According to Hoka One One‘s research, 60 percent of a track athlete’s race is spent turning left. In light of this fact, Hoka set out to redesign the track spike — a shoe that has gone largely unchanged for the better part of a century. Traditional track spikes feature zero drop, minimal cushioning and symmetrical spikes on each shoe. Hoka, in typical Hoka fashion, rebelled against just about every aspect of the traditional spike when designing their most innovative shoe yet.
Each pair of the new asymmetrical Speed Evo R track shoes features differing spike patterns on either shoe. The idea is that it provides more stability in left turns than a traditional symmetrical design. The shoe also features a bit more cushioning than your typical track spike. That’s because it’s built for races ranging from 800 meters to 10,000 meters. Stability in the corners is further improved thanks to a medial midsole wrap that locks the foot in.
The shoe will debut on athletes at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials, and later the Olympics, but will also be available to the public in February 2017 — in limited runs — for $130.