Aaron Hope 
adidas bills their iconoclastic new Springblade as “the first running shoe with individually tuned blades engineered to help propel runners forward.” A novel approach to maximizing stride efficiency trades a traditional midsole for sixteen angular polymer blades that compress and capture energy, propelling you into your next step.
Radically different from what we expect from running shoes, this new Three Stripes design is one of the most intriguing new designs from a young decade that’s already given us ZigTech and ATV lugs; where does the adidas Springblade stand among the most innovative runners ever released? We’ll have a better idea of the answer when after six years in the making, the Springblade debuts Thursday, August 1st for $180.
