Nike's Self-Lacing Sneakers: A High-Tech Tangle
It's a scene forever etched in the minds of sneakerheads. Marty McFly sits inside Doc Brown's DeLorean and slips his feet into a futuristic pair of space grey high-top sneakers. The thick shoelaces immediately snap tight and light up electric blue with the logo. ‘Power laces, alright!’ McFly says in astonishment. If you had fired up the DeLorean's flux capacitor in 1989 and travelled to the future, you'd know that this moment would become a cultural touchstone for sneakerheads. In 2016, Nike transformed our footwear fever dreams into reality, unveiling a self-lacing edition of the that is a near replica of the pair worn by McFly in Back to the Future II. Spearheaded by Tiffany Beers, and Nike experimented with self-lacing technology for the best part of the next decade, launching models like the the and its sequel in 2020. But for all its starry-eyed innovation and promise, Nike’s Adapt technology ultimately found itself tied in knots.
‘Power Laces, Alright!’
Nike unveiled the first replica of Marty McFly’s shoe in 2011. Not yet equipped with fully functional self-lacing, the model was dubbed the Nike Mag and was limited to just 1,500 pairs to raise money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. It wasn’t until five years later that Nike unleashed the Mag’s souped-up sequel, this time legitimately brimming with the futuristic power-lacing technology evoked in Back to the Future II.
Officially coined ‘Adaptive Fit’ (we still prefer power laces…), the innovation allowed the Mag to automatically adjust the tightness of its laces to the wearer's foot. Sensors embedded in the shoe detected the foot’s presence, triggering tiny motors to tighten or loosen the laces. The self-lacing mechanism was powered by a rechargeable battery, providing several days use on a single charge. Nike also made sure to include the LED lighting on the sides of the midsoles and heels, which activated to glow in low-light conditions, along with electroluminescent Nike logos on the straps. Each pair was released through a raffle system, with tickets sold for $10 each. All proceeds from the raffle – around $10 million – also went to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
The HyperAdapt 1.0
With sneakerheads still reeling from the possibilities of self-lacing technology, Nike powered-up their next project: the HyperAdapt 1.0. Launched in 2016, the model again featured a series of sensors, motors, and batteries that allowed the laces to tighten automatically when the wearer slipped their feet into them.
A by-product of the work done by Tiffany Beers to get the Mag’s complex electronics up to speed, the HyperAdapt was purpose-built from the ground up. Constructed using Nike FlyWeave and FlyWire, the upper featured beaming LED lighting in the heel and undercarriage. The glowing ‘MT2’ widget tucked under the midsole was also an allusion to the collaborative partnership between Mark, Tinker, and Tiffany, who all brought the project to life.
Unfortunately, several speedbumps impacted our DeLorean dreams early on. Firstly, was the price tag. The HyperAdapt 1.0 retailed for a gobsmacking $720 (yes, that’s a seven), placing it well beyond the reach of many consumers and largely relegating the technology to a niche group of tech enthusiasts and collectors. Additionally, the shoe was marred by an issue perpetually plaguing the tech industry broadly: battery life. Users reported had to charge the battery frequently, especially for fear of running out mid-exercise. More significantly, some users even reported that their HyperAdapt failed to recharge at all, meaning they were left with one functional shoe.
But as the suffix suggested, the HyperAdapt 1.0 was only the beginning…
Nike Adapt BB and Beyond
Despite the mixed reaction to the Adapt 1.0, Nike stayed committed to adaptive cinching systems. In 2019, they unveiled the Nike a futuristic performance shoe specifically crafted for hoops. Again equipped with auto-lacing technology, the Adapt BB this time used FitAdapt, a version that featured a custom motor and gear train that tightened or loosened the laces based on the wearer's preferences. This would occur automatically after the wearer steps into the shoe, but the fit could be further customised by connecting the Adapt BB to a smartphone app. The application could also be used to change the LED lights on the midsole.
Unfortunately, this is where things became problematic for some early adopters. Right off the bat, Nike recommended a software update for the Adapt BB, which reportedly bricked some pairs. Additionally, a group of users struggled to pair both the right and left shoes to Bluetooth. Other sneakerheads were impressed by the self-lacing technology but were disappointed by the visuals, feeling that Nike had been too conservative considering the futuristic nature of the product.
The Adapt BB didn’t lack star power at its launch though, with Nike enlisting the help of Jordan Brand athletes and Both players wore the shoes during NBA games despite the league’s strict rules regarding tech. Unsurprisingly, the lights on the midsoles were not allowed to be lit up during the game, and all smartphone capabilities had to be handled pregame in the locker room.
But even with the superstar sign off and more competitive price point of $350, the Adapt BB still struggled to find its footing in the market. Many sneakerheads were wary of firmware updates, the substantial weight, Bluetooth connectivity issues, and the inconvenience of having to charge the sneakers.
After the Adapt BB, Nike expanded the technology to various other new and retro silhouettes, including the Adapt Adapt Auto Max, Adapt, and the Adapt BB’s sequel, the which released in 2020. The Adapt BB 2.0 improved the power lacing system’s efficiency and responsiveness and featured updated firmware for better overall performance. However, the minor technological advancements were ultimately not enough to significantly boost Adapt’s popularity.
Pulling the Plug
After quietly humming away in the background of Nike’s performance sector for a number of years, Nike finally pulled the plug on Adapt on July 5, 2024. ‘We’ve had a long and successful run with our Adapt shoes and ushering in auto-lacing footwear tech. However, we are no longer creating new versions of Adapt shoes,’ Nike said in a statement on their website.
They also reported that the companion app, which launched alongside the Adapt BB in 2019, would be removed from the iOS and Android app marketplaces. The app was used to control features like the colour of the lights, the tightening of laces, and other personal customisations. Fortunately, the shoes are still functional, although it will be a more ‘primordial’ ritual (you’ll have to bend your knees, son!). By pressing the physical buttons on the shoe, users can still tighten or loosen the laces and power them on and off.
The discontinuation of the Adapt technology marks an end of an ambitious project for Nike. A lofty dream sparked by Back to the Future II in 1989, Adapt tech ultimately fizzled because of eye-watering price tags, unfortunate technical flaws and narrow market adoption. Where we’re going we may not need roads, but we’ll still need to bend down to tie our laces.