Adidas Launches Unique PureBOOST X Shoes For Women Only
Adidas has come up with some rather unique running shoe concepts through the years, including shoes with plastic blades for cushioning and propulsion and the first electronic-enhanced running shoe. The new PureBOOST X is the latest to come out of the German brand’s design labs, and, just to make it even more unique, adidas is making it only for women.
Created with an innovative “floating” arch, the PureBOOST X has been engineered to move with the natural motion of a woman’s foot while also apparently designed to make a fashion statement, too. Competitor has not tested this shoe, but we did see it at The Running Event trade show earlier this winter. It’s a one-of-a-kind design to be sure, one adidas says will provide underfoot support throughout a run. The shoe sports a full-length Boost foam midsole and rubber outsole, but the upper is only connected at the rearfoot and forefoot, leaving an open area under the arch from the front of the heel to roughly the metatarsal heads.
Adidas says the design was derived by using leading-edge motion tracking software to capture foot movement data of female runners. The shoe’s strechy mesh floating arch detail that wraps underneath the midfoot is intended to deliver a comfortable wrap-like fit and a “supportive sensation you can feel during every run,” the brand says. (Watch this video to see the shoe in action.)
“The most common feedback we received during our years of working with female athletes was the desire for a running shoe with looks to keep up with the energy of its performance,” said Jennifer Thomas, adidas’ senior director for its Global Running division. “PureBOOST X is a product of innovation and style working in perfect harmony to meet the demands of today’s versatile female athlete.”
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Adidas says the upper, floating arch and lock-down lacing system provide an adaptable fit that hugs the foot from heel to toe. An unique stretchy web-like rubber outsole is designed to allow for flex at any point enabling the foot to maintain its natural motion.
Perhaps the curious thing about this shoe is that adidas is connecting it with its fashion-oriented lines designed by Stella McCartney. It says it combines “trend elements with performance,” offering extra support without compromising style.
The PureBOOST X will retail for $120 when it becomes available on adidas.com and at select retailers on Feb. 1. The adidas by Stella McCartney version (offered in different colorways with more design details) will be available Feb. 15 for $170.
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