The days of a kit just being a kit are long gone. What once was simply a design to make teammates in unison is now an advanced piece of footballing technology, designed to maximise performance by the world's leading athletes. Nike's new Vapor kits with Aeroswift technology are their most advanced strips to date.
Having produced ten national team kits for the 2014 World Cup, Nike began working on their next replica revolution before the tournament had even ended. When you consider how much technology and progression has gone into footwear it's no surprise to see kit technology begin to play catch up, and catch up it has indeed. “We did extensive research with players on what their ultimate future uniform would entail and themes started to emerge around fit, breathability and a superhero aesthetic,” says Martin Lotti, Nike’s Creative Director. “Once we visualized what was possible, we aggressively accelerated bringing the future forward with a complete system of dress built for speed.”
A new yarn is what the Nike brains came up with. Nike’s design team tested hundreds of yarns before identifying the perfect properties for ensuring breathability. The result is a kit that wicks sweat away from the skin 20% faster than Nike’s most recent football kits, while also drying 25% faster. Not to mention the kits being 10% lighter with 50% more stretch than the kits they replace.
What's perhaps most impressive is that the shorts will be knitted from the same yarn as the jersey, for the first time ever. Previously, shorts have always been woven, which is more restrictive, but Nike AeroSwift yarn provides the optimum combination of lightweight stretch and structure necessary to achieve a knit short. “Of all the positive player feedback we have received,” says Lotti, “they were most excited about the short. It is drastically more comfortable than anything they have previously experienced.” Say goodbye to drawstrings.
Nike AeroSwift knitting presents strong visual cues as well. The torso embodies the superhero aesthetic with a defined chestplate construction. “We were focused on the right fit, not a tight fit,” says Lotti, “It was important to reduce grab areas while also ensuring the garment did not ride up. Player feedback on this fit has been phenomenal.”
The sleeves of the Nike Vapor kits are cross-dyed to provide an additional splash of color that accentuates the blurred look of a body in motion. The stripe down either side of the torso expands to reveal a pop of color. Combine the shorts with NikeGRIP sock tech and we're looking at the future of kit design.
