The sneaker game is wild: One company invents a next-gen sneaker that sells like hot cakes, then all the other players scramble to innovate something remarkably similar. It’s a constant game of footwear cat-and-mouse where the only winner is the biggest innovator.
Occasionally, something remarkably revolutionary hits the market. For decades, adidas has led the charge of footwear innovation: The first brand to offer 360-degree breathability on a sneaker with Climacool technology, the first brand to offer SprintWeb, some of the lightest material for footwear at the time, and the first brand to offer Bounce — a cushioning breakthrough that eventually let to Bounce and UltraBOOST soles.
The next feather-in-the-cap for adidas is adidas Futurecraft 4D. Created by adidas and tech company CARBON, Futurecraft 4D is a brand-new sole made with 4-D Printing using a Digital Light Synthesis process. The result is a shoe that looks and performs like something out of the Bladerunner universe in the best possible way, offering “comfort and support precisely for running.”
Also: It’s a truly spectacular-looking sneaker.
Here’s how adidas describes the technology in their own words:
The AlphaEDGE 4D LTD is the product of adidas’ partnership with CARBON, an authoritative force in both design and technology. Together with CARBON—and the firm’s Digital Light Synthesis technology—adidas uniquely crafts the midsole of each 4D shoe, harnessing light and oxygen to pioneering results. Using this breakthrough technique, adidas is able to create midsoles that are specifically tuned to provide superior, controlled energy return. This innovative process signals the future of manufacturing, through which, at some point, adidas footwear will be able to be produced, bespoke to the individual needs of each athlete’s foot.
This weekend, in Los Angeles, adidas is launching the adidas AlphaEdge 4D LTD. You can reserve pairs via the adidas App (…between Feburary 12 and Feb. 15 at 12 p.m. PT) with pick-up in adidas stores on Feb. 17th. They’ll also be available in LA’s Nice Kicks, Bait, and Undefeated locations.
In the meantime, oogle at these kicks. The future is here and it’s freakin’ awesome.
