With a scheduled release date of December 20th, the Nike Hyperadapt 1.0 self-lacing shoe will be on shelves throughout store locations in NY, Chicago, LA and San Francisco. Your chance to finally step into Marty McFly’s ‘Back to the Future’ shoe will soon become a reality. Even though considered by most to be a tough $720 credit card swipe, those who have tested the Nike Hyperadapt 1.0 self-lacing athletic shoe seem to praise its advanced technology and superior comfort.
Similar to the experience someone has opening their new smartphone purchase, Nike’s Hyperadapt comes with a magnetic charging puck, a USB wall charger, and illuminating soles. It’s no secret this is a high-tech wearable and no ordinary set of kicks.
Nike’s built-in self-lacing technology is impressive, to say the least. In a recent LiveScience article by Mindy Weisberger entitled, “Great Scott! How to Get the ‘Back to the Future’ Self-Lacing Shoes,” Nike’s shoe technology called, “Adaptive Fit” seems to be the difference-maker. The revolutionary tech is what makes the Hyperadapt “come alive.”
Tinker Hatfield, Nike’s V.P. for Design and Special Projects, calls the technology E.A.R.L. (Electro Adaptive Reactive Lacing). When you step into the shoe, the lace-engine is connected to their proprietary fit system located in the heel. Flywire is woven into both sides and wraps around your feet. When the user steps in the heel sensors activate the lace-engine, which can sense certain tension around your foot. By engaging two buttons on the shoe, the user can loosen or tighten the flywire around their foot. With the top button tightening your shoe and the bottom buttoning loosening them, wearers are able to customize their fit outside of the intuitive self-lacing technology.
Nike does a great job as always keeping the athlete at the forefront of their product development. Hyperadapt 1.0 self-lacing shoes are no exception and were designed for runners and all-around athletes. With the stamp of approval coming from NBA Champ Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Giants’ star wide out Odell Beckham, Jr., the Nike Hyperadapt is being strategically positioned as the high-performance footwear of the future. The technology allows for an athlete to make on-the-fly adjustments. Just imagine being able to manipulate the comfort level of your shoe before and after a 5K race. From sweating to swelling, our feet change throughout the day and especially during exercise. Nike’s E.A.R.L. technology power lacing technology solves this issue.
During the design process, Tiffany Beers, Nike Senior Innovator and co-creator of the Hyperadapts quickly realized the shoe has vast potential outside of the athletic arena. From helping those who suffer from debilitating diseases like multiple sclerosis to pregnant women with swollen feet, the built-in technology has its uses beyond the football field or basket court. “If you ever tried to reach your feet while you’re pregnant, it’s a whole ‘nother ball game,” Beers said in USA Today.
With built-in lights circling the heel of its shoe, alerting its wearer of battery life (green = two weeks of battery life; yellow = few days; red = time to recharge), Nike Hyperadapts can last at least two weeks on one charge. If the battery runs out of juice, then simply press a button to release the laces. As one could imagine with all of the built-in high-tech, Nike’s Hyperadapt shoes are not waterproof nor are they water resistant. So if you plan on training in monsoon-like conditions, you will be the proud owner of $720 sneakers without the self-lacing feature.
With features that include adjusting to your feet automatically while playing sports or during a run, Nike Hyperadapts’ have a bright future. They are a first generation offering of what appears to be many lines of high-tech self-lacing shoes. Already shown to help those with debilitating conditions, we may see Nike go beyond athletic footwear and add a few casual shoe lines with groundbreaking E.A.R.L. technology.
