adidas unveils adipower Boost shoe

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Having had huge success in the running, basketball and baseball market, adidas has applied its revolutionary Boost technology to its golf shoes in the form of the adipower Boost. An internal survey found that for golfers comfort was the most important area of performance. With your average round comprising between 12-15,000 steps, it’s important you feel energized right up to the 18th green.

Adidas’ Boost material is 50 per cent lighter than EVA and features thousands of visible TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) energy capsules fused together via a high-pressure steam molding process. These capsules store and release energy throughout the swing delivering maximum energy return.

Traditional EVA foam is not only double the weight, but it also hardens and softens dramatically when temperatures fluctuate while Boost foam retains consistent cushioning. Combined with a lace-in saddle, fitsleeve tongue wrapping, external heel counter and a fitfoam PU sockliner, adipower Boost delivers a more precise, comfortable fit for all golfers.

Adidas boost

Utilizing forceplate testing and tour player feedback for more than a year, adidas have placed gripmore spikes of varying sizes at strategic positions on the outsole to deliver improved and more efficient traction and stability to help maintain swing plane.

“When I first put them on, I immediately noticed how comfortable they were. I didn’t want to take them off,” says world no.8 Jason Day. “During the swing, the energy return is noticeable – as if you can feel the technology in action. I wanted to keep them the moment I saw them. They feel good, and look good, too.”

Details: adipower boa boost £149.99, adipower boost £129.99, adipower sport boost £99.00. www.adidasgolf.com

Q&A: Masun Denison, Director, Global Product Marketing, adidas Footwear

Give us a bit of background about the success of the Boost technology in other sports
Boost took the running world by storm when it was launched in 2013 and was quickly adopted by many elite runners. It has been one of the most decorated shoes during high profile races the past few years and was most recently worn by Dennis Kimetto en route to his world record 2:02:57 time at the Berlin Marathon in September. Most recently boost has started to work its way into other sport categories like Basketball and the new “D Rose 5 boost” has been received very well by consumers with Derrick Rose himself saying it is by far the best basketball shoe he has ever worn. Due to the immediate success in the categories it has been brought to it’s only natural to see it extend to all other sports such as golf where the benefits of energy return, stability and comfort are key!

What feedback did the tour players give you in terms of the performance they want from a shoe?
Players are very picky about their footwear and it’s often harder to get a guy to switch shoes than a new driver or irons. These guys are on their feet 8 hours a day, 7 days a week so having good footwear that performs and fits correctly is of utmost importance. The feedback we received was that lightweight was important but that they also wanted a shoe that had amazing cushioning and support. They also wanted good lateral stability for their higher swing speeds and traction that would not let them down in wet conditions. At the end of the day what they said was a perfect shoe is one that you forget is on your foot because it is so comfortable and stable that it becomes a part of the body and swing.

How effectively does the boost technology transfer over to golf?
Boost technology applies perfectly to golf because it is a better technology than traditional EVA, Rubber or TPU outsoles. It does have amazing “spring” and you feel more energy return with each step but a huge additional benefit to boost foam is the extreme underfoot cushioning and support you get. Golfers are very hard on their feet and walk 6-8 miles a day for up to 7 days a week and nearly 365 days a year. Having a technology that gives more cushioning and support and doesn’t break down quickly or change with temperature is a big advantage.

The adizero one shoe was all about being lightweight – does this theory still apply?
Lightweight footwear has changed golf forever. Shoes that used to be perceived light at 17 ounces are now extremely heavy and adizero was a huge part of making this happen. Manufacturers are always looking at new materials and processes to reduce weight while still maintaining stability. The great thing about boost technology is that it is lighter than traditional EVA or TPU material but feels better and has better energy return. So we can still have lightweight footwear but get the cushioning and comfort that was lost a little with some of the extreme lightweight shoes.

You say there are different sized grip more cleats in different places – where are the small ones and where are the larger ones and why?
We are always studying the golf swing and looking at how our footwear can help a golfer perform better. It became apparent to us after a lot of Heat Mapping or foot pressure mapping that during the swing the pressure applied down through the shoe to the ground varies a lot throughout the swing. There are certain areas like the lateral forefoot and toe area of the back foot where extreme pressure is applied during the swing and these areas need the most grip. The great part about gripmore technology is that we aren’t limited by cleat receptacles so we can inject a cleat wherever we want on the outsole, in whatever size and whatever shape. This new advanced gripmore cleat setup is the most technical outsole we have ever made and the traction is engineered to maximize grip throughout the swing while providing improved comfort on harder surfaces.

Can you explain how Boost helps improve/maintain swing plane?
Again going back to foot pressure mapping we have found the key areas or “swing plane” where the most pressure or traction is needed during the swing and have built up the gripmore cleats in these areas to ensure maximum grip. The golf swing is very dynamic and the forces put to the ground quite extreme, particularly with PGA TOUR athletes so having improved grip where you need it most is a great benefit.

How do the boost TPU capsules ‘release energy’?
TPU is traditionally very stiff in raw and condensed form. With boost they take tiny small pellets of TPU and heat them up until they expand a little like popcorn. You still have the durable and stable TPU material but it now has cushioning proper tie. With each step you compress these pellets and then they spring back into place releasing energy to your body. Think of a spring that is loaded and then released and helps propel you….in a way that’s what these boost pellets do but you have thousands of them in one midsole!

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