Nike’s new beanbag-inspired shoes make you feel like you’re running on air

Sit on a beanbag and two things immediately happen. A. The beanbag takes the shape of your body, turning into a blob that’s specifically shaped around your form, and B. You feel more comfortable than you would on a plastic chair, or a wooden chair. The feeling of sinking into the beanbag gives you a feeling comparable to biting into candy-floss… or more accurately, sitting on a cloud.

Now carry that feeling and add it to your shoe’s sole. Designed for bespoke comfort, and for unparalleled lightness while running, Nike’s Joyride Run Flyknit literally has a sole that’s filled with multiple tiny squishy spongy beads. Resembling a beanbag for your feet, the Joyride give your feet the same feeling a beanbag gives your body. A cushioned experience that takes the shape of your foot. Engineered to perfection, these beads have absolutely the perfect density, allowing you to run on any surface without feeling the stress on your heels, shins, or knees. Made from thermoplastic polyurethane or TPE, the beads are size-calibrated and placed exactly at crucial areas of the sole so as to expand in all directions when you land your feet on the floor, cushioning impact and letting you literally feel like you’re running on a bed of memory foam… or if you’re looking for a more poetic comparison… running on air.

Designer: Nike