Former Division 1 track-and-field athlete Jes Christian is leveraging her background to create cutting-edge footwear for today’s athletes.
Christian is behind the sports footwear company Hypsole, created thanks to her time as a track star at the University of Notre Dame. She remembers being “hyper-aware” of both the advantages and shortcomings of her shoes’ performance while running.
“I understood the purpose of each shoe, how they were different, how they impacted my movements, and how they helped me perform [or didn’t],” she told AFROTECH™. “I had a shoe for almost everything — so where performance was missing was more apparent to me than it might’ve been for a non-track athlete — and it was missing the minute I stepped off the field.”
She continued, “The on-field/off-field dance is also amplified in track because track meets can last all day and multiple days. Track athletes are constantly moving on and off the field, changing footwear, and adjusting to a dynamic meet schedule. In that environment, taking off a pair of shoes when you might not otherwise need to becomes even more of a nuisance.”
These challenges led to the inception of Hypsole, which was created with “utility patented protective cleat guards” that function as “removable outsoles.” This allows cleats to double as shoes, making them wearable anywhere, regardless of how far a person needs to go, according to information provided to AFROTECH™. The cleats’ benefits include stride cushioning, cleat protection, and improved traction, and they are made floor-safe so they can be worn on hard surfaces.
Hypsole is officially launching its inaugural product, Tidal 3D Elite, which the company calls “3D-printed guards for athletic cleats.”
A press release states that the product’s original design was modified over a year with the help of 3D-printing tech company Carbon. This resulted in modifications such as integrating Carbon’s Elastomeric Polyurethane (EPU), which Carbon states leads to better performance than thermoplastic polyurethanes often used in shoe production.
“Tidal 3D Elite would not have been possible without innovation at all levels of development. From materials to machinery to processes, and ultimately to design — every single step has required a new approach,” Christian explained to AFROTECH™. “On the technology front, we’re using Carbon Digital Light Synthesis to 3D print our guards using UV light and liquid resin at scale. This kind of manufacturing, specifically at scale for production-grade parts, wouldn’t have been possible 10 years ago.”
The intentionality behind the product is not only found in its base construction but also in its exterior. Thoughtful design was used in the cleats’ innovative adjustable button-and-strap system, enabling guards to accommodate a range of cleat heights and widths. Design choices also include the heel notch, which allows the athlete to remove their guards whether standing or sitting.
“On design, we spent over a year taking our original product CADs and modifying them for 3D printing, largely because of challenges we experienced while attempting to achieve a level of visual quality with injection molding,” Christian explained. “I challenged and worked with our project engineers to make the product entirely from one material to reduce supply chain complexity and aesthetic variance. Tidal 3D Elite — and the fact that it can fit on and blend visually with so many different styles of cleats and cleat silhouettes — was the result. It gives off this effortless sneaker-like vibe when it took an incredible amount of effort to overcome a number of deceptively difficult design challenges and make it possible.”
Tidal 3D Elite will be available in 10 unisex sizes and two colors (Calcite Hex and Onyx Hex) for $75. To purchase, click here.
