Last year I released my first running shoe to pretty good success. The CG097 was made of suede and mesh and was really geared towards fall/winter joggers. The problem was the shoe tried a new idea I had called P-Grip which only used rubber in segments of the shoe. The shoe also clocked in over 1lb which is not very good for a running shoe. (Pictures after the link).
This year I hooked up with designer Ian Matic Gale from Barbados and he only had one rule from me: Keep the original design. I wanted my original design because it combined two classic silhouettes: the Air Max 90 mud guard and the New Balance Classic 574 side panels.
He took the design and changed the materials and introduced a few new colorways. What’s even more important is that he did it pro bono, which is important for new companies. My man Chris Dixon did something similar for the first CG also. I couldn’t ask for two better associates. It’s a struggle anyway, but when people are willing to help without expecting anything up front they always benefit in the long run. At least with me that’s how it works. Big Ups Ian!
His change in material to a soft nubuck and micromesh, along with the change in outsole trimmed a ridiculous amount of weight and now the CG097 II weighs in at a bananas 11.5 ounces! This makes the shoe one of the lightest trainers that will hit the market this year! I will be posting pictures of the shoes and running tests which you will be able to follow. For you guys out there wondering how to begin a shoe company, leave questions and I will respond as best as possible. Right now the shoe is considered a lightweight trainer to be used by neutral runners who need a training shoe for limited mileage. I am projecting that this shoe will be good for 250-400 miles and perfect for those who run 2-4 miles per day. In all honesty, I hope that when I release this version that we can potentially get to 12K on sales. stay motivated
