All-New NikeGRIP Socks Revealed

Nike yesterday revealed the all-new NikeGRIP Socks technology that is made to avoid sock slipping within a shoe. The new NikeGRIP technology directly competes with products such as the revolutionary TruSox, which are worn by various high-profile players around the world.

NikeGRIP Ups the Performance Game

NikeGRIP socks.

NikeGRIP is an anti-slip solution that considers both the inside and outside of a sock to maximize grip, ultimately improving an athlete's traction and confidence.

Conventional thinking suggests that sliding occurs between the sock and the shoe, but Tim Clark, who is Nike's Design Director for socks, notes: "Athletes tell us that slipping happens as much between the foot and the sock as it does between the sock and the shoe. Our goal was to perfect 'grip' both inside and out of the sock to create a unique solution for athletes."

However, while Nike's team initially investigated silicon fibers as a natural extension of traditional external slip-mitigating treatments, athlete's feedback led to another solution that draws inspiration from the wildlife.

Tim Clark: "One thing we kept hearing from athletes was that cotton was great, which we understand from research is because when cotton gets wet its surface area increases, creating friction."

The feedback led to a light-bulb insight: If the surface area of a sock can be increased, slippage can be reduced. This new awareness pointed the designers towards an ultrafine polyester fiber. Like a gecko, which can climb vertical surfaces thanks to the traction provided by hundreds of tiny hairs on its toes, the nanofiber used for NikeGRIP creates far more contact points with the foot and shoe than one fiber alone. Twisting the nanofiber with traditional fibers used in sock manufacturing, therefore, creates the ultimate sock fiber.

But fiber is just the first step as it's equally essential to establish the proper amount of grip to add and where to put it. Too little grip leads to slip, but too much can impede mobility. Clark explains, "You’re trying to reach a sweet spot that gives the athlete confidence." Working off wear-testing data, the designers therefore increased contact points on the big toe and heel, and then simply improved the sock's fit, dialing its size and eliminating extra fabric for a more precise heel-lock system. From there, NikeGRIP works in concert with Nike shoe insoles, designed to ultimately boost an athlete's purchase, and poise."

Do you think that NikeGRIP technology can keep up with TruSox? Let us know in the comments section.