If there’s one dream shoe for runners, it should be a shoe made for everything from more cushioning for every stride, high energy return for higher endurance throughout the run, to feel light underfoot and to withstand the wear and tear of impact and elements after every run. Nike listened and gathered their innovators, chemist, engineers and designers to deliver the solution in the form of a foam, the Nike React.
Today, Nike reveals the first running shoe that features proprietary foam in February onwards and here’s what you need to know about it. The forefoot, toe and arch was specifically sculpted to the one-piece Nike Flyknit bootie (which takes cues from the Nike Flyknit Racer) which were precision-engineered for support flexibility and breathability in all areas where runners needed them to be.
In comparison, the tooling is relatively pronounced and exaggerated as the Nike React foam is significantly softer than the usual EVA-based foams, where it smooths bumps on the road more effectively. The midsole needed to be taller to avoid “bottoming-out” and wider to provide runners a more supportive base. Designers extended the midsole beyond the perimeter of its upper around the heel section to provide more cushioning and stability for runners.
Computational design that enables rapid data-driven ideation was used to create the midsole, which is one piece of Nike React foam (with no carrier, cement or glue). This method allowed for engineering the surface of the midsole to deliver cushioning and support at specific spots required during a run, eliminating materials wherever unnecessary to minimize weight to the minimum. The visually complex pattern vary in depth, where deeper parts indicate areas with more cushioning and shallower portions to produce more firmness. As the upper sits on one piece of foam, the outsole is essentially same as the midsole but with a segment of rubber under the forefoot and heel for higher traction and enhanced durability of the shoe.
The Nike Epic React Flyknit will be available on February 22 on Nike and selected retailers only.
