Skate shoes sure have come along way.
I used to wear Osiris D3’s back in High School, and those things were puffy bricks compared to modern skate shoes… let alone a Nike Free based skate shoe. Padding and protection was once the focal point behind skate design, but as technology has advanced its become clear that cushion and board feel are the most important aspects when riding around town.
Check the tech and release information in the press release below, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
Press Release:
For the first time, the freedom and flexibility of the innovative Nike Free sole meets Nike SB. The new Nike SB Free unlocks the foot and allows it to flex and move naturally. By adapting Nike Free for the demands of skate, the Nike SB Free gives skaters the potential to expand their performance and imagination on the board.
“I can’t cheat in this shoe,” says professional skateboarder Sean Malto one of the first Nike SB athletes to wear the Nike SB Free. “The feel coming to me from my feet, on the board and in space during a trick are super enhanced in the SB Free.”
Made to move in sync with every small action of the foot while skating, the Nike SB Free facilitates true natural motion across the range of athletic demands of the sport. Nike designers distilled the brand’s vast body of research and experience gained from using Nike Free technology in other sports to create a performance solution to meet the distinctive needs of skaters.
“We’ve wanted to use Nike Free in a skate shoe for a while because the benefits of natural motion are just so perfectly suited to skating, ” said Shawn Carboy, Nike SB design director. “The challenge for us with the Nike SB Free was to unlock all the benefits of incredible flexibility and feel for the skater while still making sure we protect them and give them the durability they need to skate hard every day.”
Wearing the Nike SB Free gives skaters the feeling that their feet are free and can spread with less constriction, which enables better board feel, grip and balance. The Nike SB Free also gives skaters an extremely flexible and uniquely close feeling of connection to their board. This ultimately delivers more control, more freedom and faster progression.
Nike designers constructed the Nike SB Free to make it fit the foot like a supportive glove. They also carefully considered the build and materials of the shoe to keep out anything not fundamentally necessary or critical to athletes’ performance.
The durable suede upper above the reinforced SB Free outsole includes zoned ventilation for breathability and all-day comfort.
AVAILABILITY
The Nike SB Free will be available in black and white colorways via the Nike SB App on Dec. 24th, at nike.com on Dec. 25th, and at Nike Stores and select Nike SB retailers on Dec. 26th. Additional colorways will launch Jan. 1st.
I honestly thought theyve done that with the koston line already?
yeah its the koston max i think.
yeah its the koston max i think. had nike free forefoot and maxbubble at the heel hyperfuse and nubuck uppers
Those look like a great option to ball outdoors…if you havent tried the emerica westgate to do so GET A PAIR RIGHT AWAY, theyre so supportive, lightweight, crazy comfy, and with premium materials…dont sleep on them!