Smart Shoes: Innovations Revolutionizing The Future Of Footwear
From measuring athletic performance to tracking fitness and evaluating health metrics, smart shoes are here to provide personalized feedback to users. Efforts are on to engineer traditional shoes with integrated technology to boost comfort, convenience, and good health. Smart shoes feature insoles that can act as a Bluetooth-connected accessory and can link activity or position to a smartphone app. They can function as a high-tech brain. In this article, we address the current status, challenges, and future of smart shoe technology.
Under Armour Shoes Bluetooth App
· Under Armour Hovr Shoes Smart Bluetooth Running Shoes From Under , springy for speed, The sensors battery is built to outlast the life of the shoe so you never need to charge them, YOU HIT NEGATIVE SPLITS, The sensor is fully protected from the elements and will last the lifetime of the shoe without needing a charge,com
MapMyRun
Arvioitu lukuaika: 5 min
UA HOVR Collection
UA HOVR MACHINA 2, UA HOVR RUNNING SHOES, Under Armour Htc Partner On Speedform Gemini 2 Sneakers Time ,
SS21 UA HOVR and UACF About UA
· Under Armour has been advancing the technology in its smart sneakers for years, it
Arvioitu lukuaika: 3 min
Under Armour AU, S$ 160,
Arvioitu lukuaika: 2 min
Why They’re A Great Value At $140
It’s kind of unfair to compare fitness trackers to smart shoes but a fusion of fitness tracking and high-quality shoes is a great deal at that price point.
The MapMyRun app is also easy to use, reliable and has actually helpful statistics curated in an easy-to-understand way. You are also far less likely to forget your shoes on a run than you are to forget your fitness tracker.
You can find details on our experiences in the shoes below, but they’re seriously comfortable. They’re supportive, stabilizing, and are a great addition to your workout routine in their own right.
Recommended Reading: How To Get Bleach Stains Out Of White Shoes
Are Unauthorized Authentic Shoes Fake
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS UNAUTHORISED AUTHENTIC! If we were back in 2015, yes it would still exist. But as of now, there is no such thing, and anyone who says otherwise and is trying to sell you shoes saying it is a legit base on that reason, high possibility that he/she is selling you a fake pair.
Hovr Running Shoe Reviews & Wear Trials
Infinite
Overview
The Infinites were the first shoe UA I trialed under their HOVR line. This model was designed for distance running and provides a consistent underfoot feel. The Infinites are also the heaviest in weight and provide the most cushioning out in contrast to any of the other shoes.
Look & Fit
When the Infinites arrived at my doorstep, it was in the midst of our Canadian winter so I only had the opportunity to test these babies out on the treadmill. To be honest, they felt a bit weird on my feet. The higher stack height and level of cushioning was not something I was used to. My other distance trainers came in at about 2.75 ounces lighter than the Infinites. The shoes did feel snug though and the upper felt light-weight and breathable. In terms of appearance, Id give them an 8/10 theyre sharp and come in a multitude of colours, but theres a bit of clunkiness when theyre fresh out of the box. However, they look much better on your feet than when theyre standing on their own.
Wear Trials
I wish I did give these a try outdoors to test out the traction in the snow. The shoes are made from blown rubber and carbon rubber, providing good traction control in slippery conditions. An added bonus? The Infinites have incorporated gender-specific molded sock liners meaning, they have a different design tailored for men and women.
Also Check: What Does 4e Mean In Shoe Size
Under Armour Hovr Infinite: Design
There are five different designs in the Hovr range: the Infinite, Guardian, Velociti 2, Phantom SE and Sonic 2. These are all primarily for road, treadmill or track running rather than trail. Though were told that tech-loving trail runners can look forward to off-road shoes thatll boast the connected sensors too. Those are in the pipeline.
Each shoe caters for a different running need. The Infinite looks after your everyday regular runs, the lighter and faster Velociti cover tempo runs and speed work, the Sonic 2 is a fast longer distance shoe but with more cushioning. The Guardian are the stability shoe in the line-up and the Phantom SE provide a plush cushioned ride.
Wareable verdict: Under Armour Hovr Sonic Connected review
There are gendered versions too with design tweaks that address the differences between mens and womens feet. Womens feet, so were told, are more sensitive and so there are different, softer sock liners and cushioned tongues on some models.
We tested the Under Armour Hovr Infinite model and while were not going to do a full running shoe review here, the important thing to point out is that all of the shoes in the range look, wear and work just like normal running shoes. Aside from a little Bluetooth logo on the insole, youd never know there was a chip inside. And thats a good thing.
Ua All Out Mile Campaign
Under Armour’s PR folks reached out to me in August to invite me to join a team for the UA All Out Mile campaign that was designed to guide you through training and achieve a PR for a one mile run. I’m a sprinter who has run a full marathon and several half marathons, but I’ve never timed myself in a mile. I accepted the challenge and was then sent some Under Armour gear to train with, including a pair of the UA Flow Velocity SE and UA HOVR Mega 2 Clone running shoes. I installed the MapMyRun app on my Android smartphone and started training.
As part of the campaign, weekly training plans were provided and by connecting your FitRankings account to MapMyRun you could check on the status of your team and other participants. There were about 10 members of the UA Media team and it looks like I did well within the team. After two weeks of training, I suffered a medical emergency and had to have my gall bladder removed. This put a halt to my active training, but I recovered quickly and was able to get in a couple more training runs before the week that we were supposed to run the All Out Mile. I ended up with a 7:53 mile, but kept training after the campaign and have been able to get my mile down to 7:20 thanks to guidance from the shoes. That’s not even close to the fastest runnes who ran faster than 4 minutes per mile.
You May Like: Do Bobs Come In Wide Width
Under Armour Hovr Infinite Smart Running Shoe Review
While other big brands like Nike and Adidas have dabbled, but ultimately decided to step away from connected footwear, Under Armour has extended its Hovr range of smart shoes and continued to bet big on the future of running shoes being smart.
Its chipped range now boasts a bigger line-up to suit a much wider range of runners. The shoes still track your runs and send the stats to your smartphone, but they now monitor new running form metrics and offer helpful post-run coaching advice via the MapMyRun app.
Essential reading: Best GPS running watches to buy
These next generation Hovr smart running shoes are on sale now with prices starting at $120. Under Armour is very keen to point out that youll pay the same price as you would for its regular running kicks, so theres no premium for those connected smarts.
But do we really want chips in our shoes? And what can our shoes teach us that our existing running tech cant already? We put the HOVR Infinite the everyday run version of the new smart shoes to the test to find out.
These Under Armour Shoes Pair With An App On Your Smartphone And Log Running Data Without Having To Wear Another Wearable For Instance
Running shoes, as you probably knew them 24 or so months ago, just arent the same anymore. American Company Under Armor probably reflects that change better than most. The companys latest line-up of shoes includes the HOVR Sonic2, and these arent just any other running shoe. These can be categorized as smart, and not in some ambiguous sort of way. The HOVR Sonic2 will pair with your phone, track your steps, the distance covered and get you the health stats that you might have needed a wearable to track otherwise. This technology is called UA Record Sensor. The best part perhaps is, that you dont need to charge these shoes or worry about the battery lifewe will get into these specifics in a bit. Now you must be wondering how much these truly smart running shoes must cost. Quite a bit, perhaps? Actually, you might be surprised. Along with the brilliance of genuine smartphone connectivity and the use of top-notch build and materials all through, Under Armour have priced the HOVR Sonic2 at Rs 9,999. At this price, the very concept and its implementation makes this worth your time. And money. Without damaging the bank account.
Read Also: Can You Return Custom Nike Shoes
Upgrade Your Existing Shoes
If you’re not ready to upgrade your running shoes just yet, or prefer to stick to a brand that works for you, check out our guide to the best running gadgets, which includes several running pods that fit onto your clothing, and even smart insoles that sit inside your shoes to provide you with similar stats.
We’ve also collected together the best running apps, which will help you log your training sessions, take part in challenges, and join virtual clubs and communities to keep you motivated.
Does Goat Sell New Shoes
GOAT. GOAT is similar to StockX. The main difference between the two is that on GOAT you can buy used sneakers, where as StockX only sells pairs that are brand-new. But the service works the same as StockX: You can bid on shoes or buy them instantly, and GOAT will also authenticate them before theyre shipped to you.
Don’t Miss: How To Get Shoe Raffles
Is It Worth Your Money
Priced at £140 the Under Armour Bluetooth HOVR MACHINA 2 CLRSHT is far from a cheap shoe. However, its not any more than comparable UA shoes. As an interesting idea its well worth your money. Using the shoes with the App has been great fun and very interesting in terms of gaining knowledge about my running technique.
There a growing number of gadgets on the market that are aimed at helping you with coaching and fine tuning your technique. The UA offering is a very clean application given that the tech is built in to the shoe.
The coaching advice for a newer runner is great and very informative. Whilst it will not replace the expertise of a live coach it will definitely be a big help in getting the basics and progressing. If youre looking for a bit of help based on your own running data then the UA offering is very interesting. As a beginning this could offer some very useful coaching support. Going forward who knows what coaching data you can utilise. This is the start of the future of running tech!
You can find out more at the Under Armour website here.
Under Armour Hovr Infinite: The App Syncing And Set
The other half of the design equation is the MapMyRun app integration. MapMyRun is a highly capable GPS tracking app with all the bells and whistles youd expect and Under Armour has done a good job of making it stupidly simple to connect your shoes to the app and to see your data.
The app automatically recognises when connected shoes are nearby, shows you a photo of the model of shoes and with three taps youre set up and ready to run. With new shoes, the whole process takes less than three minutes and once youre synced, MapMyRun automatically reconnects with the shoes each time you open the app. So theres no pre-run faff, the theory is that you can just lace up, hit start on the app and go.
And in most case we found it that simple. Unfortunately there were a few occasions where the the shoes failed to connect to the app for reasons unknown. The good news here though is that you can run without connecting your shoes and sync the data later.
While the app integration is well thought out, perhaps one of the biggest flaws is that the HOVR shoes currently only work with MapMyRun. You cant connect the shoes directly to Strava or third-party apps and frustratingly MapMyRun app data cant be synced to Strava. The shoes dont even work with Under Armours other run tracking GPS app, Endomondo. So if youre not one of the existing 45 million MapMyRun users, being forced to use this app might mean the Hovr shoes instantly lose appeal.
Don’t Miss: Is Dhgate Legit For Shoes
Smart Shoes With A Noble Cause:
Apart from the above-mentioned shoes for evaluating and boosting performance, other smart shoe companies, including Zhor Tech, have created shoes designed for construction workers. These shoes feature a safety insole that can count steps, detect fatigue, and evaluate posture. Insoles can detect and alert a manager or supervisor in case of a slip or an accident. Lechal footwear designed by Ducere Technologies is for visually impaired people. The interactive haptic-based navigation system in the shoes detects the vibration in the feet and guides them to their destination. If the wearer needs to turn left, the vibration is sensed in the left foot, and vice versa. The users can easily sync the shoes to the Lechal app via Bluetooth for guidance to their destination.
How Do I Know If My Shoes Are Under Armour
The style number of a product is located on a small, white, paper-like label located under the wash and care labels. The style number may be preceded by the label STYLE or the season initials FW## or SS##. The model number of a shoe can be found on a label located on the inside of the shoe tongue.
Recommended Reading: How To Clean Mold Off Shoes
What Features Are Available To Help The Runner Get Better
The connected shoes measure running fundamentals including distance, pace, and splits, in addition to more advanced data such as cadence, stride length and gait analysis.
Personalized Gait Coaching
New in 2019 is the Gait Coaching feature, which provides an in-depth analysis of a runners stride so they can run with the least amount of effort and better manage their risk of injury. Gait Coaching starts with a summary, showing the runner how their current form compares to their ideal form. Paired with coaching tips, the runner receives specific guidance so they can make adjustments and achieve their ideal form.
The coaching also goes deeper, providing a stride-by-stride analysis of the run. Runners see the paces and portions of the run where they hit their ideal form and where they can improve. This portion of the feature enables runners to analyze hard workouts like intervals, long runs or even races. And since every runner wants to improve, the feature provides a historical view of running form data to quickly communicate if they are improving with each run. The coaching also provides runners the ability to easily plan their next run using the Form Calculator to calculate their ideal running form for any pace All these insights together will guide the runner to know if they are running with an ideal form, when their form is breaking down, and will also provide a variety of tips to improve their form.
Distance & Pace
Splits
Phone-Free Tracking
Treadmill Tracking
Cadence
The Under Armour Bluetooth Shoe
The other key element of this round up is the shoes. In this case the Under Armour HOVR MACHINA 2 CLRSHT. A minimal looking shoe is good looking and nicely fitted.
The UA HOVR sole technology is claimed to maintain energy return that helps eliminate impact shock. The Energy Web returns landing energy which should act like a spring to drive you forward.
Carbon rubber pods under the heel deliver greater traction & durability at high-impact strike zones. External heel counter for added stability and cut away to avoid achilles rubbing.
Its a neutral running shoe with an 8mm drop weighing in at 290g.
The Under Armour HOVR MACHINA 2 CLRSHT is a narrower fitting shoe, something to check.
The Bluetooth element is designed to be maintenance free and built to outlast the life of the shoe in normal use. Its element proof too so ideal in the UK wet weather.
The 3D Spacer Mesh Upper allows cool air to circulate throughout the upper whilst, at the same time allowing hot, humid air to escape.
Recommended Reading: 4e In Shoes Means
How Does A Runner Connect Ua Hovr To Mapmyrun
The process of connecting the shoes to MapMyRun was made as simple as possible. Open the most recent version of the MapMyRun app in close proximity to connected UA HOVR shoes. The app will detect the pod in the right shoe. The app will prompt a confirmation, after which the shoes are paired, and ready for their first digitally connected run.
What Is Connected Footwear
Under Armour has embedded a high fidelity sensor in the midsole of the right-footed shoe that digitally connects seamlessly to the MapMyRun app via Bluetooth Low Energy . The sensor is fully protected from the elements and will last the lifetime of the shoe without needing a charge. This simple, seamless connection allows the UA HOVR shoes to track a variety of metrics and data on your run, including distance, pace, splits, cadence, stride length, and lifetime distance.
Recommended Reading: What Is 4e In Shoe Size
