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A major first: graphene sports shoes

Credits: Inov-8

At the end of last year, a British company announced their plans to start a revolution in the world of sports shoes. The mystery has just been revealed, and it is in fact a major first: the manufacture of a running shoe with graphene integrated into the soles!

For the past few years, graphene has been the material of choice in terms of innovation, and has quite rightly been considered a revolutionary material. For example, it can help create extremely powerful internet connections, a new type of concrete, new generation bullet proof vests and better quality water purifiers. It could even be the material to one day provide us with unlimited clean energy. Furthermore, large scale production of graphene appears feasible!

In December 2017, British brand Inov-8 announced their intention to revolutionise the sports shoe sector. On the 20th June 2018 – six months later – Forbes magazine revealed what was behind this announcement: the creation of a running shoe with graphene contained in the soles. These runners, called G-Series, are making a splash, as integrating graphene into a sport shoe has never been done before.

With British researchers from the University of Manchester having collaborated with Inov-8 developers, product director Michael Price has no doubts about the revolutionary nature of the G-Series.

“Prior to this innovation, off-road runners and fitness athletes had to choose between a sticky rubber that works well in wet or sweaty conditions but wears down quicker and a harder rubber that is more durable but not quite as grippy.”

According to estimations, these trainers should be 50% more durable than other running shoes, as well as being 50% more flexible. The brand managers claim that the G-Series will absorb shock over a distance of up to 1600 kilometers.

Source: Forbes

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