When most of us think about what we want in a shoe, a sock probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Sure it has comfort, but what about stability? And how about some support?
Nike is filling in those blanks with its newest line, Nike Flyknit, which will make its big splash in the Olympics. Four years in the making, Flyknit is the product of an entirely new shoe-making process that can produce a single, lightweight knit upper (tongue included). The resulting intricate patchwork of yarn, cables, and fabric boasts a heretofore unseen look and feel.
Flyknit was powered by athletes’ input, says Tony Bignell, director of footwear innovation at Nike’s Innovation Kitchen. And what they wanted, head-scratchingly enough, was a sock. “A sock fits great, feels snug, goes unnoticed, and you get no irritation,” Bignell explains.“So the idea was, how do you engineer a sock into a high-performance shoe?”
Rest of article: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1669098/nike-unveils-its-big-new-paradigm-sh...
kind of groovy, not
kind of groovy, not convinced it is BETTER than much of anything else but I would throw on a pair and give them a try just because. I wonder how many little old ladies and hipsters to took to knit all of those shoes. :)
They look pretty neat but I
They look pretty neat but I agree with above, I guess I'm not sold they are all that better than what we have now. Besides, where do they get looms small enough to be operated by the 3 year olds in Nike's factories?
"powered by athletes’
"powered by athletes’ input". I think that's what they said about those god awful shoes with springs in the heel.
Can't say I've been holding my breath waiting for macrame shoes.
Funny thing I noticed when I watched the Olympic marathon trials here in Houston. I didn't see a single guy running barefoot, not one in five fingers, and no one running in macrame socks.
Seemed like all the guys in the front pack were running in... racing flats.