Shoes are a part of our everyday lives. We wear them to protect our feet, to add that finishing touch to an outfit, and many people will splash the cash when it comes to finding the perfect trainer for exercising.
Yet wearing shoes day in day out can actually negatively affect our feet. When it comes to exercise, wearing traditional rigid athletic shoes can weaken our feet because the muscles and connective tissues do not have to work as hard to stabilise the body. This can lead to poor form and increase the risk of injury, such as causing shin splints or knee and ankle problems.
Now, a company called Kinis has developed a range of high-performance barefoot-like footwear to help users build stronger feet.
Nomad 804
Kinis was launched in Richmond, Virginia, US, in 2016 by Vincent Vu. Vu is an avid athlete but suffered from chronic ankle and knee pain. After reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, he realised it could be the shoes he was wearing that were affecting him.
This led Vu to try barefoot training, and soon enough he started to design a different kind of barefoot training sock that could help to gradually transition to barefoot exercise.
The latest in the Kinis range is the Nomad 804 – a new line of high-performance sock-like footwear that is durable, cut resistant and tough while maximising foot strength for wearers.
“Leonardo Da Vinci once said that ‘the human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art’,” says Marc Oosterhuis, fractional CMO at Kinis.
“The Nomad 804 gives you as close to a barefoot experience as possible while still offering protection. It allows for sensory feedback and the Nomad's natural design allows for your feet to move the way they were designed to.”
The design
The Nomad 804 is made from a blend of Honeywell’s Spectra fibre – the same fibre used in bullet-resistant vests for the military and law enforcement – nylon and other yarns, to help athletes build stronger feet during training sessions, while also reducing injury risk.
What’s more, “the sole is made of a specially formulated rubber compound that was tested for slip resistance (on dry non-contaminated surfaces,” says Oosterhuis.
Additionally, the design allows feet to stay cooler and fabric to dry faster, while holding its shape over time without stretching. The fabric’s fibre-enhanced construction offers a lightweight and cool feel, too.
“When challenging ourselves to develop a product that would add value for consumers, we found Honeywell’s Spectra to be the best fibre to help athletes achieve peak performance without sacrificing comfort,” adds Vincent Vu, founder at Kinis.
“Spectra fabric adds durability but is also cool to the touch – enabling the Nomad 804 to keep wearers comfortable while active. This was a key differentiator when choosing to incorporate Spectra fibre.”
The Nomad 804 is a versatile, strength-building option for the barefoot training crowd and can be used for a variety of workouts including yoga, cross-fit, weight training and martial arts. The barefoot trainer can also be worn casually around the house or to the office for continuous strengthening of the feet. This is because the product’s design makes it easier for wearers to avoid landing on their heels with each stride, while giving the ability to flex toes in a way that activates the proper muscles.
Working through challenges
As with most innovations, developing the Nomad 804 was not an easy process. One of the brand’s challenges was developing a multi-purpose design.
“Coming up with a design that was comfortable to wear, durable, and lends itself to a wide variety of exercises (CrossFit, weightlifting, yoga, martial arts etc) was challenging,” says Oosterhuis.
“We went through a variety of designs and received valuable input from barefoot trainers that tested these versions for us during development.”
Kinis had a group of trainers that work with the company to perfect the Nomad 804. The company also consult with experts in the field, some of whom have endorsed the product too, and other endorsements are currently being discussed.
At the moment, Kinis only offers barefoot-like footwear to be used indoors, however “we are evaluating designs for an outdoor version at a later stage,” says Oosterhuis.
