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New Balance 3D Printed Running Shoe 2016 Gallery
Shoes

New Balance Preparing To Sell 3D Printed Running Sneakers

November 20, 2015

New Balance 3D Printed Running Sneaker 2016

New Balance has announced that it has developed a pair of 3D printed running sneakers. The news comes almost 2 months after Adidas announced a similar product. Both sneakers  utilize a printed midsole with a porous structure engineered for cushioning. The New Balance is designed for heal strikers, with a design formula similar to the company’s Fresh Foam line of sneakers. The previously announced Adidas Futurecraft 3D, on the other hand, is customized as it is created for an individual’s foot shape and running style. While the Adidas sneaker is still considered a prototype (though they intend to bring it to market at some point), the 3D printed New Balance kicks already have a launch date. The New Balance sneaker will hit the market in 2016; the limited edition footwear will initially be sold in the company’s home market of Boston in April and will become available at select New Balance stores later in the year. There is currently no price set but we expect to hear a lot more about the shoe when it is on display at the 3D Systems (the shoe maker’s printing partner) booth at CES in January. We are so excited that a 3D printed piece of apparel is finally going to be sold in a normal retail environment and cannot wait until people are able to put it to the test!

To give you an idea of how quickly 3D printing technology is moving, in 2013 New Balance pushed the tech as far as possible at the time to create customized 3D printed cleat plates for elite athletes. Moving from a mostly rigid sheet to a highly flexible, cushioning shoe-bed in 2 years is incredible. The leap is made possible largely due to technology developed by their partner, 3D Systems. Perhaps the most notable achievement is a newly developed elastomeric powder crafted from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The powder, named DuraForm® Flex TPU, is used with a selective laser sintering (SLS) printing system to create the midsoles. SLS is a 3D printing method where a laser is used to transform a powder into a solid; the laser outlines a shape in a thin layer of powder as the heat from the laser hardens it, another thin layer of powder is then added on top and the process is repeated until an object is crafted. Head past the break for more images and a video of the shoes in motion.  

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by Doug Parker
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Nike Air Mags Self Lacing Back To The Future 2 Power
Shoes

Self Lacing Nike Sneakers Officially Launching In 2016 (UPDATED)

October 21, 2015

Nike Air Mags Self Lacing Back To The Future 2 Power

UPDATE: Nike has posted about Michael J. Fox’s pair #1 of the new Nike Mags. The post also (sadly) confirms the sneakers will only be released via a limited auction, similar to the 2011 version. Hopefully it is easier to obtain than a Pepsi Perfect.

While it might be missing the October 21st, 2015, Back To The Future Day, Nike will debut sneakers with a self lacing mechanism in Spring 2016. In a video posted to the MichaelJFox.org twitter feed, we see the Back To The Future star put on a pair of Air Mags with “power laces.” Much like in the movie, Marty Michael J. Fox is in shock as the sneakers tighten around his foot. We have to admit, there is something amazing, and slightly mind melting, about seeing him pull on the Air Mags just has he did on this day in the fictional 2015.

Currently little is known other than the tweet stating that it is real and coming next year. No word on if the self lacing technology will debut in a pair of Air Mags, but it would be a HUGE shame is it did not. “Spring 2016” cannot come soon enough! Oh, and Nike, please do all the fans a favor and not limit this to only a few hundred pair again.

 

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by Doug Parker
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Adidas Futurecraft 3D Printed Running Sneaker
Shoes

Adidas Shows Off Running Shoe Made With 3D Printing

October 8, 2015

Adidas Futurecraft 3D Printed Running Sneaker

Adidas is no stranger to pushing the limits to finding new ways to construct their shoes. We were crazy about their Adidas x Parley sneakers revealed this summer. The upper of the sneaker was constructed from salvaged ocean garbage, including seized illegal gillnets (as incredible as the shoes were, the story of how the gillnets were acquired was stunning!). Adidas is at it again, pushing the needle of innovation in the shoe industry. The company just unveiled the Futurecraft 3D running shoe. The entire midsole (the cushiony part of the shoe between the your foot and the ground) is 3D printed. Adidas has created a way to 3D print the midsole so that the shoe is firm when standing but just squishy enough to protect your joints when running. Furthermore, the design allows for the midsole to be customized to your foot, crafted to take into account your foot shape, pressure points, and impact pattern. The company envisions that one day you will walk into an Adidas store, run on a treadmill for a few minutes, and then the perfect, custom running shoe will be instantly created for you.

While the Futurecraft 3D running shoe is currently only a prototype, Adidas believes strongly in the concept and views it is a statement of intent. According to Paul Gaudio, Adidas’ creative director, the company is focused on “driving material and process innovation, bringing the familiar into the future.” With that approach, we expect to continue to see more compelling ideas emerge from Adidas and are excited to see which of them make it to market. Additionally, it is great to see the company not only focused on innovation, but also on new technologies that help eliminate some of environmental harm the fashion industry is responsible for. Head past the break for a video that shoes the creation process:  

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by Doug Parker
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Shift Sneakers rehabstudio
Shoes

Shift Sneakers Teases The Future Of Shoe Design

July 20, 2015

Shift Sneakers rehabstudio

Wouldn’t it be amazing if your sneakers could became reflective when you run at night, glow if you were cycling, or change colors to match the outfit you are wearing? Rehabstudio, a creative technology company out of the UK, has shown off a concept for future sneakers that visually adapt to your needs. The Shift sneaker is fairly clever; by combining several different textile technologies (both conductive and reactive) into one fabric, the material would be able to change colors, impart new properties, or light up. The upper of the shoes is constructed of a material with conductive woven threads. Imbedded among these threads will be touch sensitive fibers and malleable micro LED displays. According to the company, Phase Change fibers and Shape Memory material will be employed to enable interchangeability between designs and allow those designs to be locked onto the sneaker. Finally Meta materials will manipulate the fabric tissue to alter how light bends off of the shoe and adopt to variables such as temperature or surfaces.

While this all sounds complicated, the end result would be a sneaker with millions of different looks than would be controlled with a few taps on your phone! Rehabstudio envisions that the Bluetooth connected sneakers would have a large degree of customization available out of the box, with more being able to be added through in-app-purchases. For example, they envision a “Running Pack” that would allow you to set your target pace and the shoes will glow green, red, or blue depending on your speed versus that pace. Another concept is the “Selfie Pack” that using a photo would instantly alter the shoes to match your outfit. While just a co ncept, Shift could be a glimpse of where footwear is headed. Not only is the ability to continuously customize your footwear an exciting concept, it also would mean that one shoe would would serve the purpose of several (sustainable fashion), which is good for the wallet and even better for the environment!

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by Doug Parker
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Shoes

Adidas Creates First Sneaker Made From Ocean Garbage

July 17, 2015

Adidas Parley Prototype Sneaker U.N.

Back April Adidas announced it had teamed up with Parley For The Oceans to investigate creating sneakers from recycled trash. The goal was to demonstrate that ocean debris could be transformed into a valuable material for the fashion industry. The collaboration showed off their first prototype, the Adidas x Parley sneaker, earlier this month at the U.N. General Assembly. The entire upper of the shoe is created from items found in the ocean. The shoe is constructed from ocean plastics and illegal deep-sea gillnets. In fact, when gathering materials, Parley For The Oceans spent 110 days tracking an illegal fishing vessel off of the coast of West Africa and recovered nearly 45 miles of netting. As for ocean plastic, a 2006 U.N. study estimated that there are 46,000 pieces of floating plastic for every square mile of ocean.

While the current shoe is only a prototype, it demonstrates the value that can be realized from items currently damaging our oceans. If you have your heart set on owning a piece of recycled-based footwear, hang tight; Adidas has announced that, through its partnership with Parley, it is committed to releasing a line of consumer-ready products made from ocean plastics before the end of the year. Head past the break for video of the U.N. event.  

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by Doug Parker
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Nike Zoom Soldier 8 Flyease
Shoes

Nike Releases Sneaker Designed For People With Disabilities

July 14, 2015

Nike Zoom Soldier 8 Flyease

Nike has released a new sneaker especially designed for people with disabilities. The no-lace sneaker was the result of 3 years of work by renown Nike designer Tobie Hatfield. It features a zipper at the heel to allow the sneaker to be easily put on with one hand. This technology, called Flyease, has actually been in the works for longer than the sneaker, seven years, and is the key to what makes the new Zoom Soldier 8 easy to be worn by amputees and people with disabilities, such as cerebral palsy. Nike promises that other styles of shoes will become available with the Flyease technology.

The sneaker aligns perfectly with Nike’s mission statement of “If you have a body, you’re an athlete.” The story of how the Zoom Soldier 8 came be to is impressive for a company of Nike’s size. Matthew Walzer, a 16 year old high school junior, wrote to Nike explaining that he was nervous about going to college because he could not tie or untie his shoes due to cerebral palsy. The letter made its way to Tobie Hatfield who adopted the project. He worked closely with Matthew Walzer to design shoes that addressed his needs. Head past the break for video of the story:  

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by Doug Parker
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Shoes

Digitsole Keeps Your Feet Toasty No Matter The Weather

January 22, 2015

GlaGla Digitsole

French footwear company GlaGla recently showed off their crowdfunded Digitsole. Simply place the insole into your shoe and experience toasty 120 degree Fahrenheit warmth for 6 to 9 hours. They are rechargeable via Micro USB. The shoe insert slides into your footwear like something from Dr. Scholls and incorporates the heating elements, rechargeable battery, and circuitry. You control the temperature via an iOS or Android app that connects through Bluetooth 4.0. Since it would be a waste to have something under your feet not collecting information, Digitsole also tracks steps taken and calories burnt. Everything sounds perfect about the product until you get to the price. At $200 for a pair, most people will not be picking up Digitsole to stay warm while running weekend errands. Clearly with that price the company is targeting people who spend a lot of time outside during the winter or live in extreme winter weather. Digitsole is currently available for preorder and will ship in February. Video after the break: 

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by Doug Parker
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