Nike releases first hands-free shoes years after receiving letter from a man with cerebral palsy
Nine years ago, a teen with cerebral palsy requested a pair of easy-to-wear rubber shoes from Nike. On Feb. 1, 2021, the sportswear powerhouse introduced its first hands-free shoes called GO Flyease.
The casual shoes were built with pop-and-snap technology that enables you to put them “easy on, easy off” using only your feet. It has a midsole tensioner and patent-pending bi-stable hinge that secures the shoes in fully open and fully closed states. Wearing them only involves stepping into the soles, as they will instantly snap into place. Taking them off is done by stepping on the heel.
The shoes come in three colors: white with a combination of Celestine Blue and Volt, black with Dynamic Turquoise and Hyper Crimson, as well as black with Anthracite and Racer Blue.
It will go on sale for $120 (P5,800) via invite for select Nike Members starting Feb. 15. Broader availability is planned for later this year.
According to health.com, the concept of these hands-free sneakers was instigated by Matthew Walzer, who has been coping with cerebral palsy since birth.
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect a person's movement, balance, and posture, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Walzer said he is lucky to have been affected only physically, while others are likely to be affected mentally, too. Despite all the odds, he grew up to be an A-student in school.
When he was about to enter college in 2012, the then 16-year-old Walzer posted a letter on his blog addressed to Mark Parker, the CEO of Nike, Inc. at that time.
Walzer said that like many other kids his age, he was excited to apply for college. But one thing bothered his mind.
"Out of all the challenges I have overcome in my life, there is one that I am still trying to master, tying my shoes," Walzer said. "Cerebral palsy stiffens the muscles in the body. As a result, I have flexibility in only one of my hands which makes it impossible for me to tie my shoes. My dream is to go to the college of my choice without having to worry about someone coming to tie my shoes every day."
"I believe everyone—no matter what their physical, economic, or social circumstances may be—deserves to call themselves an athlete, and experience freedom and independence," Walzer continued.
"If Nike would design and produce basketball and running shoes with moderate support and some kind of closure system that could be used by everyone, Nike could create a shoe line that attracts people that face the same physical challenges I did and still do, yet it could still be possible for anyone to wear them," he wrote.
I believe everyone—no matter what their physical, economic, or social circumstances may be—deserves to call themselves an athlete, and experience freedom and independence.
The company did not make haste to heed Walzer's call. Nike began developing a shoe that used zippers instead of laces that same year. They created a prototype for Walzer to test. It was launched three years later as a complete line dubbed the FlyEase. The company described it as "an easy-entry footwear system designed… to help athletes of all abilities and ages perform better."
Fast-forward to Feb. 2021, Nike has launched GO FlyEase, an amped-up version of the previous line and doesn't require its wearers to use any hands at all.
"The original concept around this shoe was to support our adaptive athletes better, and we just quickly, throughout the process, found that this shoe was really universal," explained Nike GO FlyEase designer Haley Toelle in a promo video.
Meanwhile, the now 25-year-old Walzer shared the good news on his Twitter account. "#DisabledLivesMatter The Flyease is for people of all abilities. Remarkable that one letter almost nine years ago continues to bring about so much change. #NikeLetter" he said.
Photos from Nike