Nike Tech Craft Football Boots
Nike Football’s Flyknit and Dynamic Fit collar creations are all well and good, but sometimes traditional materials need revisiting for their time-honoured qualities. As such, Nike’s design team began exploring the potential of fusing leather to their 2014 boots. Their experimentation has lead to a the creation of a collection of hybrid leather boots known as Nike Tech Craft.
Nike Tech Craft places a thin layer of leather in high ball-contact areas (the medial and lateral sides of the forefoot) on each of Nike’s four football boot styles – Hypervenom, Magista, Mercurial and Tiempo. Each boot remains true to its original aesthetic and performance attributes, but with the soft touch and classic appeal of leather.
“Tech Craft encompasses our ‘no-compromise’ philosophy. Players don’t have to choose between materials like Flyknit and leather; they can have the benefits of both in one premium pair of boots.” – Nathan VanHook, Nike Football Senior Design Director.
The application of leather to the upper is all about a responsive touch on the ball. Softness of the leather was not compromised as it was fused onto the upper through the balance of oils to offset the steam and prevent the leather from stiffening during manufacture. Nike All Conditions Control was integrated into the process to provide enhanced ball control in both dry and wet conditions.
