NikeGRIP is a garment technology introduced by the US sports manufacturer Nike designed to reduce the sliding of an athlete’s foot inside a shoe. It is used in socks made by the company and it uses proprietary technology.
NikeGRIP
Nike is aware that the sliding of the foot inside a shoe happens in two phases. The first one is the sock sliding against the inside of the footwear and the second is the foot itself sliding against the sock. This results in loss of performance while moving, slower acceleration and reduced comfort.
To combat that, NikeGRIP socks use specially developed ultra fine polyester fiber which creates more contact points with the foot and the shoe. This naonofiber is then twisted with traditional fiber regularly used in socks. It is inserted in various quantities in the areas of the foot that require grip most – namely the big toe and the heel, as well as the ball and the outside edge of the foot. This creates what Nike calls a Heel Lock System which locks the foot in place.
To ensure that the right part of the foot gets the proper grip support, the NikeGRIP socks come in left/right configuration. Letters “R” or “L” at the bottom tell which is which, although the design is striking enough to eliminate any confusion. The material doesn’t deteriorate in a wash and is very comfortable to wear.
Where to Get It?
Although other companies make technologies similar to this one, NikeGRIP itself is available only from Nike. It can be found in many game socks made for football, as well as their Strike Crew sock line. Additionally, Nike outfits the sponsored professional football teams that it makes uniforms for with NikeGRIP. Official socks of Nike-sponsored clubs are likely equipped with this innovation.
See also: Nike AeroSwift and Nike Dri-FIT