Nike’s hands-free shoe just might make bending over to lace up extinct
How we choose all of the stuff that we surround ourselves with is based on our needs — and wants — but also on how well those things are designed to help make our lives better. As Nike puts it, “Good innovation turns the complex into the simple,” and that’s just what the brand has done with the GO FlyEase sneaker, its first totally hands-free shoe.
The GO FlyEase design is based on a bi-stable hinge that holds the shoe in a steady, open position. Pop your foot in and step down on the “diving board” to lock the shoe into position. To take the shoe off, use your opposite foot to step on the “kickstand” heel, and the shoe hinges open. A giant rubber band keeps tension on the shoe in both the open and closed position, helping to keep it stable when you step in or out.
GO FlyEase is a perfect example of how something so simple can be so revolutionary, with applications that solve problems for a mass audience, from slipping on your kicks in an instant when you’re in a rush to helping when it’s physically challenging to bend over or use your hands to tie shoelaces.
In a statement on the brand’s site, Paralympian champion fencer Bebe Vio said, “Usually I spend so much time to get in my shoes. With the Nike GO FlyEase, I just need to put my feet in and jump on it. The shoes are a new kind of technology, not only for adaptive athletes but for everyone’s real life.”
The just-released GO FlyEase is available via invite for Nike Members but you can download the Nike app to get notified when it becomes widely available. $120, nike.com.
