Finally, Nike’s making self-lacing sneakers for all with the HyperAdapt 1.0
They're surely a lot cheaper than the Back to the Future tribute shoes
Back in October, Nike confirmed that it would finally release working versions of the self-lacing Nike Mag shoes seen in Back to the Future Part II – but they would be sold only through charity auctions, and surely at insane prices.
Most of us will probably never own those nostalgia-stoking sneakers. But at least we might have a shot at the next best thing. Today, Nike revealed the HyperAdapt 1.0, a consumer-ready shoe that puts the same self-lacing tech into a sportier form.
How does it work? Well, when you plant your foot firmly into the shoe, a sensor beneath the heel is triggered and the laces automatically tighten up. If it’s too firm or not loose enough for your liking, you can use little buttons on the side to make minute tweaks until the shoes fit exactly as desired.
According to Nike, they began working on the project in 2013, initially creating a skiing boot with an external generator as a working prototype. From there, they tested many different concepts and eventually designed the Nike Mag 2015 shoes for last year’s promotion, then circled back on an earlier sporty design for this mass market release.
Nike will release the HyperAdapt 1.0 for the year-end holiday season, and it will be available in three colours – but only to members of the company’s free Nike+ service. There’s no word yet on price, but we expect they won’t be cheap. Still, it’s probably a fraction of what you’ll pay at auction for the Mags.
And the 1.0 in the name is important, as Nike envisions a future in which the mechanism works fully independently, making small adjustments during wear without the need (or ability) for user tweaks. "[The HyperAdapt 1.0] it makes feasible the once-fantastic concept of an automated, nearly symbiotic relationship between the foot and shoe," writes the company.
[Source: Nike]
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Andrew Hayward
Freelance Writer 
