Nike is moving the shoe technology envelope further with the announcement of the Go FlyEase, a contactless $ 120 shoe for athletic and everyday use.
The core innovation here is a so-called bistable hinge that moves the shoe between two positions: an upright one in which the insole of the shoe sits at an angle of about 30 degrees so you can easily slide your foot in and the folded position in which the outer layer snugly around the inner while walking or running. It is effectively two shoes in one, with the inner shoe protruding as needed.
The concept comes from the standard movement that most people make when taking off shoes such as Crocs, slippers or ordinary old loose sneakers, which include the use of one foot on the heel of the other, according to Fast company. With the Go FlyEase’s “kickstand heel” you can slide this movement out of your shoes while sliding the hinge at the same time to push it up. The whole process is hands-free, says Nike.
Here, too, is more than just the aesthetic and laziness. Nike has designed it for accessibility, which means it’s great options for people who might otherwise have trouble tying their shoes or struggling to fasten the laces. The FlyEase brand was born out of Nike designer Tobie Hatfield, who spent years with Nike developing ever more ingenious accessibility shoes at the request of people with disabilities. This effort has sometimes yielded some flashy, sensational products, such as the self-rope Back to the futureinspired shoes, the Nike Mag, and more modern self-decorating variants such as the HyperAdapt 1.0 and the Adapt BB.
Fast company, who tried the Go FlyEase and says that the shoes are indeed extremely comfortable, also aptly describes the shoes as ‘the ultimate COVID shoes’. Honestly, I’m already tying a pair – not only because it looks aesthetically pleasing, but also because it really does look like the perfect pair of shoes for a casual wear, if you go out, do the minimum requirement to leave me remote work bunker of an apartment for an assignment or fresh air.
Nike says the shoe will be on sale from February 15 “for select Nike members”, although it is unclear how many units will be made available in the first series. The company says a wider consumer availability is planned for later in 2021.