Sports brand Nike has combined elements from its previous running and basketball footwear designs to create a "SneakerBoot" with a pleated sole and a neoprene cover.

The Nike LunarElite Sky Hi SneakerBoot features the company's waffle sole, first created when Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman poured a rubber compound onto his wife's waffle iron, which formed a traction pattern when it cooled.

This gripping surface has been used on the soles of running shoes since the Nike Elite BRS was released in 1976, undergoing constant development over the years.

For the new footwear, this outsole is used on the bottom of the Nike Lunarlon wedge: an exaggerated midsole with a pleated form that expands towards the heel.

The Nike LunarElite Sky Hi SneakerBoot borrows its protective neoprene cover from the Nike Air Zoom Flight The Glove, which also featured a zipper-fastening shroud that enveloped the entire upper.

The new SneakerBoot was developed from a lace-up version with a similar sole released last year.

"The original Lunar Elite Sky Hi was inspired by two things, the original Nike Elite BRS, one of Nike's first running shoes, and our wedge family," said Nike footwear designer Dylan Raasch.

"Inspired by the Nike Air Zoom Flight The Glove, a neoprene shroud was added to hold heat in and repel water, natural benefits of the material," he added.

The oversized perforations and vented neoprene liner of the earlier model are replaced with an upper in the same material that features a zip-up front covering the laces.

The base of the shoe is coated with a patent leather treatment to aid water resistance.

The Nike LunarElite Sky Hi SneakerBoot is available at select Nike Sportswear retailers and online.