The future of football boots is always evolving. Whether by adding collars, using knitted materials, or reducing the weight to incredible levels, brands are always catching player off guard and keep them guessing the next chapter. Could 3-D printing be the next step?
Although the concept of 3-D printing is nothing new, the scale of what is possible through the medium only continues to grow. While some marvel at the mere concept, others believe that 3-D printing will create a future where the step between conception and creation is reduced down to mere minutes. Adidas has brought that type of thought process to their new adidas FutureCraft shoe. The idea behind the Futurecraft is to be able to create a shoe that is made to someone’s exact foot specifications via 3-D printing. You need only run on a treadmill for a few minutes, and you will be able to snag a Futurecraft created just for you... and the 3-D printing ensures you receive it in a ridiculously short amount of time.
So, for those of us whose passion lies in footwear with studs, could this be the future of football boots? For years, the average recreational player has endlessly pursued a pair of boots that will provide the ultimate customised fit. With players becoming more aware of what goes onto their feet, more and more are realising that comfort is a trait that should be prized above all others. If a boot could be made that fits perfectly to your foot, and all through a relatively quick process, wouldn’t the public clamor for a boot like that above all others?
While professionals can have molds made of their feet and a staff of workers at various brands able to spend considerable time working on boots that fit perfectly to those molds, the process for the perfect fit was reserved for only the players at the highest level of competition. Bringing that level of customisation to a player at any level would prove to be extremely lucrative for whatever brand is the first to make the move. While Nike has used 3-D printing on some of their American football cleats and adidas making the Futurecraft, we’re still waiting on the first brand to make the move into our beloved game.
Despite 3-D printing not making an appearance yet, we've already seen a fair share of boots marketed directly to the perfect fit. The most recent iteration has come from the Three Stripes and their PrimeKnit creations. With the success we have seen from these and other “fit” marketed boots, there is little doubt that the first entry into the boot world involving 3-D would be very well received. The only issues that we have been speculating about preventing the introduction of this technology into the market are the types of things that won’t be answered until someone takes the 3-D leap.
Will the cost still keep the average player from being able to attain this boot? Even if 3-D printing cost continues to lessen, it feels like a service that brands will charge a steep premium to experience ultimate customisation.
Will the 3-D service only be available in adidas retail stores? It seems like it would be fairly difficult to convey all of the contours and aspects of your feet without going through the process that was laid out for the Futurecraft.
As with most game changing innovations, there is little doubt that the new creation in footwear will eventually cross over into football. It now feels like it is only a matter of “when” instead of “if.” Has adidas given us a direct glimpse into the future? It seems like it was just yesterday when “3-D” meant wearing a pair of goofy glasses to watch a film... now, it could re-write the rules of football boot design.
What are your thoughts? Drop us a line below.
