When Nike asked runners what they wanted out of their running shoes, they got very specific answers: They said they wanted better cushioning. They also said they wanted better energy return. And they needed their shoes to be lightweight, of course. Oh, and they had to last too. In a way, they wanted everything. The tricky thing is that these four qualities are incredibly difficult to deliver in one material because they’re opposites.
Nike React foam cushioning launched in June 2017 in basketball — a sport that requires players to shift direction and speed in seamless motion and to lift off at the blink of an eye. The foam met those needs by providing a sensation that is as soft and springy as it is squishy and stable — a balance not previously seen in any other Nike basketball shoe.
To get there, Nike’s in-house chemists and mechanical engineers came together to test ingredients to see which composition would yield the perfect outcome. It was a process that demonstrated Nike’s in-house manufacturing ingenuity. After more than 400 hundred combinations of chemistry and processing, and using scientific methods to dial in on materials with certain amenable attributes, they landed the unique composition of Nike React foam.
From there, they put Nike React technology through more than 2,000 hours of testing on the feet of basketball players, where it proved to be the most durable foam and to deliver greater energy return than any other Nike basketball shoe tested. Because the runners expressed that they craved similar sensations, it was a no-brainer to take Nike React technology to running shoes.
Wondering what that feels like? Well, if you were to squeeze Nike React foam, you’d get that great cushioning sensation; and then, as you let go, you’d see the foam quickly spring back to its original shape, which is where the energy return comes into play. That translates so well to a run because as it reacts swiftly to each step, bouncing back to its original state to ensure a consistent underfoot feel stride after stride, mile after mile.
Nike React technology will be available in the new Nike Epic React Flyknit on February 22 on nike.com and at select retailers. If you don’t want to wait you can get these models on February 12 at the Nike APP. You can download it HERE!
Luka Bitchikashvili and Alessio Ricardo photographed by Marc Medina and styled by Dave Waldorf with SS19 pieces from SITUATIONIST, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
This season, inspiration comes from recontextualizing, repurposing and elevating ideas and materials to transform them into a completely new collection.
For Spring/Summer 2019 the brand delivered a retro mood with special attention to detail, making a good use of ‘tying’, ‘layering’, and ‘combining’ without never lose the wearability of their pieces.
A far cry from his youngster days singing backing vocals to Destiny’s Child tracks and listening to the cult album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill growing up.
Talent incubator Fashion East announced its new menswear designer line-up to receive support and showcase as part of its menswear scheme in January 2019.
Makeo is a second hand online store, created by Eme Rock and Roberto Piqueras where you can find a selection of streetwear garments. Their goal is to make a reinvention of the thrift shops and vintage with a contemporary look. They want to make their customers conscious about sustainable fashion, global environment and street culture.
“The more beautiful the sky, the more hopeless the neighborhood.”
Cover feat. Jhona Burjack at Next Models shot by Kito Muñoz
“And even if we change neighborhoods, cities or countries, we always carry with us that sense of personal transformation that a piece of land, with its buildings, parks, bars, and people, has given us. We are almost certain to hang on to a sense of gratitude and nostalgia for it.”
