HOVR AND UNDER ARMOUR'S NEW SNEAKERS

“To amortise v. Tr. [Der. Of death] .- (…) 2. In mechanics, dampen shocks or vibrations.” Thus indicates the dictionary. Many sports need a way to make less impetuous blows, movements, steps for those who practice them. Running is one of these, and the US brand Under Armor is among the latest generation brands that develop new ways to reduce the impact weight between the ground and the limb. And the latest addition to the sport-fashion house based in Baltimore (Maryland) is Hovr, a cutting-edge platform designed to provide the perfect combination of cushioning and responsiveness in two racing styles: Sonic and Phantom, the two new sneakers models of the company, with “the promise” – they say overseas – “to expand the technology to other models in the future”.

Performance is another supporting element of those who lead a sport activity. Therefore, dealing only with comfort when doing running would be only partly correct since wellness comes first and nobody would want to run miles wearing uncomfortable shoes and painful feet; but it is necessary to spend the technological research also for the performance, and the Hovr system guarantees it through a key element, the Energy Web. It consists of a mesh network that encloses the core of cushioning, thus ensuring considerable reactivity and energy return. “This perfect combination increases comfort for runners and improves performance while reducing fatigue,” they explain from Under Armor.

But where does the need to create this technology come from? “The development of Hovr was inspired by having understood that, for a runner, each step has an impact of 2-4 times its body weight, and it anchors him on the ground (…)”, says Dave Dombrow, Under Armor’s Chief Design Officer. And the progress is also due to the fact that the US reality has been present since 2007 in this market, as Topher Gaylord, General Manager of the run line explains: “We have been active in the sneakers racing category for only ten years, Under Armor has been an incredible success and has always set new limits in terms of innovation and technology to provide an unprecedented experience for runners all over the world.” It therefore results in a greater commitment to align with the avant-garde discoveries of the competitors “thanks to the union of a freehand design of the highest level and state-of-the-art digital systems (…)”, concludes Gaylord.

Lightweight (weighing around 272 grams and a drop of 8mm), the Sonic promises excellent performance especially for lightning bolts that love to run long distances, while the Phantom guarantees an even softer and more responsive ride due to constant cushioning. Both for him and for her, the new Under Armor sneakers are available in the brand’s online and flagship stores, as well as in sporting goods stores all over the world, starting from 1 February.

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