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kicksaddictny · 7 months ago

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Nike Air: The Athlete’s Edge from Track to Court to Pitch

No one understands athletes like Nike. Through new research, advanced capabilities, and a bold innovation agenda, the company has evolved its Alphafly line to the Alphafly 3, designed to serve marathoners of all levels. Nike is now optimizing its proprietary Air technology, a key component of its super shoes, to deliver outstanding performance results to athletes on the track, court, and pitch.

Nike has harnessed its computational power and extensive athlete data from the Nike Sport Research Lab to create footwear that helps athletes realize their dreams. This science-backed, sport-specific research and innovation have led to the introduction of updated spikes for track athletes, the Nike Victory 2 and Nike Maxfly 2; a new basketball shoe, the Nike G.T. Hustle 3; and its most premium football boot to date, the 2024 Nike Air Zoom Mercurial.

The Nike Alphafly 3 launched in January 2024, with new colorways available on nike.com and select retailers. The new Nike Victory 2 and Nike Maxfly 2 are available now in limited quantities on nike.com. The G.T. Hustle 3 and 2024 Air Zoom Mercurial will be available at nike.com and select retailers in July.

In the five years since Nike, Eliud Kipchoge, and the revolutionary Alphafly broke the two-hour marathon barrier, the company has been hard at work. New research, advanced capabilities, and a bold innovation agenda have led the brand to evolve its Alphafly line to the Alphafly 3, serving all marathoners at all levels. Now, Nike is optimizing its proprietary Air technology, a key component in its super shoe "system of speed," to bring super-charged results to athletes on the track, court, and pitch.

Evolution of an Icon

“When the Alphafly hit, it shocked everyone with the introduction of Air Zoom,” says Tony Bignell, Vice President of Running Footwear. “It was polarizing, but with expert research from the Nike Sport Research Lab and validation from Eliud Kipchoge, the world’s greatest marathoner, we proved it was efficient, responsive, and provided unparalleled energy return — the best in the industry. This system of speed — our ZoomX foam, carbon plate, and Air Zoom units — remains Nike’s competitive advantage.”

Since Eliud Kipchoge and the legendary Nike Alphafly prototype crossed the marathon finish line in 1:59:40, the Alphafly 3 has evolved to become the lightest model yet, more precisely tuned. The Alphafly 3 features a continuous bottom connecting the heel and forefoot, ensuring smooth transitions regardless of pace. The shoe’s featherweight form results from extensive testing and feedback from a diverse group of marathoners, including insights from Eliud Kipchoge. Nike designers optimized the shoe’s midsole and heel to concentrate the load on the forefoot Air Zoom units, enhancing activation for all runners.

Throughout the Alphafly’s evolution, one technology has remained constant: Air Zoom. “We’ve fine-tuned the other elements of the shoe to better engage the two Air units in the forefoot, allowing Air to do more of the work for you,” says Bignell. This approach has paid off. In the 2023 Chicago Marathon, running in the Alphafly 3 prototype, Nike athlete Sifan Hassan clocked the second-fastest women’s marathon ever, and the late Nike athlete Kelvin Kiptum set the new men’s marathon world record.

Bringing the Air Advantage to the Track

Nike has adapted its system of speed, powered by Air, to help its iconic roster of track athletes break records in events ranging from sprints to distance races. Air Zoom units first appeared in Nike track spikes in 2020, bringing game-changing cushioning innovation to athletes. For Paris 2024, the Nike Maxfly 2 — designed for sprinters racing 100m to 400m — and the Nike Victory 2 — for athletes racing 800m to 1500m — feature a flatter ground-facing profile for a more stable ride and more ground contact, while still delivering the energy return that only Nike Air can provide. The pronounced diagonal lines act as a support base, stabilizing both the Maxfly 2 and Victory 2, enabling athletes to maximize their foot strike force and stability on track curves.

“Nike Air technology isn’t just changing how fast athletes can run — it’s changing the sport of track and field,” says Dr. Emily Farina, principal researcher in the NSRL. “The introduction of Air Zoom in the Maxfly and Victory inspired some athletes to try distances they previously would not have considered.”

The effectiveness of Air technology is evident in last year’s stats: In 2023, track and field and marathon athletes set nine new world records, with Nike athletes accounting for eight of them, in distances ranging from the 1500 meters to the marathon. At the 2023 World Outdoor Track & Field Championships, 50% of the medals went to Nike athletes.

Nike applies its proprietary technology with precision and creativity. “There is so much you can do with Air — it can be the most protective cushioning system and also the most responsive,” says Leo Chang, Senior Director of Running Footwear Product Design Innovation. “We have various Air unit shapes and inflations because those shapes and sizes matter, whether you’re a person with a lower body mass who needs more engagement from Air or you’re in a sport or event with specific needs.”

Bringing the Air Advantage to the Court

Nike researchers know that basketball players want maximum energy return from tip-off to buzzer. With that in mind, they created the new G.T. Hustle 3. The shoe’s development focused on increasing energy return, achieving the right weight, and enhancing overall comfort. “Nike can definitively say the G.T. Hustle 3 saves you energy,” says Nike Principal Researcher Dr. Elysia Davis. “Our Nike Sport Research Lab found that athletes consume less oxygen wearing the G.T. Hustle 3 compared to the G.T. Hustle 2.” These validated savings benefit all players, whether professional or playing pick-up.

Key to these results is a new Nike Air Zoom unit in the forefoot, designed specifically for basketball. This unit, combined with a sewn-in Nike Air Zoom strobel, creates a double-stacked layer of Air underfoot for enhanced energy storage and return. The Air Zoom in the forefoot, paired with a soft and resilient heel and a higher offset, promotes a smooth heel-to-toe transition. The upper features Nike Radial Knit, a new soft, lightweight, breathable knit that provides zonal containment and support without adding weight.

The G.T. Hustle 3’s development was women-led from the start. “Innovating for women doesn’t mean creating a separate shoe in a different color,” says Davis. “It’s about listening to women’s perspectives and tuning into their feedback. This enables us to create the best basketball shoe, period.”

Bringing the Air Advantage to the Pitch

To meet the needs of its global football athletes, Nike adapted its Air innovation from the court to the pitch. The challenge was to create cushioning that allowed athletes to stay close to the turf while still providing energy return for quick movements. The solution: a 4mm Air Zoom Strobel. In 2022, the Mercurial franchise reintroduced Air Zoom to football with a football-specific Air unit, yielding overwhelming results. Athletes appreciated the energy return from the pitch, leading to successful adoption.

For Paris this summer, Nike aimed to enhance its fastest boot for athletes. The 2024 Air Zoom Mercurial offers 10% more energy return than its predecessor. By removing flex grooves and adding tuned flex zones to the Air Zoom Strobel unit, Nike optimized rebound and increased athlete engagement with the Air Zoom. The 2024 Mercurial’s plate and stud design further enhances engagement with the Air unit, while the chevron and blade stud pattern allows efficient movement and quick cuts on the pitch.

Footballers emphasize the importance of their boot feeling like a natural extension of their foot. Nike reduced the upper from five layers to three, making the boot softer and lighter, improving fit and comfort. The engineered lining ensures lockdown where needed, while AtomKnit, a durable, lightweight yarn, helps reduce weight.

The Future of Air for Athletes

Nike is leveraging AI and advanced digital tools to co-create bespoke, one-of-a-kind products with its athletes through A.I.R. — Athlete Imagined Revolution. A.I.R. is a collaboration with 13 visionary athletes, using AI, algorithmic tools, and Nike’s scientific expertise to amplify athlete potential.

“A.I.R. is driven by hyper-personalization, boundless collaboration, and unparalleled creativity,” says John Hoke, Nike’s Chief Innovation Officer. “We’re unlocking new heights of innovation by harnessing data, design, and dreams, introducing a new era of sport where innovation knows no bounds.”

The Nike Maxfly 2 and Nike Victory 2 are available now in limited quantities on nike.com. The Nike G.T. Hustle 3 and Nike 2024 Air Zoom Mercurial will be available at nike.com and select retailers in July.

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kicksaddictny · 1 year ago

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Nike Basketball: Holiday 2023 Showcase

The 2023 Nike World Basketball Festival will serve as the culmination of this summer’s VS tournaments that occurred in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City and Toronto. But more than just a showcase of the best young talent, the 2023 Nike World Basketball Festival is a celebration of the cultural influence that only basketball has.

Embedded in Nike’s legacy across apparel, lifestyle and performance, a series of installations in adjoining Damrosch Park will showcase how the game has influenced innovation and design for decades. Classic era-defining silhouettes and other artifacts from the Nike archives will be showcased to highlight key moments in Nike Basketball. The installation is also accompanied by a first look at Nike Basketball’s upcoming holiday collection, on display here.

Check out a round-up of the silhouettes that will release Holiday 2023.

Nike Basketball HO23 Showcase: Dunk Hi Retro