Xterra Launches New Off-Road Footwear

 In October 28th, at the 12th Annual XTERRA World Championships on Maui, a new licensing agreement was announced. 20 Degrees North would be the new license holder for XTERRA Gear branded performance and lifestyle footwear, apparel, and accessories.  Out of this partnership, a new line of trail running shoes would be designed by the New Hampshire-based duo of former Nike designers. In late 2007, now former Nike designers Ashley Brown (product director) and TJ Gray (design director) started 20 Degrees North, a new company in the outdoor indurstry. The designers, who both have worked with Nike, Prince, Puma, and the Starbury shoe, are triathlon athletes themselves. They started noticing that a lot of their fellow competitors wear standard running shoes and believed that the new Xterra line addresses a this under-served market.

The first trail running shoes of the XTERRA line were launched in January at the Outdoor Retailer show.  The new shoes have been developed with a sole that mimics an animal’s paw which molds and changes shape to stay balanced. The idea is to build a unique sole to provide optimal traction, balance, comfort and cushioning, like paws, rather than just simply adding jagged edges and teeth to the shoe. For this, an injection molded manufacturing process is used to provide the rubber traction pads and groves.  In Greg Niel’s words – CEO of 20 Degrees North -, ”XTERRA performance footwear is technically designed to react much like a four-wheel drive rally car. Our unique bottom construction allows for optimal traction, balance, comfort, cushioning and weight. With the onset of the new XTERRA Trail Run Global Series we have access to the ultimate testing laboratory for trail running in the world.”

XTERRA products are designed around the Symbionics system. This is a performance system that utilize technologies found in nature and includes two technologies described as:

ExclusiveEnergyExchange (or E3), precise performance technologies that maximize energy flow for specfic areas of the body, and

IntuitiveFlow, tech systems that refer to unique construction or specialized materials employed in either apparel or footwear that create a more efficient, more comfortable, high performance experience. 

Together with WILDTred (the claw-like sole), these technologies are incorporated in the off-road shoe line which have a price range of $95-$115. 

Though I don’t really like the brigh colors and plastic look like of the shoes, it’s always good news to see new players entering the trail running arena and confirms the good health of the sport. 

You can take a look at the full line of shoes at www.xterrafootwear.com .

 

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