World first running footwear graphene foam innovation: Latest Inov-8 news

Mar 05, 2021 BY Luke Rees

I have personally benefited from the G-Grip graphene soles of Inov-8 running shoes and hiking boots. So I was keen to find out about their world first running footwear graphene foam innovation. Read on to find out about these new, triple patent pending, running shoes and the latest Inov-8 news.

World first running footwear graphene foam innovation with Inov-8

Who are Inov-8?

Launched in 2003 by Mark Edy, Inov-8 took the trail running world by storm. Their high quality super grippy trail running footwear almost immediately won awards and won races.

Based in the adventurous Lake District – the ideal place to test their gear – Inov-8 are a British Company that trades in 60 countries. Over the years they have branched out into all types of running footwear, trainers for the gym and hiking shoes. But the emphasis is always on keeping the weight low, the quality high and leading through innovation.

Their footwear history is littered with world firsts, patents and awards. But the biggest testament is that athletes wearing their trainers have had hundreds of podium finishes at the very top level. Amateurs also love their gear, as told in this review of Inov-8 Roclite 725.

Latest Inov-8 news

Last year Wayne Edy repurchased Inov-8 back from Descente, he now owns 100% of the business outside of Northern Asia. But he has kept this news under wraps while spearheading the design of a revolutionary new running shoe.

Edy, who founded inov-8 nearly two decades ago said: “I’m delighted to be back at the helm ahead of what is an exciting new chapter in the continued development of the world’s most innovative sports brand.

“We benefited from being part of the Descente group from 2015 to 2020, but we’re now independent again and preparing for our biggest ever product launch next month. I’m proud to lead such a talented global team and can’t wait to unveil our new shoe, heralding the future of trail running.”

World first running footwear graphene foam innovation

With founder Edy back leading inov-8, they are preparing to launch the biggest sports footwear innovation of 2021. Using a world first running footwear graphene foam innovation they hope to take the brand to even greater heights.

They will be the first shoes to feature a Graphene-enhanced foam called G-FLY. This has been developed in collaboration with The University of Manchester, the ‘Home of Graphene.’ As well as being 200 times stronger than steel, Graphene is also the world’s thinnest material and boasts astonishing flexibility.

World first running footwear graphene foam innovation with Inov-8

Inov-8 first pioneered the use of Graphene in 2018 when launching Graphene-enhanced rubber, which delivers the world’s toughest grip. Sales of its running, hiking and fitness shoes featuring the wonder-rubber have surged over the last three years.

Regarded as the planet’s strongest material, Graphene’s creators Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov of the University of Manchester won the 2010 Nobel Prize for Physics. For the latest innovation, Graphene has been infused into the foam of the new shoe to help improve the performance of trail runners and ultramarathon competitors.

To do this, Inov-8 have again teamed up with The University of Manchester Graphene department. And are set to push the boundaries even further with their new shoe, which boasts three patent-pending technologies.

Where science and sport collide

Michael Price, inov-8 COO, said: “We’re bringing together the worlds of science and sport, and combining them with innovation and entrepreneurial agility to go up against the major sports brands – and we’re going to win.”

Latest Inov-8 news World first running footwear graphene foam innovation

Dr Aravind Vijayaraghavan, Reader in Nanomaterials at The University of Manchester, said: “This is the next major step in our highly successful partnership with inov-8. Building on the global success of Graphene-Grip rubber, we are excited to extend the superlative properties of Graphene to the foam of the next generation of inov-8 shoes.

“This is testament to what a collaboration between the University and an innovative British brand can achieve. Together we are leading the global development of Graphene in sportswear.”

The University of Manchester Graphene team has more than 300 staff pioneering various projects. These include graphene-enhanced sports cars, medical devices, aeroplanes and this world first running footwear graphene foam innovation.

Driving Inov-8 forward

Commenting further on his purchase of inov-8 during the Covid pandemic, Edy added: “It was a risky time to purchase back the business, but it was an easy decision, driven by my hunger to lead more product innovations.

World's craziest trail running event - inov-8 decent race in Kitzbuhel ©Michael_Werlberger

“After a very uncertain period in which we reluctantly furloughed some of the team during the first lockdown, we quickly restructured and brought clear focus to the business. My instincts were to continue investing and, despite most of the team working from home, by the end of the year we had made an incredible recovery, leaving 2020 a much stronger business with a highly motivated team.

“Now, with momentum under our feet and awards coming in thick and fast, we can accelerate, using ground-breaking product innovations to grow in 2021 and beyond.”

If this latest Inov-8 news has you wanting to find out more about their footwear visit: www.inov-8.com

 

Running
Footwear (Shoes, Graphene, inov-8, Running shoes, Trail Running
News
 

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