Four tubes supply Nike’s ‘next-generation’ cushioning
18/03/2024
Appearing for the first time in the Nike Air Max Dn, Dynamic Air is a new dual-chamber, four-tubed Nike Air unit.
The two chambers are tuned with higher pressure in the back two tubes (15 psi) and lower pressure in the front two tubes (5 psi).
Reggie Hunter, product director for Nike Lifestyle Footwear, said: “The independent set-up of the chambers means that the air unit can respond to the load of your body with each step. The feeling of heel-to-toe movement is seamless because the air unit is interacting in real time with your foot and moves with you. The Nike Air Max Dn was the first time we were able to unlock that feeling.”
Digital capabilities like Finite Element Analysis helped teams test the air unit more quickly and accurately before making prototypes. When testing the air unit’s durability, for instance, the team could digitally simulate a year’s worth of wear and tear on the shoe in just a few hours. “Counterintuitively, these exacting methods of testing create more opportunities for us to be surprised,” said Kathy Gomez, Nike VP, NXT Footwear. “For example, you’d think the softest tube in terms of psi should go in the heel for crash landing and better transition. But actually, we found that transition was best when the firmest tube was under the heel and the softest was under the midfoot.”
Share this story:
