American sportswear company Under Armour recently debuted its newest shoe model at its FW17 collection fashion show. Dubbed the “Under Armour Futurist,” the new kicks can be thought of as an upgraded version of the brand’s UA Architech shoes, Under Armour’s first 3D printed shoe model.
The Futurist shoe, which is expected to officially launch on March 30 (on a very limited basis), will be retailing for $300 a pair. As readers can imagine, we were excited to get a first glance of the sneakers, which feature a notable 3D printed perforated upper and a 3D printed outsole that offers wearers a comfy level of bounce—not to mention a futuristic look.
Though our glimpse at the shoe and how it is made is still quite limited, we do have some info that future wearers might be interested in. Aside from the 3D printed heel portion of the shoe—which reportedly takes a whole day to 3D print due to its complex structure—Under Armour’s Futurist shoes feature a speed lacing system (not unlike the ones built into snowboarding boots), and a zippered shroud made from neoprene. This last feature is designed to offer external compression for the wearer’s foot, giving “lockdown” and extra support.
The Futurist sneakers also integrate Under Armour’s SpeedForm technology, which offers wearers a comfortable and barely-there fit. According to the Under Armour website, its SpeedForm technology consists of a molded seamless heel cup, ultrasonic seams, and an external TPU heel counter, all of which offer the wearer comfort, support, and stability.
(Image: Stanley Tse)
While it may be a few weeks before anyone you know gets their feet into a pair of the $300 3D printed shoes, Under Armour has had some pretty high profile people try out their innovative Futurist kicks, including professional baseball player Bryce Harper, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, as well as NCAA Elite athletes.
Under Armour seems to be becoming increasingly interested in using 3D printing for its sportswear products. Readers might remember that the company gave a pair of custom 3D printed sneakers to swimmer Michael Phelps around the time of the Rio Olympics, but Under Armour has also been exploring the technology on a broader level. About a year ago, for instance, the company launched a 3D printing and scanning innovation center called The Lighthouse.
(Images: Stanley Tse)
With the upcoming launch of its newest 3D printed sneakers, Under Armour seems to be hitting the ground running with new and innovative products.
