It was hard not to notice the enthusiasm at this year’s Outdoor Retailer Summer Show for two growing trends: Minimalist running shoes, and Stand-Up Paddle-boarding (referred to in the industry as “SUP”). What are these trends, and what do they have in common? And more importantly, what do they have to tell us about today’s changing outdoor enthusiasts?
Minimalist running shoes are a new category of footwear inspired by a resurgence in interest in barefoot running. While there have been successful barefoot distance runners through the ages, interest in the subject increased dramatically after the publication in 2001 of the now famous study, simply titled “Barefoot Running” by Michael Warburton. This study contends that running barefoot can be better for your body and significantly more efficient. The trend gained additional momentum in 2009 with the publication of Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, a book that explores McDougall’s discovery of the practice (I caught a glimpse of McDougall at the show). A barefoot runner’s gait is noticeably different from a runner with shoes: their foot strikes first at the lateral edge of the forefoot instead of at the heel. Some sports physiologists now think this small distinction could hold the key to better running. Without the crutch of cushy, supportive, feature-laden trainers, our bodies will adapt to be stronger and less prone to injury.
Merrell Barefoot Sonic Glove
Photo credit Peter Larson at www.runblogger.com
But if you are like me, running on your bare feet raises some more practical problems: it seems painful and dangerous. What about sharp sticks, rocks, hot pavement? Enter “minimalist” running shoes. These shoes aim to protect the bottoms of your feet from danger, but do away with the layers of foam and pouches of air. Brands are offering lightweight, minimalistic running shoes designed to mimic the experience of running barefoot (without the lacerations). They are lighter, lower profile, and mimic the natural contours of your feet. Some even feature articulating toes (see Vibram’s Fivefinger shoes), reinforcing the idea of running more naturally.
It may not seem obvious at first, but the Barefoot Running phenomenon is similar in many ways to Stand-Up Paddle-boarding, or SUP. SUP is, put very simply, a long surfboard that you stand up on, using a long paddle to propel and steer. The boards are ridden in lakes and the open ocean. The appeal is derived from the simplicity: It’s just you, a simple board, a single paddle, and the water. You are not strapped in or locked down—you are free to maneuver on the board, using your entire body to balance and power the stroke. Compared to a sea kayak, there are less gear, less moving parts—less between you and the experience on the water. It’s too early to tell whether SUP will be a lasting part of the water-sports market (a representative from the largest kayak manufacturer at the show, Confluence Watersports, told us they were taking a “wait-and-see” approach), but one thing is clear: the show was buzzing with the new products.
Minimalist Running and SUP both represent a return to basics and a desire to have a more intimate relationship with the environment. Outdoor products in the ’90s and early 2000s sought to use technology, features, and cushioning to improve performance and comfort. We built a barrier between us and our sport, and along the way lost track of why we were outside in the first place. Today’s outdoor enthusiasts are stripping that barrier away, seeking out products that bring them closer to their environment—products that heighten the experience not by making it easier, but by making it more challenging and authentic. These trends are also reflected in the growing popularity of fixed-gear cycling, free-solo climbing, and Alpine-style mountaineering. To be successful in the Outdoor Products marketplace, today’s manufacturers need to remind themselves why their customers love what they do, and identify opportunities to remove whatever stands between their customer and the experience.
as Jony Ive at Apple likes to say, sometimes the goal of product design is to “get out of the way”…that is, to make the physical product largely transparent in the user’s experience.
Could the trend also be driven by the economy?
Good question. Certainly folks are looking to do more with less. Something tells me this trend will ‘survive’ an economic recovery, though.
While an outdoor sport enthusiast myself, I’ve recently gotten involved in morning “boot camp” classes. A series of circuit training exercises designed to create muscle confusion.
One of the methods we use is TRX, all about total body resistance exercise. No weight machines, dumbbells or technology designed to make life easier, just some ropes on a wall and you. Another way to test your body’s limits using the minimalistic approach.
It’s funny, because I never considered these trends for that “back to basics” reason. Really interesting…good read Kurt.
http://www.trxtraining.com/learn/
Perhaps Pilates and free diving are also becoming more popular because “our body does the work”?
Even for the scuba diving, which requires a lot of equipment, there’s a trend toward the kind of streamlined, minimalist gear that was originally invented for cave diving and technical diving:
http://www.halcyon.net/bc/single/eclipse
It would be interesting to know whether this “… return to basics and a desire to have a more intimate relationship with the environment” will transpose to other outdoor activities which have been “softened” or “made easier” by products, gadgets and technology.
It may have to be the real enthusiasts who lead that charge – the ones who are passionate about the feeling and emotion of the activity … not the prize!! And they would have to convince others that a better, more fulfilling away exists.
My wife and friends who ride, like nothing better than to jump on the back of a horse bareback and take off for the woods and trails …. but the experience she seeks is the commune with the horse and nature … not the ribbon.
Interestingly, stand up paddle boarding and minimalist running also rely heavily on internal stabilization – i.e. our body does the work and not a shoe or other contraption. I have a friend who is a PT who suggested SUP as a way to strengthen the feet and legs to better protect against transition injuries for people moving to less shoe. Haven’t tried it myself yet though…
“…our body does the work and not a shoe or other contraption.” I think you nailed it. That’s why these new trends are so popular: Athletes want to experience more, not less, of their workout. As product designers, we often automatically try to find ways to make activities “easier”. To relate to today’s modern athletes, we have to change our mindset.
I really like the Idea of designing a product without the mindset of making a particular task easier, but more effective. Activities like paddle boarding are great because they are so approachable to people new to the sport. All that you need is a board and paddle to get hours of exercise and sun.