Under Armour keeps digging its heels into smart technology with the announcement of three new UA Record Equipped running shoes that will debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The latest line of UA Record Equipped footwear features three unique styles- UA SpeedForm Gemini 3 RE, UA SpeedForm Velociti RE, and UA SpeedForm Europa RE. UA Record Equipped is a smart feature within the footwear that extends the tracking capability of MapMyRun by providing detailed workout stats such as cadence, real-time pace information and the mileage lifetime of the shoe, with the added benefit of never needing a recharge.
Each of the three new models was designed to provide digital tracking insights for its wearer to better understand recovery via muscle fatigue insights and therefore maximize personal performance.
With MapMyRun under UA’s belt, the company has powered the shoes exclusively by this digital running tool.
The brand’s first smart shoe, the UA SpeedForm Gemini 2 RE, was released earlier in 2016, and with footwear as a major growth driver for Under Armour, the company plans to more than double its number of units of Connected Footwear worldwide in 2017 with global distribution to North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and, for the first time, Greater China.
“Footwear is a crucial performance weapon for runners, and what we at Under Armour have placed at the forefront of our innovation pipeline,” said Kevin Haley, president of category management and innovation, Under Armour. “When we looked at advanced tools used by elite athletes, it was a natural fit to integrate the cutting edge functionalities of our Connected Fitness mobile apps to uniquely enhance our newest running footwear, making those tools available to all athletes. We’re excited to follow the success of our first smart shoe with this robust global rollout of connected footwear to help athletes around the world maximize their training.”
The new line of UA Record Equipped running shoes runs between $140 and $160 and will be open for pre-order come January 5, 2017.
The new line of UA Record Equipped running shoes includes:
- UA SpeedForm Gemini 3 RE ($159.99): The neutral model includes a knit midfoot panel support for lockdown, UA SpeedForm construction for a precision fit and Charged Cushioning for improved responsiveness and durability.
- UA SpeedForm Europa RE ($159.99): The lightweight stability shoe incorporates a mesh tongue and toe box to enhance fit and increase ventilation. It also includes UA SpeedForm construction for fit and blown rubber under the heel to help absorb ground contact.
- UA SpeedForm Velociti RE ($139.99): The lightweight (7 oz.), breathable neutral shoe has UA SpeedForm construction for fit, an embedded sock liner for support and seamless comfort, and Charged Cushioning for durability and optimal energy return.
MapMyRun powers the new line of connected footwear with a new performance feature called the Jump Test, which scientifically measures and elevates the awareness of an athlete’s muscular fatigue level. Once connected to MapMyRun, the technology embedded in the shoes will measure and average the air time of a sequence of jumps as an indicator of muscle fatigue. This mechanism helps track an athlete’s recovery status over time and provides immediate guidance on how to alter the intensity of a workout. The new MapMyRun experience also includes a runner’s dashboard, performance scorecard, and gear snapshot with the shoe’s total mileage, steps, and average cadence while training.
“We are taking a scientific approach to recovery that is directly utilizing real-time data from your body to determine what level of workout you should execute to guide your training,” said Mike Lee, Chief Digital Officer at Under Armour. “We know one of the biggest problems runners face is pushing through pain and fatigue, leading to injury. The Jump Test in MapMyRun is a critical first step for runners and will help avoid the ‘training hangover’ many athletes face by giving them awareness into their ability to perform.”
The new UA Record Equipped footwear line, along with other soon-to-launch performance-based products, will be on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas located in the Under Armour booth (#43912). The entire line of UA Record Equipped running footwear is available for pre-order on UA.com beginning January 5.
Photo courtesy Under Armour