According to Nike’s Global Vice President and General Manager, Leslie Lane, it has been a tradition for runners to
choose between stability and cushioning. The decision is based primarily on their foot strike. Sacrificing stability for cushioning and vice-versa is a pain in the butt because the two qualities must work hand-in-hand.
Nike’s quest in reducing their shoes’ weight has continued. The Nike Lunarglide is a combination of different thickness of foam which cushions the feet on every heel strike. It provides support (which gradually increases) while the user’s weight shifts from the heel to the forefoot, as well as from the lateral side to the medial side. Now, runners can choose a single shoe that will surely respond to all their needs and adjust on the fly during runs.
The Nike Lunarglide has a unique feature which is the use of an Apple/Nike chip. The said chip can be inserted in the shoe’s midsole. Once inserted, the chip will then start to communicate the user’s running data to his/her compatible gadget. This will enable the runner to monitor his statistics for a more efficient performance.
Nike Lunarglide’s Upper
The Flywire is the most innovative feature of the shoes’ upper unit. It is incredibly resistant and light wire joins the eyelets to the midsole, keeping the foot stable during runs. The said technology was derived from the Olympic sprint shoes.
The Lunarglide possesses a very traditional upper made out of mesh and leather. One advantage of the Flywire is that it allows Nike to customize their shoes’ uppers. Customization is essential for it improves the fit and renders a seamless constructed upper.
Lunarglide’s Lining
Its lining is extremely padded which makes it soft on the foot. The shoe’s seamless body creates a “foot bed” and enables the user to wear it sockless.
Lunarglide’s Sole Unit
The shoes were built from slightly different sole units. Nike used a “last” — the shape around wherein the upper is built and determines the shoe’s fit around the foot. However, the women’s version resembles an arch strap on the internal side to secure that the foot is in position (it has been said that women tend to move a lot more gracefully than men). Nike had first introduces Lunarlite in Beijing during the summer of 2008. The cushioning system has been present in the Nike Lunar Series. The Lunarlite System is proven to provide significant energy return. The softer foam core contained by the firmer foam carrier generates a “trampoline effect” upon impact.
Nike has launched efforts of putting the Nike Lunarglide to the test. In one of their testing events, a number of runners were invited to test the said shoes. At first, the runners were very hesitant to test the shoes because of the terrible weather. After a while (the weather still terrible), the runners had finally decided to go on a series of long and short runs. After the said experience, the runners said that they have never felt so comfortable and well-supported while running.
May 31, 2011
Shoes