Baseball’s Lightest Cleat: adidas adiZero Diamond King
Over the past year, adidas asked top professional, collegiate and high school ball players to define their ideal cleat. The company heard loud and clear that lightness and comfort make for the perfect combination for athletes. Result: the adidas adiZero Diamond King.
Aaron Kahn, business unit director for adidas cleated sports footwear and accessories, says. “We basically started from scratch as far as making the cleat. We threw out what was traditional in baseball cleats and really focused on the critical elements—minimizing weight and maximizing comfort.”
Drawing on results of countless tests, redesigns and feedback from professional MLB stars such as brothers B.J. and Justin Upton, adidas created an 11.9-ounce cleat designed to make players one step faster on the diamond.
The lightweight cleat owes its existence to adidas’ new Protrax plate outsole. This unitary TPU plate got lighter when adidas designers chiseled out unnecessary material. The resulting web-like design still accommodated an eight-spike layout for optimal traction—without sacrificing the stability of previous models.
adidas’ patented spike layout is intended to maximize the ability to pivot, allowing athletes to cut 12 percent faster during testing. “Both the toe cleat, along with the two supportive cleats in the rear, are mainly built for toe off and linear traction,” Kahn explains. “The two middle forefoot cleats are built primarily for lateral grip.” The spaced-out design also enhances the cleat’s comfort level by reducing pressure on the sole of the foot.
Finally, adidas revamped the upper with a single-seam, “no-name” stretch-resistant synthetic. “This unique synthetic creates great breathability and additional light weight, without losing any structure,” Kahn says. “It offers both comfort and stability. It’s a lined synthetic to help create comfortable internal support, but it is stronger than most, and far more stretch-resistant than [many] of our other traditional synthetics.”
For more info, head to shopadidas.com. The adiZero Diamond King is available for $90 at eastbay.com.
Source: adidas
Photos: adidas
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Baseball’s Lightest Cleat: adidas adiZero Diamond King
Over the past year, adidas asked top professional, collegiate and high school ball players to define their ideal cleat. The company heard loud and clear that lightness and comfort make for the perfect combination for athletes. Result: the adidas adiZero Diamond King.
Aaron Kahn, business unit director for adidas cleated sports footwear and accessories, says. “We basically started from scratch as far as making the cleat. We threw out what was traditional in baseball cleats and really focused on the critical elements—minimizing weight and maximizing comfort.”
Drawing on results of countless tests, redesigns and feedback from professional MLB stars such as brothers B.J. and Justin Upton, adidas created an 11.9-ounce cleat designed to make players one step faster on the diamond.
The lightweight cleat owes its existence to adidas’ new Protrax plate outsole. This unitary TPU plate got lighter when adidas designers chiseled out unnecessary material. The resulting web-like design still accommodated an eight-spike layout for optimal traction—without sacrificing the stability of previous models.
adidas’ patented spike layout is intended to maximize the ability to pivot, allowing athletes to cut 12 percent faster during testing. “Both the toe cleat, along with the two supportive cleats in the rear, are mainly built for toe off and linear traction,” Kahn explains. “The two middle forefoot cleats are built primarily for lateral grip.” The spaced-out design also enhances the cleat’s comfort level by reducing pressure on the sole of the foot.
Finally, adidas revamped the upper with a single-seam, “no-name” stretch-resistant synthetic. “This unique synthetic creates great breathability and additional light weight, without losing any structure,” Kahn says. “It offers both comfort and stability. It’s a lined synthetic to help create comfortable internal support, but it is stronger than most, and far more stretch-resistant than [many] of our other traditional synthetics.”
For more info, head to shopadidas.com. The adiZero Diamond King is available for $90 at eastbay.com.
Source: adidas
Photos: adidas