Nike | Evolving Consumer

Nike on the Seitiro Hi-Vis Ball

While American’s expect a football to be shaped like… well, a football, the rest of the world knows football as the game played with the round ball. It might not seem like there is much that can be done to the football/soccer ball, but actually Nike begs to differ and its new ball could be the biggest game changer since the introduction of the now legendary white footballs, which were introduced in 1951 to help spectators see the ball during night matches.

Introducing the Nike Seitrio Hi-Vis ball, which builds on the legacy of excellence in the T90 football range that has served as the official match ball in the world’s leading leagues including Barclay’s English Premier League, Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga. Continuing to bring new innovations to football, the Hi-Vis ball features Nike RaDaR technology, which means Rapid Decision and Response.

Nike has tested the ball in the lab and on the field and the result is the Nike RaDaR technology, which makes it easier for players to see the ball better and capitalize on split second scoring and passing opportunities. In the game of football, precision sight is of utmost importance, and the Nike Seitiro is engineered to stand out on pitch even when conditions are not ideal. The yellow and purple color combination flaunts additional fluorescence and brighteners, making it even more visible in low light conditions than previous generations of Hi-Vis balls.

The Nike Seitiro features patented hi-vis casing, performance graphic, and unique five-layer construction, along with aerodynamic stability. The new ball saw its official debut on the pitch this past weekend. Chances are we’ll be seeing a lot more of it.

Nike Seitiro Premier League Hi-Vis at The Nike Store

Nike Steps Out with Nerf Edition Shoes

In November Nike plans to introduce the Nike Zoom KDIV Nerf Edition as part of the Kevin Durant line of Nike shoes. When Nike says Nerf, it means it. The shoes are identifiable by the use of Hasbro’s Nerf brand iconic graphics and bright colors. Black is the backdrop for a blue instep with a bright orange swish and sole detail. Highlights of green in the sole and trim top the shoes off in an eye-catching package.

Continue reading Nike Steps Out with Nerf Edition Shoes

Vapor Weight Golf Bag

Not everyone has a caddy to carry their golf bags, and for those looking to slim down, Nike has the answer with its lightest golf bag ever, the Nike Vapor X, which weighs in at less than four pounds. This sleek, sporty looking bag was created by using minimal materials to provide a lightweight design. With Nike’s new lightweight golf bag, golfers will experience more stamina and less fatigue during their round through the benefit of carrying less weight on their back.

Available at retail on November 1, 2011, the new Nike Vapor X golf bag features new, ergonomically designed strap system with therenowned Nike Max Air curved technology. This new strap system combined with several other innovative features promises to enhance the playing experience by elevating performance and maximizing functionality. Continue reading Vapor Weight Golf Bag

Nike Soccer Shoe Laser Strike

httpv://youtu.be/cHLVsEO84oA

Nike just released its Nike T90 Laser IV soccer shoe. The “football” shoe is 20 percent lighter than the previous version. It features a streamlined silhouette that provides enhanced fit and lets wearers feel the ball. The forefoot area has a newly configured adaptive shield design that works with the foot’s natural motion to boost performance. Constructed from high performance synthetic leather, the upper provides a soft and close-to-the-foot fit. On the sole, a new stud design enhances speed and movement, without added weight or pressure.

To coincide with the launch, Nike Football created the T90 Strike Counter on Facebook. This app allows users to log their goals, and recreate the action in a 3D image. Report the spot on the pitch from where a goal was scored; where in the goal the ball went, and what part of the boot (shoe) was struck the ball. The data render a 3D image that can be shared with friends. Participants can also check out the 3D image and input from pro football players.

Nike T90 Laswer IV Football Shoe Official Website

Nike Presses Old Model Shoes Back Into Service

A handful of Nike’s most popular shoes are about to come out of retirement. The classic Air Force 1, Dunk and Air Max 90 models will be in stores for the holidays. But they won’t entirely be like the original sneakers.

Nike will use a thermo-molding technique called Vac Tech to press the materials of the shoes into form rather than the traditional stitching. The thermo-molding technique is a vacuum compression method that forms all the layers of the shoe together without seams or stitching on the upper portions.

Advantages to the Vac Tech method are weight and durability. The pressed layers make the shoe stand up against wear. The lack of stitched layers means threads won’t fray and layers of material won’t start to pull apart. The compressed fabric also lends itself to a lighter shoe.

A single piece of material, or several layers molded seamlessly together, can also make a more comfortable shoe. No seams means no bumps in the construction to rub against spots on your foot to cause irritation and possibly blisters.

Nike Official Website
[Via: Fast Company Nike’s New Thermo-Molded Sneakers Are Like Sculptures for Your Feet]

Nike Mixes Tech with LeBron 9 Cannon Shoes

Nike’s LeBron line has a new shoe. The Lebron 9 Cannon design “focus on functionality without sacrificing style,” according to the company. Nike claims this basketball shoe is the first to combine its Flywire and Hyperfuse technology. While this may be a closer integration, previous shoes including a prototype shoe developed for Tiger Woods this past spring. This may, however, be the first commercially released pair of shoes from Nike using both technologies.

Continue reading Nike Mixes Tech with LeBron 9 Cannon Shoes

iPod Nano Get Fitness Facelift

While much of the news spreading across the blogosphere is about the newly announced iPhone 4S, there is much to buzz about with the iPod Nano, which gets a facelift of sorts with 16 new clock faces and more importantly to us, new fitness features. The iPod Nano will reportedly feature a more accurate pedometer that won’t require a dongle to connect to Nike+ hardware.

“Right out of the box, you can go on a walk or a run as well, without adding sensors or devices,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing.

There will also be watchband cases so these can be worn on the wrist. Otherwise the devices are essentially the same, with prices ranging from $129 for the 8GB version to $149 for the 16GB version.

Do you get what you paid for? Possibly not with Nike.

A practice that is usually reserved for the counterfeiters, Nike China has admitted to defrauding citizens of China through false advertising. As reported by China Daily and Sports One Source, Nike has been selling the China version of the Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 with half of the air cushions at an increased price of $78 over the U.S. version.

The U.S. Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 has two air cushions where as the China version has one air cushion. This would not be an issue except that the advertisement used for the Chinese market claims that the China version has the two air cushion just like its American counterpart. Continue reading Do you get what you paid for? Possibly not with Nike.

Nike Golf Goes for the Dunk

We normally think of Nike’s basketball shows when we think of “dunk,” but Nike Golf is unveiling its latest Nike Dunk (NG) Golf shoe, which will make the rounds on the PGA Tour this fall, and will be available to golfers starting in the New Year.

The shoes do have a link to the court, not the greens. The original Nike Dunk was created as a basketball shoe in 1985. After it was introduced to the world, the Nike Dunk started a commotion when basketball teams began wearing them to match their uniforms. The shoes caught on, and have and Dunks have become the prized shoes for sneakerheads as well as fashion statements for anyone looking to add vintage style to their shoe collection. Nike even kept original Nike Dunk shoes that were created 25 years ago, to ensure that the Nike Dunk NG feels just the same as the Dunks that people have grown to love. And as the shoes move from the courts to the fairways, Nike ensures that these will do so without compromising performance for golf. Continue reading Nike Golf Goes for the Dunk

Nike Makes Your Run Into Artwork

You may imagine your run as a form of art. You go out, push your body’s limits, brave the elements, and sweat it out a few miles. But when you get home, the run fades. What if you could display a print that marked your tracks?

Nike, working with YesYesNo in collaboration with DualForces, produced the project Nike+ City Runs. Participants wearing Nike+ went on runs around New York City. Runs were then plotted on a lithograph-esque map of the city. A line representing the runner’s path is brighter and wider depending on the speed and intensity of the run.

For a SoHo store location installation, the project tracked a year’s worth of runs from the Nike+ website. YesYesNo created software that palyed back runs throughout New York, London and Tokyo. The runs showed tens of thousands of people’s runs, which animated the city in a black and white relief.

OpenStreetMaps created the maps used for the project.

This was part of the launch of the Nike Free Run+ 2 City Pack Series.

[Via psfk]

Is Motorola Going to Give Nike+ a Run?

Motorola has seen many bumps in the road. Once a dominant player in the mobile phone space (and a title sponsor in the world of professional cycling), the company has many times seemed down for the count, but now it appears it could be up and running again and ready to sprint against Nike.

Rumor has it that Motorola is looking to take on the Nike+ SportWatch. Online images suggest a “tricked out nano watch,” one which has been described as an “all-in-one fitness and music personal fitness device” along with GPS for “accurate performance tracking.” So far the device hasn’t actually been made public, and has no actual name (MotoActive is one rumor). The word is also that this watch can sync to a PC for post workout analysis. All this is based on an apparent online survey to help name the name – which is where MotoActive seems to have come from.

What is interesting is that this seems to be a multi-use monitor and music player, with some interesting music features. We are hearing that the “smart music player” can compile a list of songs based on the tunes that help you sweat your best. Let’s hope that doesn’t mean that it downloads “Let’s Get Physical” and “Eye of the Tiger” for you!

[Via Engadget: Motorola considering Nike+ SportWatch contender?]

Nike Goes to the Moon – Sort of…

This week Nike Golf announced that its latest shoes for the US Open, the Lunar Control golf shoes will be available to the public. Traditionally these shoes are usually only created for Nike’s tour athletes, but this year everyone can take a swing at getting a pair.

The Limited Edition Nike Golf Shoes were created and developed with insight from the number 10 golfer in the world and US Open contender Paul Casey. These shoes deliver just the right combination of stability and comfort, while still be the lightest-weight performance shoe on the tour – and they look good too!

The shoes feature Flywire construction; offer ultra light, springy Lunarlon cushioning, and feature waterproof performance leather by Sadesa, so you can hit a full 18 holes without making your feet like they’re on a walk to the moon!

Nike Lunar Control Men’s Golf Shoes Official Retail Site
[ Via BeSportier: Limited Edition Nike Golf Shoes : US Open Lunar Control]

Hex Jumps on Sport Watch Band Wagon

Hex, the designer and manufacturer of technology fashion accessories, has gotten on the sports watch band wagon, with it new Sports Watch Band. Set to be available later this month, the band will be compatible with Nike+ and offer fitness enthusiasts a simple solution for listening to music, whilst tracking their workouts. Each HEX Sport Watch Band features an easy pop-in, pop-out design that holds user’s iPod nano Gen 6 for a quick music playing option during workout sessions at the gym or outdoors.

This watch combines fashion and function, offering a breathable and vented band, with five bright colors to chose from including green, blue, red, black and white. Continue reading Hex Jumps on Sport Watch Band Wagon