Nike Unveils the HyperAdapt Self-Tying Shoe

HyperAdapt 1.0 is the first self-lacing sneaker that will be made available to the masses.

The Nike HyperAdapt 1.0 is the first step towards taking the concept of adaptive lacing and making it accessible to the masses. Like the Air Mag, the HyperAdapt 1.0 delivers a precise fit that can be adjusted with a simple touch of the button.

Late last year, Nike showed that self-lacing sneakers had become a reality, with the re-release of the Nike Mag that came with power laces. It commemorated Back to the Future Day and left many spellbound. Sadly, the Mag was only available via a charity auction. Bid prices went up high, making the shoe out of reach for most folks.

Today, Nike offers a silver lining in the form of the HyperAdapt 1.0 – a self-lacing shoe that shares a similar mechanism with the Mag, but is catered for athlete-level performance and set for a wider release.

A sensor in the heel activates the tightening system once the wearer slips his or her foot in, and buttons on the side provide fit adjustment on the fly. Excessively tight lacing and heel slippage from loose laces are issues that Nike bore in mind and strove to solve, when making the HyperAdapt.

According to Nike’s footwear designer Tinker Hatfield, next on the cards is an adaptive shoe that stays one step ahead of the wearer, automatically tightening or loosening the fit without the need to hit any buttons.

Till that day comes, the HyperAdapt remains a must-have for sneakerheads and tech geeks alike, and will be available from Holiday 2016 onwards to Nike+ members.