We have already talked at length about the culture of veneration for sneakers that invades half the planet, but today we are going to talk about a very specific typology, yet to be exploited, within this sector. We refer to smart-type shoes, garments that bring the advantages of technology to our feet, offering us different benefits that would otherwise be impossible to have. Do you want to know what models are currently available, what advantages do they have and how promising is this market? Well, make yourself comfortable.
Smart Sneakers, the boom of the future?
Despite the popularity of sneakers today (which goes beyond sports performance and transcends fashion), the world of “smart sneakers” is still largely unknown to the vast majority. The step of seeing this garment as something more than a sports element (betting on it as a piece of clothing, fashion and even status) has already occurred at the time and, currently, shoe manufacturers enjoy fantastic health, with an uncountable number of fans who bet on them as an almost star element of their wardrobes and their style.
The transition that leads us to see them as a team that can also offer us intelligent information is another story. It is still, as we say, something quite unknown to many and sometimes it even sounds like a science fiction story . Nothing is further from reality. Although Marty McFly’s Nike made us believe that talking about smart shoes was talking about something very futuristic or even unattainable, the truth is that there are several models today that, for example, are capable of giving us information about our walks on the phone and whose operation is not far from what we find in an activity bracelet. And that’s not to mention the ones that tie themselves and fit perfectly to our feet.
Yes, that future is already here and you just have to know it to give it a try.
Smart shoe models
Below we list the most prominent smart shoe models and the qualities that you can find in each of them.
Nike HyperAdapt
Although many have the Adapt model in mind, which we will talk about in the next section, a couple of years before Nike was already trying to convince its users with the HyperAdapt. These shoes have an automatic lacing system , activated by a sensor placed in the heel, which adjusts perfectly to the foot for optimal comfort. It is impossible to talk about them and not remember Back to the Future II , in which the first proposal appears that would make us all daydream.
The HyperAdapt 1.0 model (which is its full name) included a strip on the side that lit up as well as some rear LEDs that gave it a very futuristic touch. Currently it is a discontinued shoe, so getting it is complicated – you have to pull from specialized distributors and auctioneers.
Nike Apapt
Let’s say they are the most impressive for their operating system and the fame that precedes them, of course. And we are talking about a more evolved system than in the HyperAdapt, with a new lacing motor, the use of recycled materials and a redefined shoe design, which can even be used specifically for sports, if so you want.
Its particular lacing system adjusts electronically to the shape of your feet, so that each lacing will be unique in each shoe. All controlled by a mobile app from which you can even decide the color of the illumination of the LEDs on the sole -because yes, the shoes include lights on the base that indicate the status of the battery and there is even a charging mat on them. than to leave them for your wireless charging.
These shoes, launched in 2018, are available (not in all markets, be careful) in two base models : the Adapt BB , intended to be used in basketball practice and which already have several versions (Scape, 2.0, etc. …), And the Adapt Huarache . Its price starts at 349.99 euros.
Adapt Auto Max
Within the huge Nike family there is also a version called Adapt Auto Max that is worth a separate name. Based on the Air Max , with a more striking design, they are currently sold out in the official store (they were launched last year) but you can find them on Amazon. It has automatic laces (that you can save in the app) and custom lighting included, with 13 iconic colors. Controlling the fit and lighting of the shoes can also be done by voice alone , with the help of Siri Shortcuts or the Google Assistant.
Amazfit Antelope Light Outdoor
Did you think Xiaomi was not going to have its own smart shoes? Illusive … The Asian company, which has equipment of all kinds, did not resist the temptation to have its own proposal and launched the Antelope Light Outdoor a little more than two years ago under the Amazfit brand – yes, that of smart watches.
They boast a sole designed by Goodyear and insert between layer and layer of the base a chip in charge of synchronizing with your phone and giving information about our exercise . The same as an activity bracelet would do, well, although more precise, being able to better monitor the intensity of the tread and movements, among other parameters.
They can be found on AliExpress at a fairly affordable price.
Xiaomi Miija Smart
In addition to launching a model through its “channel” Amazfit, Xiaomi also encouraged itself long ago with its own sneakers. They do not stop offering a similar approach to their sisters (the technology they use is the same) only with a slightly different design so that in the end the user has more options to choose from.
In this case again we find a proposal capable of quantifying our activity in the same way as the Mi Band does, so that later through the mobile app you can see how many steps you have taken, the calories consumed or the distance traveled .
Currently it is not possible to find them through official channels and even on Aliexpress it is difficult to find them – beware of counterfeits.
Puma Fi
Nike is not the only capable to make a shoe that alone are tied and Puma undertook to prove not so long ago. The famous firm also has a model whose laces adjust themselves to your foot so that its placement is perfect and you move more comfortable than ever.
