It's 'easy on, easy off'
No matter how much we love our sneakers, many of us are guilty of taking them off properly, from not loosening shoelaces to just using our feet to yank one shoe and the other off. And if we are extra lazy, we try to squeeze our feet back into those shoes without even touching them. That's where the creatives of shoe brand Nike takes inspiration for its latest footwear innovation.
Introducing the Nike Go FlyEase, the brand's first hands-free kicks. Much like what its name entails, the newest shoe creation is designed to give its wearer the ease of stepping in and out of the sneakers, sans the bending over, sitting down, and the untying and tying of the laces.
"The original concept around the shoe was to support our adaptive athletes better," says Haley Toelle, designer and innovator at Nike Explore Team. "The shoes are really universal. Everyone around the table will be like, 'Oh, I need this shoe. I have kids and this will save my life in the morning.' So, I just see that kind of trickle down effect. You always design for the most extreme case, that's always the hardest thing to do."
The science behind the shoe being "hands-free" lies on the bi-stable hinge and the "tensioner" acting like rubber band that secure the shoe, whether it is fully open or closed.
"The tensioner’s unique flexibility super-charges an action many might take for granted (kicking-off a shoe) and completely reimagines this movement as basis for accessible and empowering design," the brand says.
According to the brand, the Nike GO FlyEase is available initially via invite for select Nike members for now. A broader consumer availability is planned for later this year.
Check out more about the innovation that went into making the hands-free shoes here:
Images from Nike.