Zoom Victory Spike

red dot: best of the best
red dot award: product design 2008

Winning means everything
On the track, shoes play a particularly important role in the struggle for milliseconds – research to find new possibilities in optimising the fit of shoes, as well as the use of new materials, is a continual process. Sports shoe designers are inspired by the vision to create the perfect sports shoe. Against this backdrop, the design of the Zoom Victory opens up highly interesting perspectives in terms of the aesthetics and characteristics of a running shoe. Its shape makes use of the possibilities offered by new and intelligent materials and is based on exact calculations and experimentation with these materials. A lightweight cable support system featuring synthetic tendons and a 0.2-micrometre thick Bemus film, a material that achieves a high degree of support even in the thinnest of layers, encases the foot like an extra layer of skin. The Zoom Victory is constructed using an innovative manufacturing process; a computer places high-density Vectran fibres into optimally related positions to achieve balance, support and flexibility. The result is a shoe that is highly durable and resistant. Weighing in at only 93 grammes, it is extremely light and also very fast. Its high-precision construction allows a consistent fit, reducing foot movement within the shoe, which will help the athlete save several tenths of a second. To reach the final form of the Zoom Victory, 50 prototypes were tested by the world’s fastest athletes and modified according to their feedback. This specialised footwear melds technology, intelligent materials, as well as a precise fit – resulting in a final product that could possibly bring the ultimate advantage for winning.