Nike: Coming soon: the world's "first motor-powered running" shoe - Project Amplify

At first I thought this was April Fool's Day. But running is behind cycling by about five to ten years in new ways to cheat. Motor doping is a thing in cycling and will be a thing in running.

Looks like Project Amplify will be Boston Marathon rejects' next scapegoat now that downhill running has been addressed

This is hilarious. My fat old ass will be able to keep up with college kids running the park and annoy them to no end.

Awesome. Now I might be able to qualify for Boston.

This is amazing. I hope it works like an e-bike! I wonder if this could act like an alter-g and allow injured runners to run with lower impact. Similarly, I wonder if people could get legs used to fast paces, with low impact. Threshold sessions at 4:30 sounds legit.

I wonder if these will work as well as moon shoes. I felt duped when I couldn't touch the moon.

When I read this I cringe - for Hill and for Nike.

It's the same vibe I got listening to him talking about the Kipyegon sub 4 attempt - sadly out of touch with actual reality.

The "motor-powered" shoe has actually existed before. Adidas famously did a shoe with a motor in it almost 20 years ago called the adidas ONE

conceptkicks.com

Lost Tech: adidas_1 — CONCEPTKICKS®

John Chen

The World’s First Intelligent Shoe?

Open link

This motor shoe wasn't directly about improving metabolic effort, though I guess it would have by way of it's function - it was meant to detect differences in ground force pressure across different surfaces and adjust cushioning accordingly. Run on softer ground it would "tighter" up cushioning, run on harder ground it would do the opposite. Ultimately it wasn't really innovation - more of an invention and gadget that didn't solve any actual problem any athlete had. It did spark the then CMO of the brand, Eric Stamminger, to famous declare at a large brand meeting that in a decades time "all shoes will have motors in them".

The reason it failed? Well aside from it not solving an actual problem, it was heavy, expensive and it was a motor which needed some form of energy supply. Oh and it was simply unreliable because turns out putting a motor into an object that is consistently getting smashed into the ground isn't good for it.

What problem does this really solve for runners? People might point to supershoes as a similar thing but they aren't really - there is no external power supply that generates anything like a shoe with a motor would. Supershoes help you get closer to your maximum potential but they don't increase that ceiling. I can't see any serious runner wanting to wear a shoe with a motor in it. So what about non-serious runners then? Are they the ones Nike thinks will be paying the premium for a shoe with a motor in it? The ones who want the added weight and clutter of a shoe with a motor? The hassle of dealing with it when it goes wrong? What on earth is the market fit here?

Do walkers want to walk faster? Do they even want to walk "easier"? This sounds like a classic modern "innovators" circle jerk - sitting round creating fake problems to solve in the most complicated way and framing up as "innovation". A few "well if Steve Jobs had stopped when people told him he was crazy where would we be now huh" and it just snowballs from there.

It's clear Nike need to repair the perception that they are an innovative brand, which is in reality far more valuable that the reality of being an actually innovative brand. I just can't believe that after also realizing one of the ways they massively botched the last half decade was moving away from real sport and real athlete performance, that this is one of the executions they think turns that around. What real athlete wants a motor in their shoe to fudge their ability? More utter nonsense.

Looks like a nice marketing stunt.

That might be rojo's chance for a sub 5 hour marathon.

I hope the Shoe Wars don't result in whoever has the faster shoe, wins the races and set the World Records.

Great. Now instead of throwing carbon plated shoes in the trash every couple months we will also be throwing electric motors.

Here is the

nike.com

Nike. Just Do It

@nike

Nike delivers innovative products, experiences and services to inspire athletes.

Open link

press release on the motorized shoe:

about.nike.com

Nike Unveils Project Amplify, the World’s First Powered Footwear System for Running and Walking — NIKE, Inc.

Nike’s Project Amplify is the world’s first powered footwear system for running and walking, designed to help everyday athletes go a little bit faster and farther — all with less effort.

Open link

and an article from the Verge:

theverge.com

Nike says its first ‘powered footwear’ is like an e-bike for your feet

Stevie Bonifield

Pedal assist, but for commuters who’d rather walk.

Open link

E-bikes are great and have a lot of practical use, and can be phenomenal alternatives to driving a car.

This shoe sounds dumb and impractical. I REALLY don’t want to see the bs influencer grifter runners claiming their PR while using them.

Absolutely comical.

So it's a walking aid for geriatric people? We got a 12 minute miler or walker who wants to pay what, $800 bucks for this and put this on every time they want some excercise?

I honestly can't believe this - I agree with the other poster who thought this was an April Fools Day spot, I had to check to make sure it's really October. Good lord.

Actually, no you won't. So these shoes may be able to move your feet quicker so what? What about the rest of your body and the strain on other areas to keep up with faster moving feet?

I saw that yesterday, now at 58 I can finally hope to beat my old college PRs!

I tore my groin but the shoe kept running!

Thank you, I started my day with a laugh

Floberg and Kofuzi cannot wait to get their seed pairs. Cole already has her outfit picked out. Choi looking to get some for his brother-no more e-bike bans!