Nike just released Go FlyEase, a new hands-free adaptive sneaker, and it’s a shoe designed with people with physical disabilities in mind.
The shoes will launch on 15 February 2021, and it’s priced at $120 for subscribers on the free membership program on Nike’s website. A broader launch will be planned for late 2021.
Nike Go FlyEase designed for convenience
The sneakers hold a hinged design, which Nike calls FlyEase Tensioner. To wear the shoe, all you have to do is push the insole down with your foot, and it’ll snap in place. If you’ve ever rushed out of the house before, this will feel familiar to you. But this time, the heels of your shoes won’t be bruised with creases anymore.
Removing the shoes are just as easy. Step onto the rubberized portion of the heel, lift your foot up, and it’ll slip off effortlessly.
Since the shoes are designed to be hands-free, they’re ideal for people with mobility issues or other conditions that limit motor skills.
The FlyEase line was inspired by Matthew Walzer, who was born with cerebral palsy, and wrote to Nike in 2012. “At 16 years old, I am able to completely dress myself, but my parents still have to tie my shoes,” he said in the letter. “As a teenager who is striving to become totally self-sufficient, I find this extremely frustrating and, at times, embarrassing.”
This created the first line of FlyEase models, which were made with zippers and cords. However, the new Go FlyEase is the first that’s completely hands-free.
Of course, there are other slip-on shoes available in the market. Crocs, for example. But when Nike debuted the shoes, Twitter users, including pregnant women and people with chronic pain, chimed in on how they were excited to see a sneaker designed for them.
The initial color designs include a mix of pastel pink, green and blue; a blue and black combination; and solid black. More offerings are to be dropped later this year.
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