When you think of the Back to the Future movies, what comes to mind? For many it is the souped-up DeLorean that takes the intrepid Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox) and Doc Brown (played by Christopher Lloyd) for a ride through time. For others it is the convoluted storyline, following characters as they hop from one time period to another. Finally, there are those who love the futuristic gadgets from the movie, many of which have already come to pass.
But we are still waiting for a couple of gadgets to be invented, including hoverboards (floating skateboards) and the Nike self-tying shoes featured in Back to the Future II.
Nike has just come one step closer, creating almost perfect replicas of the iconic Nike Mags, and has put them up for auction on eBay. All proceeds from the sales of the shoes benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research.
The all-new Nike Mags sit atop a DeLorean
Even though they don’t tie themselves, the shoes have sparked incredible interest. Nike has placed them on auction in batches of 150 over the last seven days. Quick research shows that the most expensive pair sold for over $10,000 (size 11), while the cheapest sold for just $2,500 (size 8). The shoes have garnered interest from a range of people including self-styled sneakerheads, Back to the Future enthusiasts, and those who want to support Parkinson’s research.
Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, after completing the movie Doc Hollywood. He made his diagnosis public in 1998, and became a passionate advocate for Parkinson’s research, establishing the foundation that bears his name in 2000. As it says on Nike’s Back 4 The Future website:
“It would only make sense that the shoes be auctioned to benefit the foundation of the man who made them famous.
And with your help, the proceeds of these shoes will help erase Parkinson’s from existence.”
With Halloween coming up, we checked around the site to find other Back to the Future items to complete your BTTF costume. Once you have the shoes, you need to find a hoverboard to ride. We found this highly accurate reproduction of the movie original.
Sadly, it does not fly.
You also can find a used DeLorean for sale, although it has not been tricked-out as a replica for the one used in Back to the Future. Keep looking, though, as we have even seen a few of those replica cars here on the site in the past.
We figure you have about a month to get the car into shape, the hoverboard hovering, and the shoes self-tying. OK, so the last two might pose a bit of a challenge, but you would be the most stylin’ Marty McFly at the party.
But it seems we are still a few years away from the year the self-tying shoes are supposed to be commonplace (2015), so we will just have to wait. Interestingly, we found out that in 2009 Nike filed a patent application for shoes with an automatic lacing system. A closer look at the description of the shoes on the Back 4 The Future site notes that the current Nike Mags are a “true predecessor to the 2015 power-lacing Nike MAG.”
We have to wonder… Are they talking about the future? Or the past?
Cool shoes, but a very high price.
I want to buy this sneaker, what is the lowest price can you give ?
I want a pair. email me back! I need a size 9 1/2.
@Jean, @David: You need to participate in the auction to get one of these amazing shoes.
Great shoes! I wanted them since i saw them on Back to the Future, and I would love to have them… but the price is toooooooooooooooo high! At least i am able to pay $150 for the Jordan retros — that is a good price.
Shoes that don’t help me stick to walls sideways or lace themselves are not worth 2500 to 10,000. I would love to show support to the Parkinson’s Foundation, but these shoes would not be the way I would go.
@ Courtney: Here is a direct link to the Foundation’s page, if you want to see how you can help support their mission another way – Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
Instead of just making 1500 shoes that sell as high as 10K why not make a million shoes to sell for 200 bucks? Seems to me that more people should be able to have a pair without having to spend an outrageous amount of money. Currently the profit projections will probably be about 5 million but they could have made 200 million dollars because every single shoe would have sold nationally if not globally. But I guess this is about supplying an elite few rather then the average person. Thanks a lot.
How come every time i like something or get into a trend, next month everyone else gets into the exact same thing?! its a bit frustrating.. oh well, whatever.
I personally would love to bid on a pair of these bad-boys and can totally afford it. but the auction is open to the states only… i guess the M.J.Fox Foundation doesn’t like OilSands money
@cjrush: its not really so much a $2,000-$10,000 shoe as it is a gift for a donation. Having worked in non-profits, I love this idea.