Last month word began to circulate that Nike would soon be revealing the latest iteration of its self-lacing HyperAdapt shoes. While details were somewhat thin at the time, it recently began to surface that these Marty McFly-inspired kicks were indeed on the way. This morning, Nike has unveiled the new Adapt BB. Not only is the self-lacing prophecy being fulfilled, Nike is also introducing the Adapt BB as a smartphone-controlled shoe. While the app offers the ability to change your shoe’s LED color and more, the shoes defining feature is their ability to constantly adjust how tight the laces are pulled. Thus, the Adapt BB name. Head below for more.
Nike Adapt BB arrives with self-lacing tech, more
Nike’s first official self-lacing basketball shoes are a culmination of decades worth of development by the Beaverton, Oregon-based company. It also seemed like self-lacing shoes would be a thing of the future, but turns out that day has come. Nike already has some limited edition options on the market with this technology, however, the price has a been a rather high barrier to entry for most.
The previously released HyperAdapt 1.0s sold for $720 at launch. Today’s Nike Adapt BB’s announcement reveals that these new shoes will retail for $350 in February. While this is a logical next step for the brand’s technology, Nike promises that it’s just getting started with self-lacing in its mainstream lineup.
Smartphone control plays key role in Adapt BB shoes
Yes, it sure seems like everything is getting the smartphone control treatment these days. Did you really expect Nike to sit this one out? Nike’s self-lacing tech seemingly pairs perfectly with iPhone and Android control. The app delivers customizable features that allow for users to control how tight laces pull, which color the LEDs shine on the outside of the shoe and more. And of course, these shoes are going to privy to firmware updates. How 2019 of you, Nike.
Nike’s FitAdapt technology promises to constantly re-evaluate how tight your laces are pulled while in use. It’s really quite cool. A built-in motor checks on the force being pulled by the athlete and adjusts its settings accordingly to guarantee the right tension. Nike explains further:
When a player steps into the Nike Adapt BB, a custom motor and gear train senses the tension needed by the foot and adjusts accordingly to keep the foot snug. The tensile strength of the underfoot lacing is able to pull 32 pounds of force (roughly equal to that of a standard parachute cord) to secure the foot throughout a range of movement.
Of course, you’re not going to be utilizing the app while the game is going on. Nike has also integrated full control over tightness with two LED backlit buttons on the base of the shoe. Those are the same lights that can be customized to your preferred color within the app. Pretty cool, right?
To really bring it all to 2019, Nike includes a wireless charger to keep your shoes powered up. What a time.
There’s still a lot of questions to be asked about the Nike Adapt BB. Like how will this tech hold up over time? What if app control is broken? All valid questions. But for right now, I’m just enjoying living in the future. One thing is for sure, Nike deserves some serious credit for taking another step forward with actual technology fully integrated into its shoes.
Source: Nike
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