First Adidas, now Nike and Under Armour: foam soles are next ‘big thing’ in running shoes
Market leader Adidas released its first foam-soled running shoes in 2013. Now, Nike and Under Armour are releasing next-generation shoes only weeks apart
Call it the foam wars. Nike and Under Armour are both releasing their next-generation, foam-based running shoes this month – but Adidas has enjoyed a five-year head start.
The two companies have been forced to follow in Adidas’ footsteps as it has run away with one of the few sectors of the sportswear market that is growing rapidly: lifestyle running.
Adidas basically created the category in 2015 when it released its UltraBoost line of shoes, which were built on the Boost platform it had developed two years earlier.
The shoes were stylish, comfortable – and like nothing else on the market.
They caught on like wildfire in sneaker fan circles, and since that popularity was combined with a limited supply, they started off being relatively rare.
This came as Adidas was reinventing its business and focusing on creating desirable products to sell in North America.
After Adidas' impressive years in North America, Nike and Under Armour can no longer ignore the three stripes.
Adidas’ sales in the United States grew more than 30 per cent in 2017, the company told Bloomberg, while the other two brands have seen disappointing sales. Adidas has expanded its Boost soles up and down its product line in the meantime.