Introducing the Nike HyperAdapt 1.0.
The Back-To-The-Future-esque trainer first emerged around six months ago on Cristiano Ronaldo's Instagram account as he was the first athlete in the world to test out a pair, and there was a frenzied reaction from the type of crowd who obsess over trainers, which just happens to be a lot of people.
The biggest problem for crazy people who actually like to use their runners for... Running (I know, right?) is the awful shoelaces that come with them. They are either always coming undone while you are running or in the gym, or they are comically long, taking the "bunny ears" method of tying shoelaces to Bugs Bunny levels.
So Nike have found a way to scrap them, while still keeping the snug and secure fit to your foot that they offer.
And now we know when they will be available. Nike have today confirmed that the first pairs of the shoe will go on sale on November 28th, but you'll need an appointment with an officially licenced store to view them and buy.
That is clearly just to build a bit of buzz about them, and we are expecting them to go on general sale in time for Christmas, but how does it work?
According to Tiffany Beers, senior innovator at Nike (that's actually her title), it's really quite cool.
When you step in, your heel will hit a sensor and the system will automatically tighten. Then there are two buttons on the side to tighten and loosen. You can adjust it until it’s perfect.
It sounds absolutely ideal.
Some will call it a gimmick, but it's actually badly needed for people that are serious about running, or serious about hating tying their laces. If anything is a gimmick, it's the lights under the sole that light up when you step in, but then again, I had that on my runners when I was 8 years old.
It helps that they look damn nice, or at least the black and grey ones do, the jury is still out on the white colourway.
And the magic happens thanks to a contraption that hides in the sole of the shoe:
Santa Claus may have to make a few trips to the Nike Store this Christmas.
They look great, they offer a solution to a long-running problem, and with so many people inexplicably wearing gym gear in everyday situations they are bound to be a massive hit, but is this the future for trainers?
Time will tell, let's see what the recommended price is first.
