Nike Claim Their New Vapor HyperAgility Cleat Improves Football

3D printers have allowed the designers at Nike to create the prototypes and test new footwear designs with a amazingly quick turnaround time.  Nike’s latest shoe is the Vapor HyperAgility cleat featuring re-engineered studs, which Nike claim will allow football players to have the necessary grip to burst from their mark at amazing speed.  Not also that, but they wearer can stop, turn and move to dodge an opponent almost instantly.

Nike has been creating their prototype shoes using 3D printers for some time now.  The very first shoe produced using that process was called the Vapor Laser Talon cleat.  The show was really a proof of concept more than anything else, but that shoe and by extension the process behind creating it, went on to instigate the Vapor Carbon 2014 Elite cleat.  It was this shoe, which was worn by football players during the 2014 Super Bowl.

The Vapor HyperAgility cleat features a rather aggressive-looking tri-star stud design, which Nike believes will allow players to have the speed they need for running, while at the same time giving them extra grip for making abrupt stops and course changes.  All of this, whilst playing on artificial turf.

The shoe has been engineered to improve a players time during a ‘shuttle’ drill as the Vapor HyperAgility’s studs are, in a way, made to serve as brakes as much as they provide extra traction when acceleration is required.

The shoe’s upper has been made using Nike’s woven Flywire cabling.  It is then threaded through the cleat itself to help prevent the show from slipping during a dash.  A the same time a compression collar inside, helps it to grip the foot tightly, but allowing the player to not feel the studs underneath.

If you are thinking of grabbing a pair for your local track workout, I’m afraid you’ll be in for a long wait as they are not available in your local stores.  The Vapor HyperAgile cleats are also not going to be cheap, even if you could buy them.  The shoe is marketed towards professional atheletes.

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[Image via: Nike]

SOURCE: http://gizmodo.com/nikes-aggressive-new-cleats-help-football-players-turn-1530821125