As the world turns its attention to the Olympic Winter Games in Milan this winter, Team USA debuts a radical new layer: the Nike Therma-Fit Jacket, powered by Nike Air innovation. Designed as both a performance garment and a medal-ceremony statement piece, the jacket marks a bold evolution in adaptive outerwear.
The Therma-FIT Air Milano Jacket, worn by Team USA athletes throughout the Games, was introduced in Milan as part of Nike’s latest wave of athlete-focused technological advancements.
Nike Therma-Fit Jacket: adaptive warmth in motion
The Nike Therma-Fit Jacket reimagines insulation by replacing traditional down or synthetic fill with sculpted Air chambers. Lightweight and architectural in silhouette, it allows athletes to inflate or deflate the garment in real time, shifting from windbreaker-level coverage to the warmth of a mid-weight puffer within seconds.
At its core is A.I.R. (Adapt. Inflate. Regulate.) Technology — a system that enables wearers to fine-tune their thermal comfort without removing layers. A discreet, battery-powered micro-fan inflates the jacket in approximately 20 seconds via a front valve. With a simple press, air can be gradually released, instantly cooling the body as activity levels change.
This innovation directly addresses a universal athletic challenge: temperature regulation during movement. Instead of tying a jacket around the waist mid-run or layering up and down, athletes can now adjust insulation dynamically within a single garment.
Nike Air Innovation: engineering the future of outerwear
Built on nearly five decades of Nike Air innovation, the Air Milano concept extends the brand’s signature cushioning technology into apparel. Air, long used in footwear for responsiveness and impact protection, now functions as intelligent insulation.
Unlike down, which loses efficiency when wet, air maintains its insulating properties in damp conditions. The result is an exceptional warmth-to-weight ratio, delivering high thermal performance without bulk. A breakthrough two-layer composite laminate material ensures durability while remaining soft and flexible against the body.
Developed using computational design and data from the Nike Sport Research Lab, the jacket’s sculpted Air chambers are body-mapped for precision fit and performance. The technology also builds on Nike’s broader Functional Innovative Technologies (FIT) system, complementing Therma-FIT insulation, Aero-FIT cooling, Dri-FIT moisture management, and Storm-FIT weather protection.
More than 380 hours of wear testing in Colorado — across running, skiing, hiking, and snowboarding — refined every detail. The Team USA edition features custom sculptural elements, metallic twill branding, and accessibility features including magnetic zippers and interior thumb loops designed to support Paralympic athletes.
Courtesy of NIKE
