Nike Shox
Encyclopedia
Shox is a shoe feature developed by Nike
and incorporated in several of their flagship athletic sports shoes. Shox is an array of small hollow columns in the midsoles of the shoe, usually of rubber
. There are different formations, but Shox are usually four circular columns in a square formation to provide cushioning. There can also be five or six Shox, 25 mm high, though they may vary in height, and triangular and rectangular Shox that Nike says provide better stability. Some shoes have midsoles made entirely of Shox, like the TL series.
The first Shox prototype was inspired by an exceptionally springy indoor running track at Harvard. The prototype looked more like a medieval torture device called The Boot and performed much the same way. This first Shox prototype was used to find the optimal spring rate but its clumsy and heavy metal frame did little to improve performance.
Nike claims that Shox not only absorb impact from heel strike while running, but also claims they "spring back" and add more power to a runner's stride. Aside from this alleged boost in speed, the Shox is supposed to provide superior shock absorption with high-tech elastic foam.
The newer Shox series is compatible with "Nike+ technology." The Nike Shox Saya+ is the most recent Shox with this feature. The new Nike Shox Q'Vida Hi shoe is a new woman's "dance boot" implementation of Shox.
Actor Hugh Laurie
of Fox's House
is said to have 37 pairs of size 12½ Shox that he wears on the show and off set.
Athletes that are notable for wearing shoes with Shox technology include Alex Rodriguez
, Vince Carter
, Jermaine O'Neal
, David M. West and Carlos Boozer
.
Some of Nike’s best selling shoes include Shox, like the Shox NZ and Shox Turbo, which are available in different colors. These shoes can be found for customization on NikeID
, Nike's online shoe customizing site. There are numerous options like different colors and materials for the Shox, along with custom tags.
On February 17, 2006, BBC News
reported that Nike had filed a patent
infringement suit against rival Adidas
, claiming that a range of their trainers replicated its technology.
feature, particularly the Nike Shox Saya.
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
and incorporated in several of their flagship athletic sports shoes. Shox is an array of small hollow columns in the midsoles of the shoe, usually of rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
. There are different formations, but Shox are usually four circular columns in a square formation to provide cushioning. There can also be five or six Shox, 25 mm high, though they may vary in height, and triangular and rectangular Shox that Nike says provide better stability. Some shoes have midsoles made entirely of Shox, like the TL series.
The first Shox prototype was inspired by an exceptionally springy indoor running track at Harvard. The prototype looked more like a medieval torture device called The Boot and performed much the same way. This first Shox prototype was used to find the optimal spring rate but its clumsy and heavy metal frame did little to improve performance.
Nike claims that Shox not only absorb impact from heel strike while running, but also claims they "spring back" and add more power to a runner's stride. Aside from this alleged boost in speed, the Shox is supposed to provide superior shock absorption with high-tech elastic foam.
The newer Shox series is compatible with "Nike+ technology." The Nike Shox Saya+ is the most recent Shox with this feature. The new Nike Shox Q'Vida Hi shoe is a new woman's "dance boot" implementation of Shox.
Actor Hugh Laurie
Hugh Laurie
James Hugh Calum Laurie, OBE , better known as Hugh Laurie , is an English actor, voice artist, comedian, writer, musician, recording artist, and director...
of Fox's House
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
is said to have 37 pairs of size 12½ Shox that he wears on the show and off set.
Athletes that are notable for wearing shoes with Shox technology include Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
, Vince Carter
Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward....
, Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in , 255 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school...
, David M. West and Carlos Boozer
Carlos Boozer
Carlos Austin Boozer, Jr. is an American professional basketball player with the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association...
.
Some of Nike’s best selling shoes include Shox, like the Shox NZ and Shox Turbo, which are available in different colors. These shoes can be found for customization on NikeID
NIKEiD
NIKEiD is a service provided by Nike allowing customers to personalize and design their own Nike merchandise. They offer online services as well as physical NIKEiD studios in different countries around the world, including: United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, China and the USA.- Description...
, Nike's online shoe customizing site. There are numerous options like different colors and materials for the Shox, along with custom tags.
On February 17, 2006, BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
reported that Nike had filed a patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
infringement suit against rival Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
, claiming that a range of their trainers replicated its technology.
2004
The release of two popular Shox basketball shoes, the Nike Shox Explosive and the Nike Shox Elevate. The Shox VC IV, Shox signature shoe for Vince Carter, is also released.2008
Some of the new Shox are compatible with the Nike+iPodNike+iPod
The Nike+iPod Sports Kit is a device which measures and records the distance and pace of a walk or run. The Nike+iPod consists of a small accelerometer attached to or embedded in a shoe, which communicates with either the Nike+ Sportband, a receiver plugged into an iPod Nano, or directly with a...
feature, particularly the Nike Shox Saya.