When it comes to athletic gear, a lot of thought goes into innovating just the shoe. Outside of moisture wicking and some woven support, people often forget about the sock. Storelli, a sports apparel company, is launching its SpeedGrip Socks with the aim of enhancing athletic performance.
As the name implies, SpeedGrip Socks improve foot traction. This provides more speed, power, and control. Rather than being knit together like traditional athletic socks, these are made up of thin, moisture-wicking compression fabrics that are sewn together. They also bond high-grip fibers to the sock using heat, creating a lightweight sock that fits like a grippy second skin.
Taking traction to another level is an infused layer of Storelli’s SpedGrip technology on the soles of the socks. During both wet and dry conditions, the SpeedGrip Socks improve traction and ensure that the foot has direct contact with the shoe.
Through testing at Progressive Sports Technologies at Loughborough University, Storelli compared the SpeedGrip Socks to traditional athletic socks. They found that Storelli’s socks deliver up to 135 percent more grip against the foot’s skin and 90 percent more grip on a typical shoe’s insole. By reducing slippage, SpeedGrip Socks generated up to 35 percent more force when wearers are changing direction. This could permit athletes to be more explosive with their footwork.
For even more traction, athletes can pair the socks with the SpeedGrip Insole released earlier this year. Coated with the same material as the socks, the sole grips the foot like glue to counter slippage. Put that into the right shoe and athletes will have an unparalleled connection to the ground.
“With SpeedGrip we have literally deconstructed the way a sock is made and built it back up to make a better product that our tests found enhances performance,” said company CEO and co-founder Claudio Storelli in a statement. “We hope to help athletes across all sports improve stability, traction, and grip, making them faster, more explosive, and more confident.”
SpeedGrip Socks are available for pre-order on Kickstarter with prices starting at $29. Backers have the choice between black or white designs. If the project becomes funded, estimated delivery is January 2018.
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