Nike unveils performance innovations for summer competitions

NEW YORK – NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) has announced a series of cutting-edge, lightweight performance innovations designed for the track, the basketball court and beyond for this summer.  Multiple products were unveiled, ranging from Nike Flyknit footwear, to the Nike Hyper Elite basketball uniform to the next evolution of NIKE Lunarlon footwear.

NIKE, Inc. President & CEO Mark Parker was joined by one of the most iconic track and field athletes in history, Carl Lewis, and other great athletes including Deron Williams (New Jersey Nets and 2008 USAB team), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever and USAB team member in 2004 and 2008), Carmelita Jeter (current 100m World Champion and the fastest woman on earth today), Walter Dix (World Championship silver medalist), Anastasiya Kapachinskaya (Russian sprinter and 400m Bronze Medalist, 2011 World Championships), Sergey Shubenkov (Russian European U23 champion hurdler) and Abdi Abdirahman (US Men’s Marathoner and seven-time US Champion) to unveil Nike’s newest innovations at a global event in New York City.

“Today we’ve unveiled technology we believe has the potential to change sports performance. Nike has always been committed to bringing the best innovations to athletes at every level and we’ve done that today in a powerful way,” said Parker. “The Nike Flyknit upper redefines the idea of running footwear: Lightweight and virtually seamless, it acts like a second skin for the foot and is precision engineered in one piece and one layer to minimize waste, dramatically changing how footwear is designed and manufactured.”

Nike’s products include:

Nike Flyknit:  Nike Flyknit revolutionizes running by rethinking shoe construction from the ground up Informed by athlete insights and employing a new proprietary technology. Yarns and fabric variations are precisely engineered only where they are needed for a featherweight, formfitting and virtually seamless upper. With all the structure and support knitted in, the Nike Flyknit Racer’s upper and tongue weigh just 34 grams (1.2 ounces). The whole shoe weighs a mere 160g (5.6 ounces) for a size 9, 19% lighter than the Nike Zoom Streak 3, a shoe worn by first, second and third place athletes in the men’s marathon at the 2011 World Championships.

Nike Flyknit upper is also engineered for precision fit, creating a feeling of a second skin. NIKE has created an everyday running shoe, the Nike Flyknit Trainer+, which at 220 grams or 7.7 ounces, will bring the weight and fit benefits of Nike Flyknit to runners of all levels.

Nike Pro TurboSpeed: The Nike Pro TurboSpeed suit is the lightest, fastest track uniform NIKE has ever built. Based on wind tunnel data, it is up to .023 seconds faster over 100m than our previous track uniform. For the past 12 years, incorporating more than 1,000 hours of wind tunnel testing, NIKE’s Project Swift has evolved and refined superior Nike AeroSwift technology, working towards maximum velocity for elite athletes.

The technology will also be used by athletes from the USA, Russia, Germany, and China for international team competition and will be unveiled in a global color to be used by NIKE-sponsored athletes in individual competition from April onwards, and in the colors of the Russia Track & Field Federation. The striking uniform combines elements of national identity with scientific innovation. In a summer of competition with a focus on sustainability, Nike Pro TurboSpeed is made with approximately 82% recycled polyester fabric, using an average of 13 recycled plastic bottles.

Nike Zoom Spikes: NIKE debuted the ultra-light Nike Zoom Superfly R4 and Nike Zoom Victory Elite spikes. Uniting superior fit, protection and NIKE’s dynamic Flywire technology that loosens or tightens with the natural motion of the foot to help provide support and stability, these cutting-edge shoes help prepare athletes for their greatest performance ever with a focus on speed.

Nike Hyper Elite Basketball Uniform: Unveiled in USA Basketball colors, the Nike Hyper Elite  shorts weigh five ounces while the  NIKE authentic basketball jersey, NIKE’s lightest jersey ever, features a breathable and durable design with striking Nike Aerographics visual design. The men’s jersey is made of approximately 96% polyester fabric derived from recycled plastic bottles while the short is 100% recycled polyester fabric. Nike uses an average of 22 recycled plastic bottles per uniform reflective of NIKE’s commitment to environmentally-sustainable design. The uniform will be worn by national basketball teams including USA, China, and Brazil in addition to teams attempting to qualify.

Nike Hyperdunk: Part of a pack of four shoes (including running, men’s training and women’s training), this shoe is part of the Nike Lunarlon Collection. An innovative combination of advanced NIKE Flywire technology and a basketball-specific NIKE Lunarlon cushioning system, this lightweight, more supportive, durable and breathable shoe is expressly designed to meet the demands of elite basketball players worldwide.

Re-engineered NIKE Lunarlon foam is 30% lighter than Phylon (the standard foam used in sports shoe midsoles), and is designed to vary in density, being thicker where required for stability, but softer for absorbing impact in key areas. The uppers of the Nike Hyperdunk feature the most advanced version of NIKE Flywire, which uses high-strength cables constructed from a thin core encased in a flexible woven sheath. These responsive cables are loose when at rest and dynamic in motion, tensing to help stabilize the foot as required.

The Lunarlon Collection will be available at retail beginning July 15, the Nike Flyknit footwear on July 27 and the Nike Basketball products on August 1.