24 Comments
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JimmyDaugherty's avatar

It's a novelty like paying for my coffee with my watch. Most people don't need this (though a specific group absolutely do) but it will be a flex for sure, especially as the tech makes its way into sneakerhead styles. The margins have gotta be HUGE.

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Danny Bauder's avatar

I think bleeding edge tech is cool and if you can afford them go for it! But otherwise seems like a shiny toy (unlike all of the pairs I bought this year and have nowhere to wear 🤣)

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adrian crawford's avatar

[spidermen pointing dot jpeg]

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Sumeet Shah's avatar

I think the bigger question is what would the threshold price be for people to buy an everyday Adapt sneaker. Using the AF1 price point ($90), how much more would people spend to get the tech in there? (I'm thinking a third more so $120 max.)

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Mike D. Sykes, II's avatar

Yup. Right on. I think I mentioned this above in response to someone else's comment but, clearly, you beat me to it bud LOL.

I feel like that's the very obvious next jump for this stuff, but I wonder if they've put themselves in a harder position to do that.

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Sumeet Shah's avatar

Just wait until they put them on a Dunk and make them even MORE hard to get 🤦🏽‍♂️

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erutMD's avatar

It isn't necessarily something I'm going to shell out cash for because it doesn't fit my needs or desires but I think it is a neat idea to pursue. To me, it is worth going down paths of discovery that may seem fruitless or only useful to a small group because someone more creative than I am might find an application for the technology in some other area. That being said, I think it is overblown for the every day sneaker wearer.

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Mike D. Sykes, II's avatar

When you say you think it's overblown, you mean you don't think we'll ever get to a point where the every day wearer wants something like this?

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erutMD's avatar

Correct, I can't envision manually-tied laces becoming a thing of the past and being replaced by auto-lacing tech because there is a certain aesthetic that tied (or untied) laces bring to a shoe, just like auto-lacing has its own place in certain models. I'm not really considering price as a part of my thought process because I am making the assumption that with time the prices will come down as it becomes more common place.

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Rubentomas's avatar

It would help someone like me, who has cerebral palsy, immensely, but the price point kills me lol. I do use flyease shoes (basketball and running) and I love em. If the tech becomes less cheap somehow I’d love to get some Adapts.

High key want those 11s tho lol.

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Mike D. Sykes, II's avatar

LOL I can see that. That's why I think this tech is so important. It honestly kills me that they keep dropping these $400 shoes.

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Hassan Christian's avatar

I like it. It makes them culturally relevant until they can figure out an aesthetic for the the Adapt as a sub-brand. At least, that is what I would hope they were doing. If it's just retrofitting popular shoes for the foreseeable future... that would be lame and would get old quickly. I think they could find a name of a futurist designer who could make the Adapt a very popular quarterly or bi-annual drop.

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Mike D. Sykes, II's avatar

Feels like the brand is cannibalizing itself a bit with some of these retrofit designs. But, hey. We live in the age of retros, I guess.

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Jalen H.'s avatar

I truly don’t mind adapt but it depends on the shoe and I don’t think a Jordan 11 needs that. I also don’t think it’s the future cause of the retail price point of 400 off the hip is nuts. 500 for the Jordan 11s so I can only imagine what the resale price gonna be

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adrian crawford's avatar

to my mind, the true benefit of this technology is for those who aren’t physically able to tie their own shoes. same goes for Nike FlyEase tech. the problem here is that the price point is prohibitive for anyone other than hypebeasts at this point. but if Nike can continue to normalize the technology and truly bring it to mainstream availability and pricing, then I think that’s a win.

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Lou F's avatar

I work with people who could absolutely benefit from both technologies. Unless Nike sells it as medical technology through outlets that accept Medicaid, they will never get their hands on it.

For my part, I was just wondering if these SHOES require Bluetooth or WiFi or both and...fuck that I’m out

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JimmyDaugherty's avatar

Bluetooth for now...

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Sumeet Shah's avatar

Dangit, Adrian, you beat me to it!

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Mike D. Sykes, II's avatar

He's spot on, as always. This feels super gimmicky to me at this point AND I don't really know how they put the toothpaste back in the tube to make it a functionality thing. It's a weird spot.

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Brandon Martinez's avatar

I have the BB's & actually hooped in them a few times. They got quite a few looks at the courts on Venice Beach. They're very comfortable and the tech is fun, but now that I have no plans to go outside any time soon they're mostly just to walk the dog. I agree it's a novelty right now. Would be great to get them in the hands of those who need the technology for quality of life though.

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Mike D. Sykes, II's avatar

It's definitely good to know that you can get a good run in them joints tho lol

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Mike D. Sykes, II's avatar

But I'm curious how they go about doing that with the price point some of these joints are at. Like, obviously you've got the FlyEase stuff to work with. But this is supposed to be markedly better and serves the same purpose. Idk. It's a weird spot.

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Mark Murray's avatar

Outside of the medical use cases already mentioned, I really don't get it. For performance shoes, I have never had an issue with tying my laces. Weight and bulk are part of the equation too, and I have a hard time seeing adapt get to the point where it is lighter or less bulky than laces.

I agree that it is a novelty, and that effect will go away if/when it becomes more readily available.

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Mike D. Sykes, II's avatar

Also, fam, what happens when they get worn down? Do you throw them away? Imagine seeing some of these in a garbage dump lmao

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