Sperry launches new shoe technology at OR
Outdoor shoe brand Sperry Top-Sider has launched new footwear technology called SON-R at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Exhibition in Salt Lake City in August.
The new idea consists of a patent-pending sensory feedback system engineered into a new line of multi-watersport shoes, specially designed to address the challenges water enthusiasts face when navigating across difficult under-foot terrain. Whether on slippery rocks while carrying a canoe, rough and hidden underwater surfaces at steep put-ins while kayaking or on the slick fiberglass surface of a boat, Sperry says it has engineered a collection of footwear that creates a safer and more enjoyable experience in, on and around the water.
The new collection will be available in outdoor specialty, marine and sporting goods stores starting in spring 2011.
Brand president, Craig Reingold, said at the time of the launch: “Just as a submarine uses SON-R to navigate unchartered waters, our SON-R footwear technology provides sensory feedback to what is underfoot and lets the individual see with their feet to better feel the terrain beneath them and adjust and improve agility and stability in the often challenging terrain that comes with multi-water sport activities. These ground-breaking new shoes allow the wearer to focus on performance and enjoyment of the sport, rather than worry about the challenges of complex terrain."
The technology features anatomically positioned pods in an ultra-flexible outsole that work in concert with a textured insole containing independent chambers that respond to the pressure exerted to the foot. This enhances the wearer's ability to send sensory feedback to the brain and allows the wearer to feel, think and react to the terrain beneath their feet to aid in better stability and balance. This outsole-insole combination can create similar tactile sensations to being barefoot, while delivering comfort, protection and wet-dry traction.
