Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Outrunning the competition: New Balance to sell limited run of 3D-printed running shoes

By Keith Nelson Jr. Published April 13, 2016

The shoes don’t really make the man (or woman), and soon, men and women may not even make the shoes. New Balance announced today that the storied shoe manufacturer and retailer will be launching its first running shoe that incorporates 3D-printed materials, starting this Friday.

The company let slip its plans to release the company’s first running shoe using 3D printing technologies back in November. The Zante Generate, an update on the shoe company’s Fresh Foam Zante design, will feature a midsole that is completely 3D printed. That first foray utilized industrial 3D-printing company 3D Systems’ special DuraForm TPU Elastomer material and selective laser sintering (SLS) technology to stitch the midsoles together, and involved an exclusive deal with 3D Systems. And going back to 2013, New Balance experimented with 3D printing spike plates in running shoes that were customized to improve each runner’s performance.

Recommended Videos

Relying on this history, New Balance President and CEO Robert DeMartini asserted in a press release that, “New Balance is at the forefront of 3D printing, and has been utilizing this exciting and innovative technology to customize product for our athletes for a number of years.”

New Balance’s Zante Generate is sure to be on the radar of footwear giants Adidas and Nike, each of which has made a concerted effort to produce 3D-printed shoes over the past six months. Adidas announced the intent to create a shoe with a 3D-printed midsole the same week Nike was granted a key 3D printing patent, last October.

Related: Join the 3D movement. Check out discounted 3D printers here.

New Balance’s 3D-printed shoes will sell for $400 and the firm will only release 44 pairs of the shoes, in honor of New Balance Owner & Chairman, Jim Davis purchasing the company 44 years ago in 1972. The shoes will be sold at www.newbalance.com and at the New Balance Experience Store on Boylston Street in Boston starting on Friday, April 15 at 9:00 am ET.

New Balance has detailed the creation of the Zante Generate from thermoplastic powder to completed midsole, and you can check out the process here.

Keith Nelson Jr.

Former Staff Writer, Entertainment

Keith Nelson Jr is a music/tech journalist making big pictures by connecting dots. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY he…

Topics

Wearables

Australia just set a horrific example for creep behavior with low-cost smartglasses

Accessories, Glasses, Adapter

We've reached the point where AI-powered smart glasses are no longer just expensive gadgets for early adopters. Now, they're cheap enough to end up in a shopping cart alongside kitchenware and school supplies. That's exactly what's happening in Australia, where Kmart's new Anko AI Camera Glasses have completely sold out across the country. Priced at just AU$89, the wearable undercuts Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses by a huge margin while offering many of the same features, including photo capture, HD video recording, AI assistance, music playback, and hands-free calling.

The rapid sellout suggests there's real interest in affordable smart glasses. But it has also reignited a conversation that refuses to go away: What happens when wearable cameras become so inexpensive that almost anyone can buy one?

Wearables

Apple’s next big health bet could be turning glasses and headsets into fitness companions.

A focus on fitness could help Apple separate its glasses from Meta’s approach

Apple Vision Pro

Apple’s long-rumored smart glasses are already running late as the company tries to avoid the privacy concerns that come from putting cameras on someone’s face. At the same time, Apple may be planning to turn them into something far more useful than a typical pair of smart glasses.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is exploring ways to turn its future glasses and Vision headsets into health and fitness companions. Their cameras and sensors could eventually track movement, analyze workouts, and help users improve how they exercise.

Wearables

The Moto Watch Ultra could revive Motorola’s premium smartwatch ambitions

A premium Motorola smartwatch with LTE and 50-metre water resistance may be in development

Wristwatch, Arm, Body Part

Motorola may be preparing to throw its hat into the premium smartwatch ring. Exclusive renders obtained by The Mac Observer reveal an unannounced wearable carrying the internal name Moto Watch Ultra, and the design looks far more ambitious than the Moto Watch launched earlier this year.

The images show a circular display surrounded by a numbered bezel, a large rotating crown, and an additional side button. Motorola also appears to be using a 46mm stainless steel case, which should give the watch a more premium finish than the aluminum frame used on the current Moto Watch. The leaked model is shown with a black leather-style strap featuring red stitching and a matching red inner lining. Its watch face displays steps, activity data, calories, time, and date.