In the 1980s, Mart McFly returned to the future (2015) and donned a pair of self-lacing Nike sneakers. It's now 2024 and Nike's newest shoes do much more than adjust to demand.
The brand has teamed up with Hyperice, makers of some of the best massage guns, to create a pair of high-top sneakers that massage athletes' feet while they wear them, with the help of heat and dynamic air compression.
The shoe contains a series of Normatec dual-air bladders (air-filled pockets) connected to heating elements, which are powered by battery packs in the insole. They are designed to “drive heat to the muscles and tissues of the foot and ankle,” with the goal of improving the user's performance and recovery.
They are controlled by four small buttons on the heel of the shoe (pictured below).
Hyperice says testing athletes reported how their feet and ankles feel “freer and lighter” after wearing them, “as if they had already completed their warm-up before starting their regular routine.”
“Recovery is an important part of any athlete's journey, but we hear from athletes that this concept of 'pre-recovery' is equally important,” says Tobie Hatfield, senior director of Nike Athlete Innovation. “The footwear we've developed with Hyperice helps prepare the body for activity, whether you're playing for a title or standing a lot at work.”
Recovery has long been a guiding element of fitness tools like the best running watches, and uses tools like Garmin's Training Readiness Score to ensure athletes take enough time away from training. . But stretching your entire body and using percussive massages can help protect your body before your workout begins.
Athletes such as long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge, soccer player Ada Hegerberg, basketball player Lebron James and golfer Tom Kim are already putting this futuristic equipment to the test.
“I could tell the difference immediately,” says Kim. “I feel so much lighter after wearing the Nike x Hyperice boots in the morning.”
Kipchoge adds: “I have worn the Nike x Hyperice boots before and after many key sessions in my Olympic marathon training. When I wear them before a warm-up for a fartlek or hill session, my legs feel light during training. “I also use them after running as a key part of recovering my muscles.”
The shoes are not yet commercially available, and Nike and Hyperice plan to release them at a later date after gathering more feedback from athletes. The brands have also collaborated on a vest that contains thermoelectric coolers, which allow athletes to adjust their body temperature.
“Since the inception of Hyperice, we have taken a lot of inspiration from Nike, from the care and innovation we put into our products to how we connect with the athlete,” says Hyperice founder and president Anthony Katz.
“This collaboration is the culmination of years of work between our two brands to offer innovative footwear and apparel for the athlete to improve their performance and recovery. And this is just the beginning”.
