Runners have a couple of new running shoes to consider, and it comes down to the foam.
Nike has announced the creation of its Epic React Flyknit sneaker that incorporates its new Nike React foam, designed to provide top-notch cushioning, impact reduction, energy return and a lightweight feel. The announcement stated that the foam was created directly in response to customer feedback about what a new running shoe should encompass.
Nike describes the shoe as having a simple, one-piece upper using the company’s existing Flyknit mold. The midsole is formed with a single piece of Nike React foam; Nike claims the new material is “significantly softer than EVA-based foams of the past.” The desired effect is a more comfortable shoe in the places where comfort matters most during a run.
The Nike React technology made its debut last year in Nike basketball shoes, and Nike says it was especially fit for that purpose because of its ability to both absorb and return energy. With the Epic React Flyknit, Nike React foam is applied to shoes for running, an activity that also heavily involves both support and energy return. The midsole was engineered, Nike revealed in its announcement, to provide proper cushioning while allowing the shoe’s designers to remove unnecessary material for a lighter shoe. The foam is said to increase energy return by 13 percent over Nike’s Lunarlon foam.
“I want to emphasize this because we’re not comparing Nike React technology to some no-name foam that fell off the back of a truck somewhere; we’re comparing it to our latest Lunarlon and, even with the bar set that high, Nike React technology delivers that much more energy return with each and every stride,” Ernest Kim, Nike Running’s director of advanced footwear, said in a statement.
The React foam mostly provides better cushioning, but is the shoe durable? According to the announcement, pieces of rubber under both the heel and forefoot helps increase stability. The shoe will be available Feb. 22.
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As for ANTA Sports, the sportswear company announced last month the release of a running shoe built with its new A-FLASHFOAM technology. The shoe incorporates a breathable membrane into a one-piece upper shoe, while the midsoles are made of the specialty Flashfoam, which work to absorb the impact created by the foot hitting the ground, the announcement stated. According to ANTA, runners wearing Flashfoam can reach higher speeds without being concerned about impact-related injuries. The foam is also shaped irregularly in a way that allows it to distribute landing impact and maximize traction and stability.
“Going forward we will extend the application of A-FLASHFOAM technology to more products, allowing more consumers to experience the power of this new technology,” Zheng Yexin, ANTA Sports’ head of marketing for running sportswear, said in a statement.
The A-FLASHFOAM running shoes were released Dec. 28.