The Energy Drink For Your Feet
If by chance you've seen one of the commercials featuring hockey star Sidney Crosby or football pro Peyton Manning, then you've already got a little preview of the latest product from shoe company Reebok. The advertising campaign is pretty intense, as online ads and frequent commercials on multiple networks have been rather hard to miss for those who use a television or the internet each day. So what exactly makes this shoe so special? I mean, it's just another all-sport athletic shoe sponsored by famous athletes. What's the big deal?
The big deal is its unique design. It's been labeled "The Energy Drink For Your Feet," but why? You've no doubt noticed the interesting design featured on the sole of the shoe. Believe it or not, this is a huge advancement when dealing with engineering a great athletic shoe. It is divided into separate sections, allowing flexibility. When a normal person runs, he pushes off of the front of the shoe, lands on the heel, shifts to the middle, and back onto the front for the next step. With each stage in this process having an individual block, like in the ZigTech's design, helps the shoe roll more. Think of it like a wheel with pegs, spikes, or something sticking out of it. The more of them you have, the smoother it will roll. Having less, like in most other athletic shoes, limits the roll and puts more stress on your feet. With the ZigTech, a more fluid run can be achieved, greatly improving the wearer's performance and the shoe's durability.
Zig-Zag Technology
As I had mentioned earlier, when you run you push off with the front of your foot. With the added flexibility, it should be no problem to achieve the positioning you want when taking off. The blocks are made of a foam material, so when you put pressure on the front of the shoe it will sink in a little, and spring back as you push off, regaining its regular shape. This adds to the performance. You aren't relying so much on your feet as you are the shoe, giving a boost. The heel also plays an important role. The ZigTech technology has each individual block connected with, as the name implies, a zig-zag pattern. When you land on your heel, a pulse is sent to the rest of the shoe, preparing the other sections for impact so you meet less resistance. This helps keep the shoe from normal wear and tear when running, as you aren't shifting from one extreme to the other every time you apply pressure. Just as well, your feet will feel lighter because you aren't having to use so much force to make the shoe work for you. Instead, it does most of the work giving you a more comfortable run.
This type of technology was featured in Reebok's 2010 shoe line, with a limited marketing campaign going on when it was introduced. Since football season has rolled around in the United States, the advertising has started back up again and I've personally heard a number of questions about them from people around me and random strangers I see while shopping in athletic stores. This type of shoe would benefit anyone that is active, as it's been shown that improvement can even be observed when simply walking around. For those less active, but in need of new shoes, I'd still recommend them. They are reasonably priced selling for about $70 USD. I actually don't own a pair of these, but have tried them on at the shoe store and I was amazed by the feeling of being propelled while wearing them. Even if you think the design looks a bit funky, it is what's on the inside that counts and in this case it makes up for very well.
Advancing the performance of athletic shoes by applying this kind of technology makes me wonder what will be rolled out next. Will it be hover shoes that use a special reflecting magnet to stay afloat and control height? Or maybe we will see rocket roller skates? They may sound a bit cartoony, but I don't think they are too far off in the future.
