Nike Kobe 8 Protro “Year of the Horse” 2026 IM0594-600

Through two weeks of 2026, there have been two dueling bands ruling the airwaves in the sneaker world: Valentine’s Day and Lunar New Year / Year of the Horse. Nearly every major player in footwear has hummed along to one or both initiatives, and in Nike’s corner, that’s already borne two EXT variations of the Nike Kobe 8, one a more creative application with blue/purple gradient soles, and one a more literal with black pony hair uppers.

However attention-grabbing those novel developments may be, we can’t lose sight of the originator. Indeed, the Nike Kobe 8 “Year of the Horse,” as delivered in 2014 as the Zodiac Calendar last came up equestrian, was tipped off to hit the shelves anew months before this. Now with official images loaded out of Beaverton, the resplendent style makes good on that arrangement, complete with its crimson overtones, gilded accents, and brushed mesh patterns. As pictured in the shots below, this Protro edition breaks from what fans originally received by adding on Grade School sizing. On a more detailed level, this Retro stamps itself with “2026” text on the elastic bands right below the collar, bisected by the ever-present Sheath logo.

The Nike Kobe 8 Protro “Year of the Horse” is currently expected to release on January 31st, commanding a $180 sticker price in adult sizing. Again, a GS pair is pictured below — keep that in mind as you get a sense for this bring-back colorway.

Matt Varga is an Editor at SneakerNews. Initially earning a degree in Video Arts and Technology, he got his start in video editing and writing in the music world — primarily on hip-hop and electronic. A long-standing interest in sneakers led him to switching over to footwear. An avid collector, his favorite sneaker of all time comes down to either the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe” and Air Jordan 5 “Laney,” his first ever pick-ups. When he’s not writing, you can find Matt cooking, traveling, attending concerts and when weather permits, on the handball court.