Debuting in the Nike Joyride Flyknit Run, Nike’s latest cushioning innovation brings new thinking to impact protection.
Source: Nike Joyride Cushioning Innovation and Nike Joyride Flyknit Run Official Images
In 2017 when Nike was delivering it’s manifesto for the future at their Investor’s Day they discussed Nike Air and Nike React as well as ZoomX and 270. They did not discuss in great detail 720 and nothing at all was mentioned about Joyride, which is Nike’s latest cushioning “innovation”. I use quotes because if you’ve been following the site for some time you’ll remember this post:
Puma Delivers Images of the Puma Clyde Court Disrupt and it Reminds Me That There is a Lawsuit
Nike brought a lawsuit against Puma for their Jamming model. The model used the BASF based cushioning beads, the same beads used in adidas BOOST. Puma’s description of the BASF technology was labeled “free floating NRGY beads”. Confusing huh?
While there are often overlaps in technology, adidas Primeknit, Nike Flyknit, Puma Evoknit, this doesn’t happen as much with outsole/midsole technology. Of course most brands use some form of phylon/EVA so overlap is inevitable, but adidas doesn’t have Air. Puma doesn’t have Gel like ASICS, but in my opinion there appears to be a strategy at play here by Nike to encroach on Puma’s recent success. To be clear, Puma’s growth hasn’t been due to its performance technology. Puma has seen success in its work with Rihanna and its retro catalog as well as with the company’s work in soccer.
Joyride bears a striking resemblance to NRGY and allows for the natural discussion to take place on sneaker blogs and running blogs about which one is more comfortable. This also by default allows for a dialogue to take place about BOOST vs Joyride, and that’s a discussion that has already happened with React vs Boost. While making a claim that Nike is intentionally walking into a fight to one up the competition with its own tech can be considered sloppy writing, when you factor in that the Nike lawsuit against Puma not only discussed the cushioning aspect, but the Flyknit patent you get a picture that says something a bit different.
What I do know is that Nike’s continued innovation push is good for the company as it keeps the narrative in sneaker design centered on the Swoosh.