Lacey Baker, Nike SB pro skateboarder, used to put frozen plastic bags inside her shoes to make the men’s skate shoes fit better. Now, the SB Bruin High should offer improved fit for females skaters everywhere.
Female Nike SB athletes include Leticia Bufoni, Sarah Meurle, and Josie Millard, as well as multiple female skate crews surveyed by Nike, all raised similar issues with fit. That’s when Nike decided to create a skateboarding shoe built for a woman’s foot.
While it has been known for some time that female feet are different than male feet, footwear brands have just began to catch up (Adidas’ PureBoost X and UltraBoost X silhouettes feature a floating arch that the male versions do not).
The Nike SB Bruin High achieves a more snug fit with a new women’s-specific last that features a shallower forefoot and a more tapered heel than the typical men’s skate last. According to Nike, the new build achieves a more snug fit that prevents movement within the shoe.
Nike also says that another change for the women’s build is the replacement of the traditional square pattern on the footbed to a tri-star pattern. This new geometry will appear in other shoes; it should improve the structure of the shoe as well as decrease weight and increase flexibility, according to Nike.
“The most important thing for me in footwear is a balance of durability, boardfeel, snugness and support,” said Baker in a statement.
The Women’s Nike SB Bruin High is available on October 5 on Nike.com, the Nike app, and select retailers. Pricing has not been announced.
Source: Nike
