Under Armour expands ‘smart’ shoe portfolio
15/12/2016
The brand unveiled its first smart shoe, SpeedForm Gemini 2, at the start of 2016 as part of its debut Connected Fitness product portfolio.
The three new shoes – the SpeedForm Gemini 3, SpeedForm Velociti, and SpeedForm Europa- feature Under Armour’s Record Equipped technology. It is a smart feature integrated into the footwear that allows the wearer to track and store data related to their workout. This includes speed, duration and distance. Under Armour said the products are designed to provide “digital tracking insights” for the wearer so that they can maximise their performance.
A new feature, which the brand calls Jump Test, detects the average amount of time a runner’s foot is in the air to give an indication of muscle fatigue. This data can be used to advise the wearer on how to alter the intensity of their workout and to help them tailor their recovery regime.
“When we looked at advanced tools used by elite athletes, it was a natural fit to integrate the cutting-edge functionalities of our Connected Fitness mobile apps to uniquely enhance our newest running footwear, making those tools available to all athletes,” said Kevin Haley, president of category management and innovation at Under Armour.
Footwear has been a key driver of growth for the brand. It says it plans to more than double the number of units of Connected Footwear it sells worldwide in 2017. This will include global distribution to North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and, for the first time, China.
Image shows the SpeedForm Gemini 2 (credit: Under Armour).
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