Shoe Durability 2.0

Your customers expect certain levels of performance from your shoes. People are not happy when shoes fall apart earlier than they expect. How can you predict durability of a new shoe sample before it gets on the feet of your customers?

The first major durability problem we heard about at Heeluxe as a show that developed a LOUD squeak after customers had worn it for 6 months. This resulted in thousands of shoes being returned by angry customers. The factory said they had solved the issue and that the shoe passed all durability tests. The problem was that the original shoe passed all durability tests, too! They asked us to create a new machine for durability testing. Our TIME MACHINE was born.

Heeluxe’s first Time Machine was built in 2015 and took over 40 million steps before it was decommissioned in late 2020. That’s a pretty good success story! In early 2020 the Time Machine 2.0 was launched. This new machine featured many upgrades:

• More Lifelike: we cast a human foot to make the molds for our mens 9US and 11US and womens 7US and 9US feet. The realistic foot shape includes the arch countours, round heel, toe nails, and even foot print of a “real” foot.
• Quiet Operation: Time Machine 2.0 operates at 80db, quieter than a human running on a treadmill
• Easier Use: Time Machine 2.0 tests are set up quickly and require less maintenance. Less set up means more time for testing.
• Advanced Analysis: New tools allow us to predict how long an outsole and midsole will last after just 4.5 days of Time Machine 2.0 testing.
• Better Looking: A powder coated frame and polished logo pays homage to the custom motorcycles that inspired the Time Machine design.
• Test Here or Take Home: The new Time Machine 2.0 are so robust and efficient that they are available to purchase. To date 6 Time Machines have been installed around the world.

Brands are using Time Machines to test the durability of new eco-friendly foams, 3D printed parts, and their new outsole design, and more. In next month’s Better Shoes News we’ll cover some of the most interesting tests we’ve ever run on the Time Machine 2.0. Until then, if you need to test your shoes for durability or learn more about Time Machine 2.0, please email the Heeluxe team at info@heeluxe.com.