Nike HyperAdapt 1.0: sportswear brand unveils first self-lacing sneaker

The world’s largest sportswear brand goes Back to the Future with its exclusive sneaker design. Here’s how it works.

The HyperAdapt 1.0: Nike’s first self-lacing sneaker. Picture: Nike

Nike has unveiled its first self-lacing sneaker, allowing users to make the fit looser or snugger by pressing buttons on the side of the shoe.

The world’s largest sportswear brand unveiled the HyperAdapt 1.0 along with a host of other innovations on Wednesday at a media event in New York.

“When you step in, your heel will hit a sensor and the system will automatically tighten,” said Senior Innovator at Nike and the project’s technical lead Tiffany Beers, in a statement.

“Then there are two buttons on the side to tighten and loosen. You can adjust it until it’s perfect.”

The innovations come as Nike is digging deeper into personalisation.

“Innovation at Nike is not about dreaming of tomorrow. It’s about accelerating toward it,” said Nike designer Tinker Hatfield.

“Wouldn’t it be great if a shoe, in the future, could sense when you needed to have it tighter or looser? Could it take you even tighter than you’d normally go if it senses you really need extra snugness in a quick manoeuvre? That’s where we’re headed. In the future, product will come alive.”

Nike calls the feature “adaptive lacing” and the shoes may be a dream come true for some Back to the Future fans.

To celebrate Back to the Future Day in October 2015, Nike launched a limited-edition Nike Mag shoe — as seen in Back to the Future, Part II, with their so-called “power laces”.

Those shoes will only be available via auction this year, with all proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, a non-profit launched by the actor who played Marty McFly in the movie.

The HyperAdapt 1.0 sneakers will be available in three colours and released at the start of the US holiday season (November) exclusively for members of the Nike+ loyalty app.

— With AP, AFP