Simply looking at modern sneakers gives little insight into the complex technology behind them. Take for example Nike’s latest basketball shoe - the Hyperdunk. Glancing at the sneaker, one sees only dyed leather, laces and Nike’s signature swoosh. Yet the footwear incorporates innovative technology that took years of research, development and testing to produce.
Birthed four years ago by a Nike employee named Jay Metscher, the idea behind Flywire technology was to build synthetic tendons into a sneaker to replace the heavy panels normally used for reinforcement. The result would be a shoe that was not only stronger but also lighter. Problem was, Metscher couldn’t figure out how to actually construct such a shoe. Then, one day, Metscher came across a solution in the Nike innovation lab: a computer-controlled embroidery machine. After nearly a year developing a computer program for creating the shoe, an additional two years were spent testing materials to use as “tendons”. The answer came in the form of Vectran – a manufactured fiber spun from liquid crystal polymer that has been used in cables, ropes, professional bike tires and even a NASA spacesuit.
The Vectran threads in the Hyperdunk are embedded in a thin resin that’s stronger and lighter than cloth. Besides Flywire, the Hyperdunk also incorporates another innovative technology: Lunarlite foam. Developed by the aerospace industry, Lunarlite foam features a unique cell structure that makes it both lightweight (it’s 30 percent lighter than Nike’s next-lightest performance foam) and ultra responsive as a cushioning system. Using Lunarlite in the sole of the Hyperdunk helps increase support and limit weight. As a result of the Flywire/Lunarlite combination, the Hyperdunk is the lightest basketball shoe Nike has ever made (at 13 ounces, it’s also a whopping 3 ounces lighter than the average Nike shoe). Worn by Kobe Bryant during the Summer Olympics, Nike touts that the Hyperdunk “redefines footwear construction, shaving off weight and adding strength, allowing athletes to be lighter on their feet and faster on the track and court”.
Not to be outdone in the innovation department, the Nike advertising team created a mock Web site to promote the new sneaker called the Hyperdunk Recovery Center. With the tagline “where hoop healing begins”, the site offers faux support for “exceptional players caught off guard by the overwhelming athleticism of players wearing Nike Hyperdunks”. Going so far as to include a FAQ section with questions like “How can I get my swagger back?” and “I think my mom’s stopped loving me after the incident – will she ever love me again?”, the site is the latest in a new line of web promotions that use indirect advertising and parody to create buzz. From novel internal technology to innovative Web advertising, the Hyperdunk symbolizes how integrated technology has become in our daily lives. Sometimes it’s right on our feet and we don’t even know it.
Nike Hyperdunk sneakers can be purchased at athletic footwear stores or the Nike online store for a suggested retail price of $125.00.
