaningful impact on the equipment side of the industry, and while I'm reasonably certain that's not going to change overnight, I do get the sense that Nike Golf has found its place in golf and is starting to hit its stride. If it's able to run at full speed like it has in other industries, don't expect Nike to say hidden for long.

The Stay Hidden. Be Seen collection will be available May 7 on Nike.com and at select Nike retailers.