Women's Shoe of the Week: LunarGlide by Nike
Nike has introduced the Nike LunarGlide+, a new running shoe designed with an innovative mid-sole architecture called Dynamic Support, a patent-pending system that adapts to a runner’s gait with each step, providing superior cushioning and as-needed stability.
“Runners traditionally had to choose between stability or cushioning shoes based on their foot strike,” said Leslie Lane, Global Vice President and General Manager for Nike Running. “Now, runners can choose a single shoe that will respond to all of their needs, even adjusting on the fly during a run.”
Dynamic Support
The new Dynamic Support system shatters the myth that runners must compromise by selecting between two industry-standard categories: stability or cushioning. The Dynamic Support system in the Nike LunarGlide+ midsole combines the best of both. It is designed with the two-part LunarLite cushioning system which incorporates a lightweight foam core that sits within a firmer foam carrier and features an encapsulated rear-foot wedge to provide as-needed support.
The shoe also has soft, yet strong microfiber synthetic overlays ultrasonically welded into place for seam-free comfort. A high-resilience men’s and women’s-specific foam sockliner also creates a foot-bed with exceptional step-in feel and added support.
LunarLite System
Nike first introduced LunarLite in the summer of 2008 in Beijing as the mid-sole cushioning system in the Nike LunaRacer+ and Nike LunarTrainer+ running shoes. Traditional cushioning systems only absorb energy upon impact. LunarLite has proven to provide superior cushioning and significant energy return. The LunarLite System in the Nike LunarGlide+ creates a trampoline effect as the softer foam core is contained by the firmer foam carrier upon impact.
Flywire Technology
The Nike LunarGlide+ incorporates another Beijing innovation: Flywire technology. The integration of Flywire threads into the upper design of shoes from a variety of sports including running, basketball and tennis, has allowed Nike designers to shed unprecedented amounts of weight without losing necessary support or stability.
The use of LunarLite in the midsole and Flywire in the upper allow for a dramatic reduction in weight compared to typical daily distance running shoes. The men’s LunarGlide+ weighs just 10.6 oz. while the women’s weighs a mere 8.6 oz.
The Women’s Nike LunarGlide+
• Includes more soft foam under the heel than the men’s model and is more flexible under the forefoot because, on average, a woman weighs 10 to 15 percent less than a man of the same stature, and therefore has less mass with which to compress and flex a shoe’s midsole.
• The women’s Nike LunarGlide+ has a two-part, gender-specific external heel counter engineered to accommodate a woman’s distinct needs for comfort, fit and support around the heel.
• Nike has applied its Dynamic Fit Technology, a stretchy material, adjacent to the big toe, which expands to accommodate varying widths. Women tend to have broader forefeet which can lead to fit issues and abrasions.
The Nike LunarGlide+ will be available globally beginning July 1, 2009 with a
