Nike is pushing the boundaries of shoe technology further with today’s announcement of the Go FlyEase, a $ 120 contactless shoe for both athletic and everyday wear.
The core innovation here is a so-called bistable hinge that allows the shoe to move between two positions: an upright one in which the insole of the shoe sits at an angle of about 30 degrees so you can easily slide your foot in, and the collapsed position where the outer layer fits snugly around the inner while you walk or run. It’s basically two shoes in one, with the liner popping out when needed.
The concept stems from the standard movement most people make when taking off slip-on shoes like Crocs, slippers, or plain old loose sneakers, using one foot to pull the heel of the other down, according to Fast company. The ‘kickstand heel’ of the Go FlyEase allows you to slide out of the shoes with this movement while simultaneously sliding the hinge to support them. The whole process is hands-free, says Nike.
There’s more here than just the appeal of aesthetics and laziness, too. Nike designed these with accessibility in mind, which means they are great options for people who would otherwise have trouble bending over to tie their shoes or who struggle with tying shoelaces. The FlyEase brand originated from Nike designer Tobie Hatfield, who spent years at Nike developing increasingly ingenious accessibility shoes at the request of people with disabilities. This effort has occasionally spawned some flashy, high-profile products, such as the self-lacing Back to the futureinspired shoes, the Nike Mag, and more modern self-lacing variants such as the HyperAdapt 1.0 and the Adapt BB.
Fast company, who has tried the Go FlyEase and says the shoes are very comfortable indeed, also aptly describes the shoes as ‘the ultimate COVID footwear’. Honestly, I’m already obsessed with finding a pair – not only because they look quite nice aesthetically, but also because they really seem like the perfect pair of shoes for a casual wear age when going out means doing the bare minimum necessary to my remote work bunker of an apartment for a message or some fresh air.
Nike says the shoe will go on sale from February 15 “to select Nike members,” although it is unclear how many units will be available in the first run. The company says “wider consumer availability” is planned for later in 2021.