Fit For Football? The Nike Free Flyknit
Nike Free FkyKnit - A Further Look
Are Nike's new super shoes fit for football?
Before you get the wrong idea we're not wondering if Nike's newest shoe model is suitable for a kick about in the park. They most definitely aren't. But will the new Nike Free FlyKnit running shoes be the next big thing to grace the feet of our footballers both in the gym and on the streets?
Trainers are cool again. We're not talking about Converse All Stars or Vans Classics here, we mean proper trainers, the type you can go for ten mile run in. Everywhere you go people are wearing them. With this, brands are now conscious that every new release doesn't just have to perform well while sweating it out, but also look good with a pair of jeans. Step forward the Nike Free FlyKnit. 
First up the technology. Nike Flyknit was inspired by feedback from runners requesting a shoe with the snug (and virtually unnoticed) fit of a sock. Nike embarked on a four-year mission with teams of programmers, engineers and designers to create the technology needed to make the knit upper with static properties for structure and durability. The result was a featherweight, form-fitting and virtually seamless upper.
After learning that Stanford athletes had been training barefoot on the university's golf course, three Nike employees set out to develop a shoe that felt natural and weightless, similar to bare feet. The team spent eight years studying the biomechanics of shoeless running, gaining a profound understanding of the foots behaviour, allowing them to build an unconventional and flexible running shoe - the Nike Free. 
Both technologies took the running world by storm and now they've been forged together to created the ultimate super shoe. When we first slipped them on it was surprising how secure they felt, given the upper is purely knitted but they really hugged the foot well. The sole, although minimalist Nike Free, felt springy and secure instilling instant confidence in their abilities. Our only worry at first impressions was how breathable they were given the snug fit but a quick jog around the block put and end to any doubts. 
And so to the important stuff, the looks. Set foot in any Nike office worldwide and the most popular shoe of choice is the Nike FlyKnit - post boys to top execs can't get enough of them. But we're not sure if the Free Flyknit shoes will have the same mass appeal. We're fans, but the sock-like look isn't for everyone. 
Nike launching the Free Flyknit shoes in the summer was a clever move as these look much cooler with shorts and bare ankle's than they do with trousers and socks. Much like Nike Air Rifts from a few years back, they're an out an out summer trainer. The fact that the Free Fyknit's are a fair weather shoe goes without saying. No one will want to run in the rain wearing what is basically a sock with a sole, but that shouldn't lessen their appeal, who likes running in the rain anyway?
Whether Nike's Free Flyknit shoes manage to blur the lines between fashion and performance remains to be seen. We'll certainly be keeping an eye on football's finest to see if they adopt them as the new training essential. We'll also keep tabs on how the other brands react to the Nike's new release.
In Germany, adidas' boost technology is their answer in the cushioning stakes and the new Element Refine shoe, soon to be released this autumn, looks set to go head to head with the Free FlyKnit's style-wise. In the meantime, the suns out, our shorts are on and there's only one trainer for it.
Would you wear the Nike Free FlyKnit shoes? Let us know your thoughts.
