First Look: Nike’s New Sneaker Collab Could Revolutionize Active Recovery

Nike is no longer the new kid on the block but the company is still finding ways to innovate. For its latest sneaker, the sportswear giant made a rare move. It teamed up with another sports brand, Hyperice, to develop one of the most novel recovery tools on the market: a wearable compression sneaker that offers some of the same benefits as Hyperice’s famed Normatec boots, while remaining highly mobile for athletes who wish to use the technology in transit.

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Nike x Hyperice Boots

Compression therapy has exploded in popularity as athletes of all stripes have prioritized recovery within their training regimes.

The problem with traditional boots, however, is that they force users to be stationary during recovery sessions, making them largely impractical for use away from home.

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Nike solves that quandary by leveraging Hyperice’s bladder technology to deliver a dynamic air-compression massage to athletes’ feet and ankles in a sneaker that features soles for walking around.

“When we started this collaboration, it was really about delivering something meaningful for the athlete,” said Tobie Hatfield, Nike’s senior director of athlete innovation. “Athletes need to warm up. Athletes need to recover. Athletes travel. Sometimes athletes need treatment. So we said, ‘What if there was a shoe that could do all those things?'”

Photo by Jack Seemer for Gear Patrol

Beyond compression, the shoes also include a warming element that distributes heat through the upper. Heat has long been known to increase blood flow and loosen muscles before strenuous activity.

Wearers have the option to choose between three levels of heat and compression via buttons on the heel of each shoe. They can also synchronize both feet or choose to run one side individually.

Photo by Jack Seemer for Gear Patrol

The shoe itself features traditional Phylon foam, which Hatfield and the rest of the teams at Nike and Hyperice chose for its all-around performance and durability.

“Phylon is a very durable,” Hatfield said. “As we get lighter and springier, there’s a little bit of a trade-off in how long foams can last. Weight was not a huge criteria to this shoe.”

Nike x Hyperice Vest

Alongside the shoe, Nike and Hyperice also released a heating and cooling vest that helps wearers maintain body temperature despite environmental factors like a hot day.

The vest employs contrast therapy similar to Hyperice X products. Thermoelectric coolers heat up and cool down instantly without the need for ice or liquid. A sensor monitors body temperature and adjusts the vest to the wearer, as needed.

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“Track and field athletes live in a world where hundredths of a second matter,” said Hyperice founder Anthony Katz. “If it’s 96 degrees on the track, their bodies are burning a lot of energy to stay cool. This basically helps them conserve energy.”

According to Katz, the vest and sneaker have been in development for close to two years, and the two brands consulted heavily with their rosters of big-name athletes.

“Taking care of my body has always been an important part of my preparation as a basketball player,” said Nike athlete LeBron James in a press release.

“From the moment I tried the Nike x Hyperice boots and vest while they were still in development more than a year ago, I knew they were going to change the game for athletes’ warm-up and recovery,” James added.

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“The Nike x Hyperice boots are now a critical part of my morning routine before I head to the track for my workouts,” says Nike athlete and two-time Olympic gold medalist Nafi Thiam. “It’s nice to start training without the stiffness I sometimes have in the morning.”

For now, the sneaker and vest are exclusive to Nike athletes competing at the summer’s biggest events, starting with the 2024 United States Olympic trials for track and field taking place in Eugene, Oregon.

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