NIKE ZOOM AIR: THE TECHNOLOGY OF FAST
How a cushioning platform defies the adage that only the young are fast.
Every now and again, a lesson on what is happening under the hood of a Nike sneaker, so to speak is needed. There is more to kicks than just the exterior design and colorway. Today the folks at Nike blesses fans with a lesson on the technology of fast, the Nike Zoom Air.
Check out the information provided by Nike giving us a more in-depth look at what Zoom Air, a technology who took over decades to manufacture.
When greatness is measured in fractions of seconds, everything an athlete does has to maximize his or her performance and speed. This obsession has driven us for years, causing us to relentlessly push the envelope of sports innovation forward.
But as Zoom Air proves, innovation doesn’t always have to be in the form of new.
THE BIRTH OF NIKE ZOOM AIR
After more than a decade of research and development, Nike Zoom Air debuted 20 years ago and continues to provide responsive low-profile cushioning that athletes can feel. Athletes of every caliber want to feel responsiveness under their feet – which Zoom Air technology delivers.
Zoom Air made its original performance debut in three styles: the Nike Air Marauder football cleat, the Nike Air Go LWP basketball shoe, and soon after, the Nike Air Zoom LWP running shoe. Ever since, athletes have trained, competed and won in shoes featuring its responsive cushioning.
A LOOK UNDER THE HOOD
Tightly stretched tensile fibers are knit inside a pressurized Nike Air unit, giving the Zoom Air cushioning its snappy responsiveness. Each time an athlete’s foot touches down, the fibers compress to cushion the impact before quickly springing back to their original state, generating an explosive, powerful response off the ground. Whether elite athletes are racing or training, they look to Zoom Air for a fast, responsive ride and the snappy, quick-off-the ground feel that helps optimize their quest for speed.
“Zoom Air technology gives runners the benefits of a more responsive and energetic run. It helps rebound from the road, getting runner’s feet on and off the ground quicker into the next stride,” says Brett Holts, Sr. Footwear Product Director for Nike Running.
When dreams are realized in milliseconds, Zoom Air – the fastest, most responsive Nike Air cushioning – can change how fast an athlete feels in an instant.
SPEED TUNED FOR SPORT
Zoom Air technology is designed for athletes across multiple sports whose performance is based on speed. Whether that means an explosive drive, a powerful cut, or a lightning-quick change of direction, low-profile and hyper-responsive Zoom Air absorbs the forces applied to it by the fastest athletes in the world—and gives a little of it right back.
- RUNNING: Nike Air Zoom Elite 8 — The Air Zoom Elite 8 features Zoom Air in the forefoot to provide responsive cushioning at the faster speeds of tempo runs, when runners are more likely to strike with the forefoot.
- Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 (NikeCourt) — Created for a full speed attack, the Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 Tour tennis shoe helps athletes quickly move from shot to shot during fast-paced matches with Nike Zoom Air units that deliver low profile, responsive cushioning.
- BASKETBALL: Nike KD8 — Zoom Air provides basketball athletes with dynamic responsiveness in a game that relies on constant impact and bursts of speed.
- NIKE SB: Nike Zoom P-ROD 9 Elite — Zoom Air cushioning delivers maximum impact protection without excess bulk, allowing the rider to stay as close to the board as possible.
- FOOTBALL: Nike Zoom Field General — Designed for speed training on the turf, full-length Zoom Air delivers responsive cushioning for fast-paced lateral changes and quick acceleration.
- WOMEN’S TRAINING: Nike Zoom Flyknit Agility — Strategically placed, hexagonal Zoom Air pods in the outsole provide cushioning and responsiveness where athletes need it most, without compromising lightweight or flexibility.
- MEN’S TRAINING: Nike Zoom Hypercross TR2— Hexagonal Nike Zoom Air units are designed to deliver ultra-responsive, ultra-agile cushioning for targeted quickness during dynamic workouts.
The Zoom Air collection is available on nike.com.
