{"id":796676,"date":"2018-11-16T13:19:12","date_gmt":"2018-11-16T18:19:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=796676"},"modified":"2018-11-16T13:28:21","modified_gmt":"2018-11-16T18:28:21","slug":"nike-shox-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/nike-shox-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"How Nike Shox Actually Work & Came to Be"},"content":{"rendered":"

words by Robbie Falchi<\/em><\/p>\n

With a perpetual drive to always innovate, Nike never shies away from experimenting on their cushioning systems to deliver the best products for athletes.<\/p>\n

Enter Shox<\/strong>, the Swoosh\u2019s futuristic follow up to their signature Air technology sixteen years in the making.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In 1984, Air Force 1 designer Bruce Kilgore first began experimenting with the principles of energy return and mechanical cushioning. By 1997, countless rounds of trial and error finally resulted in what we now know as Shox, culminating in the 2000 Summer Olympic Games unveiling of Nike’s latest creation on the heels (pun intended) of the Nike R4 (R = Running; 4 = Number of Shox Columns).<\/p>\n

“Shox has always excelled in facilitating forward horizontal movement and softening landings more than launching people off the ground.”<\/h3>\n

The R4 turned heads and moved units but the highlight of Shox\u2019s debut in 2000 was provided by Vince Carter and the basketball iteration of Nike\u2019s new tech: the Shox BB4 (BB = Basketball; 4 = Number of Shox Columns). Carter\u2019s dunk on — over? both? — France\u2019s 7\u20192 Fredrick Weis needs little explanation, so instead lets dive into what makes the BB4 and Shox special.<\/p>\n

\"Nike<\/p>\n

Looks can be deceiving and Shox at a glance appears very simple \u2013 they\u2019re like shock absorbtion springs for your feet. However, there\u2019s much more going on behind the scenes.<\/p>\n

For starters, Shox\u2019s composition has two components: TPU plastic and foam. A TPU plate at the heel portion of the midsole and a plate above the outsole act as stabilizers for columned foam pucks. These \u2018pucks\u2019 use variant density foams to absorb and move energy \u2013 which creates bounce and forward propulsion.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The four pucks produce stability and responsiveness that in theory provide a spring-like effect. During each foot-strike — heel-strike to be exact — the Shox pucks, or rather columns, collapse towards the center of the plastic plate as opposed to traditional cushioning when the energy escapes through the sides of the heel. Each heel unit of four Shox columns has an indention at the center aiding this process through.<\/p>\n

Many assume Shox would literally act like springs, pushing wearers forward like a Looney Tunes cartoon because of Nike\u2019s genius “Boing” marketing campaign.<\/p>\n