Brooks has partnered with HP to develop its new Brooks Exhilarate BlueLine running shoes. HP’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing technology has been used to create an open 3D lattice for the midsole, labelled 3DNA, which supposedly creates a bouncy, propulsive feel. For now, it will be only released as part of a testing program to select Brooks Run Club loyalty members.
3D printing tech made waves in the sports world earlier this year, with Wilson unveiling its polarising 3D Airless Prototype basketball for the NBA. Now, the partnership between HP’s 3D printing division and footwear company Brooks is showing that 3D printing has plenty more to offer to the world of sports technology. The two companies have just unveiled the Brooks Exhilarate-BlueLine, a brand new running shoe that features a specially designed 3D printed midsole that offers some unique advantages.
Labelled 3DNA, the new midsole consists of an open 3D lattice structure with supposedly “higher energy return than 90% of the midsoles in running shoes on the market today”, based on HP’s internal testing. This results in a bouncy, propulsive ride well suited for running.
HP has used multi-jet fusion 3D printing technology, where a fusing agent is selectively applied to a bed of powdered polymer, followed by infrared heating to fuse the material. This process is repeated layer by layer to create the 3D model, and the excess powder removed for reuse. Brooks claims that HP’s 3D printing technology has allowed its design team to “fine-tune elements of the midsole right down to the millimetre in ways that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible”. The process also uses less material and creates less wastage during production.
While the design has performance advantages and a unique look, there are practical issues like gravel and dirt getting lodged in the open lattice, affecting performance and durability. That’s something Brooks would have to address before launching it as a mainstream product.
For now, the Exhilarate-BL shoes will be released as part of a “test and learn” program to select Brooks Wear Testers and Brooks Run Club loyalty members with wearable devices synced to Brooks’ data collection platform. Accessing runner data like stride length, cadence, and other factors influenced by height and weight will allow it to further refine future iterations of 3DNA-equipped shoes.
You can track your own running and workout data using the Garmin Forerunner 265 with AMOLED display and built-in running dynamics data capture, or the newly updated Coros Pace 3 with dual-frequency GPS, both available on Amazon.
Vishal Bhardwaj – Tech Writer – 61 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2023
I’ve always been interested in technology, but it was my passion for music-making and photography that led me to dive deep into audio and imaging technology and understand all the tools that had fascinated me. I hold degrees in electronics engineering and business management, and have worked as a software developer as well as in marketing. Apart from being an amateur musician and photographer, I enjoy reading books, being outdoors, cooking and lately, running.
Vishal Bhardwaj, 2023-10-14 (Update: 2023-10-14)
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