Light shoes are big news
According to industry research organisation SportsOneSource, lightweight sports footwear – loosely defined as shoes that weigh 283.5 grams or less in a men’s US size 9 – accounted for 28% of the running category in the US in the second quarter. Minimalist styles, a subset of lightweight, accounted for 5% of the running category.
Matt Powell, an analyst with SportsOneSource, said that the second quarter marked a turning point, as lightweight products began to “cannibalize” traditional running categories, such as cushioning and stability. Lightweight products are now on track to hit $1.8 billion in sales this year (compare that to $1.1 billion in sales for athletic shoes’ other fast-growing trend, toning shoes). Mr. Powell said the shoes are appealing to both athletes and fashion-conscious consumers.
