Long-distance Running Shoes, Flyknit Racer

Nike’s high performance running shoe, the HTM Flyknit, uses only the most essential materials and state-of-the-art knitting technology. Yarns and fabric variations are precisely engineered only where they are needed for a light, sock-like upper shoe. All of the structure and support for the shoe is knitted into the upper. The weight of the upper, including the tongue, is 1.2 ounces; the whole shoe weighs just 5.6 ounces. This is 19% lighter than the Nike shoe worn by athletes in the men’s marathon at the 2011 World Championships. Flyknit Racers will be worn by marathoners from Kenya, Great Britain, Russia, and the United States in the 2012 summer Olympics. The innovative aspect of this shoe is its extreme precision fit, the result of years of engineering research. Nike embarked on a four-year mission of micro-engineering static properties into pliable materials. The project required teams of programmers, engineers, and designers to create the proprietary technology needed to create the knit upper. Every element has a purpose and a particular place in the shoe to provide support, flexibility, and breathability.