Tech Runner

So, so pretty…

Announced just over two weeks ago in New York, the Adidas’ new family of shoes is promising to revolutionize the way you run – and the speed at which you do it.

Called Adidas Boost, the new range of shoes will be made of a new material that delivers greater energy response, made up of dozens of mini capsules that will increase the ‘bounce’ produced when your foot strikes the ground. Adidas’ rather odd promo video shows this material bouncing a metal ball higher and for longer than that of a competitor and the floor.

The technology works by absorbing the energy and then pushing back to return it, helping to propel you forward, as the shoes material delivers a much greater energy response per stride. Adidas believe that the shoes will deliver a performance boost of around 10 seconds per km if ran at a 5min/km pace, a bold claim which we look forward to trying out. Adidas had running titan Haile Gebrselassie speaking at the launch, who said that he believes over a 26 mile run, trained athletes could see anywhere up to 40 seconds’ improvement.

The first shoe, the Adidas Boost, will be aimed at regular runners, with the company stating they would be, “perfect for the average 10k runner”. The shoes will be available from February 27th, with more elite versions of the shoe planned for aspiring Mo Farahs later in the year.

The company hopes to include the technology in all its running shoes with two new shoes launching before the year end. By 2015, it hopes to have the material in all its shoes, not just running – that includes the company’s street range as well.

Adidas has also announced that it will be launching a second shoe in August with a new design called SpringBlade.

Looking like the prosthetic blades worn by amputees, the SpringBlade should give you considerably greater launching capabilities, judging from the design.

Check out the Adidas Boost site to sign up for more information and pre-orders before the end of the month. UK tech site Pocket-Lint have had the chance to take them out on the streets and are very impressed – and as big Adidas fans, we can’t wait to take them for a spin!