Why is impact testing one of the most commonly requested tests by shoe brands? Let’s hear from Heeluxe Researcher Andrew Hahn on why footwear brands are requesting Impact (ASTM 1976F) to complement human based shoe testing. He’ll also share the one thing he doesn’t like about this test… Next month Andrew continues his deep dive…
Footwear brands spend millions of dollars sponsoring elite athletes, yet they equip them with the same $150 shoes that Average Joes purchase. Will elite athletes have better performance in custom shoes? The data shared below suggests professional athletes need custom shoes. Custom shoes improve the performance, comfort, and health of a professional athlete. Data shows…
Elite golfers benefit from custom footwear and additions like orthotics. Golf Digest featured Heeluxe’s recent work with Travis Mathew/Cuater golf shoes and PGA World #1 ranked golfer Jon Rahm. This collaboration resulted in Jon’s newest shoes which help optimize his performance during his exceptional 2023 season.
Heeluxe’s database makes it easy to identify what makes a shoe great. In this new video series, we are taking a deep dive into the data behind the best performing shoes. Today we’re looking at the Brooks Glycerin 19. Testing Details All testing on these shoes was tested at Heeluxe’s lab on shoes purchased by…
Running shoe fit should get better every year. SmartLast testing of the recent release of Spring/Summer 2023 running shoes shows that fit is getting worse, especially for women’s fit. Let’s look at how fit is getting worse and some reasons why. The graph above shows the SmartLast running database of almost 1500 women’s and men’s…
Women’s shoes do not need to fit tighter than men’s– No one likes to have their toes squeezed! Footwear brands that care about their customer’s foot health and comfort need looser toe fit. Let’s explore how women’s shoes are fitting tighter and how we can resolve this problem. 15% Tighter. Women’s shoes fit OVER 15%…
Many footwear brands overlook how a slight material change results in big changes to the overall fit of the shoe. This article covers how the fit changes by using different materials in shoes. Using the same last but different materials can change the fit by >1 size. Shoes made using the same last, at the…
The evolution of Hiking Boot fit is bringing better comfort for all customers—whether they are on the trail or ‘hiking’ through an airport or city street. Footwear brands are always asking us the keys to the most comfortable hiking boot fits—and now we’ll share them with you! The Pinky Toe Problem Tightness on the pinky…
Surely, you’ve heard someone say, “This shoe has the smoothest ride” or “It transitions well,” but is there a scientific way to measure this? This blog post explores the science of Ride and how you can use this information to make better shoes. Until recently, footwear designers, developers, or marketers simply stated a shoe has…
Now more than ever, customers want more high heel comfort with the best cushioning. Many fashion brands are missing the easiest opportunities to provide better cushioning and comfort to their customers. This article covers the simple science behind the best cushioning in high heels. Changing out your foam type can instantly improve cushioning more than…
Customers expect that different styles of shoes will have different comfort. This video empowers footwear brands with data on the shoe comfort scores from different product categories in Heeluxe’s database. Use this information to set realistic comfort goals for your customers and your internal fit/wear testing. Also included is a HUGE announcement on how women’s…
Congratulations to the team at Hoka for the multi-year project to build their best carbon plated racing shoe, the Rocket X2. Heeluxe’s testing helped the Hoka team in multiple ways: -Compare the previous generation Rocket X to top competitors in the market -Identify what features of the Rocket X2 samples perform best -Confirm the…
Improving the comfort of fashion and dress shoes is easy if you have the right data. This short video highlights to 2 keys to improving comfort in these popular styles of footwear.
Fashion brands design leading styles that enable consumers to feel bold and confident while wearing them. As the working environment has shifted in the last few years, there are three areas that designers should focus on to improve the experience of their customers. These three areas include increasing the ball width, toe box width, and…
Every shoe brand has fit issues. Working with brands to solve their fit issues is what makes the SmartLast system so rewarding. Here are 3 success stories from our SmartLast Promotion, Shoe Fit February. Stay on Time Brand T is a casual footwear brand that is updating their product line. SmartLast testing confirmed their C…