The Nike Ava Rover Black/Muslin is a newer lifestyle runner that leans heavily into Nike’s current minimalist, tech-forward design language. This one flew a bit under the radar, but it fits right into that modern “retro yet slightly futuristic” lane sneaker brands have been pushing lately.
The Ava Rover kind of feels like the next logical step for the Element series from back in the day. You get a sleek, low-profile silhouette with subtle design lines and a focus on comfort over flash. In this Black/Muslin colorway, everything stays pretty subdued, which works in the shoe’s favor and makes it super easy to wear. I definitely get Yeezy 500 vibes from the shape of the shoe, but the quirky midsole and “digital” look to these definitely pushes them in a unique direction.
I grabbed these mostly out of curiosity, and honestly, I’m glad I did. The neutral color combo is right up my alley, and this feels like one of those pairs that quietly works with almost anything. Nothing loud or hype-driven here, just a clean everyday sneaker that fits nicely into the rotation. I often eschew newer things for my comfort zone of Air Max retros and Nike SB. However, I’m trying to be more open minded in 2026, and I was able to find these for $90 shipped from Woodstack, which helped push the idea of me getting these forward.
These come in a cardboard colored Nike box with a small digital pattern on it in parts, paper with this design on it as well, and matching black laces, keeping the presentation straightforward and in line with the shoe’s low-key vibe.
Materials
The upper is a mix of mesh and synthetic overlays, keeping things lightweight and breathable while still feeling solid. Nothing about the materials screams premium, but the execution is clean and cohesive. Everything feels intentional and well put together, which is really what you want from a modern Nike lifestyle runner at this price point. The whole point here is keeping the shoe lightweight and these do achieve that with the materials used.
Fit & Comfort
We get a comfortably snug fit a true to size. These really feel like a more comfy iteration of the Element 87. Wide footers might need to go up a half size but I didn’t have that issue personally. Thin tongue, so definitely wear tall socks as the tongue can hit against the front of the ankle. The ReactX midsole is soft without feeling mushy, and there’s enough support to wear these for extended periods without issue. Easily a good choice for an all-day option if you’re just moving around casually.
If these are sold out at different stores online, you can try looking for them on eBay.
Colorway: Black / Anthracite – Black – Sequoia
Style Code: DX4215-003
Retail Price: $145
Year of Release: 2025