Sportswear giant Nike has been promising self-lacing sneakers for years, inspired by the shoes from Back to The Future II.
Anyone who has seen the film will remember the amazing self-lacing sneakers worn by Michael J. Fox. Now some sneakers inspired by the film will be available to buy from November 28, according to a tweet from Nike’s Heidi Burgett.
HyperAdapt 1.0 will be available in the U.S. at select Nike retail locations. Appointments to experience & purchase begin 11.28.16. pic.t
witter.com/t3YVLa8Rsl
— Heidi Burgett (@heidiburgett) September 20, 2016
Self-lacing sneakers to be known as Nike HyperAdapt 1.0
The HyperAdapt 1.0 will reportedly be made available for “experience and purchase” from November 28 at selected Nike stores in the United States. There has so far been no word on pricing, but expect it to be high.
The shoes will have an internal cable system that is constructed from fishing line, along with a pressure sensor in the sole. When you place your foot into the shoe, the cables will tighten according to what Nike calls “an algorithmic pressure equation.” After the cables have tightened you can adjust the fit as required thanks to a pair of buttons found near the tongue of the shoe.
Nike says that the shoes have LEDs in the heel which will light up when the cables are tightening. They will also light up when the shoes are low on battery. Yes, you now have to charge footwear as well as everything else.
Consumer version finally coming to market after years of teasing
Batteries will fully charge in three hours and last for around two weeks. Nike will ship the HyperAdapt 1.0 with a magnetic clip-on charger like the one Apple uses with the Apple Watch.
Photos of the shoes show thick nylon laces on top of the self-lacing sneaker. However these are just visual aids. Although they do tighten, they are not responsible for keeping the HyperAdapt 1.0 on your feet.
We have been hearing rumors of these self-lacing sneakers for years. In 2011 the company auctioned off a non-functional pair that were used as props in the Back to The Future film. Later on Nike designer Tinker Hatfield showed Michael J. Fox a working prototype, before the company announced a consumer version in March this year.
People seem to be willing to spend astronomical sums on normal-looking pairs of trainers, so who knows how much these self-lacing sneakers will sell for.
