Nike has always claimed that its shoes have the best technology, the one capable of making you faster or able to cover longer distances. Its Air Soles and rubber outsoles even helped people soar through the skies and take on the bad guys – or at least they did in 1989 Batman with Michael Keaton. The leading (Bat)man donned custom Nike Air Trainer Bat boots, a pair of which is now up for auction with an expected sale price of $20,000-$30,000.

Now aged 33, the shoes feature a pair of black Air Trainer 3 sneakers customized with black leather collars that extend to the knee. Additional pieces of leather rest on the leg to act as armour. Due to the costume accessory’s age, the Bat Boots show signs of aging, including cracked leather and crumbling midsoles, which means whoever purchases them will not be able to use them to recreate scenes. of Batman. However, the boots are still collectibles and are priced to match.

In the wings – While it’s not uncommon for superheroes to wear Nike sneakers, take a look at Spider-Man’s air jordans – the kicks don’t seem to line up with Batman’s vintage-style suits and trench coats. In fact, Keaton reportedly only donned the Swoosh to satisfy a product deal made by Batman producer Jon Peters, Complex reported.

Legendary Nike designer Tinker Hatfield created the sneakers, seemingly for free, to boost the brand’s influence in pop culture. He also helped create a more modern Batsuit for the film and made the superhero uniform more muscular and athletic than previous ones. According Complexthe designer has a personal pair of Bat Boots, which he always exhibits in his workshop.

“[The Batman team was] to really speak my language to be edgy and athletic and to be able to perform stunts in the very product,” Hatfield said. Complex. “In other words, it wasn’t just a prop. It was also a performance shoe because Michael Keaton had to – and his stunt doubles had to – really do a lot in this actual product. About eight pairs of Bat Boot were made in total for the first Batmanwith some created for Keaton and others for his stunt doubles.

Be Batman — Air Trainers are slowly making a comeback today, revived by Nike through retro-d pairs and collaborations with Travis Scott. However, neither can match the level of influence – or value – of Batman’s, and owners of the Nike Air Trainer Bat Boots will have a slice of both sneaker and movie history. The pair is estimated to fetch between $20,000 and $30,000 via the accessories auction site they are listed, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Batman fans jacked up the price like the character itself.