John Kim Nike has revealed that their initiatives surrounding their auto-lacing Adapt tech has come to an end. In a public notice posted on their FAQ pages, Nike states that they “are no longer creating new versions of Adapt shoes” and that the companion App that launched in 2019 alongside the Adapt BB would be removed from the iOS and Android App marketplace. You can read the full FAQ here.
A Quick History Of Adapt
In 2016, Nike reached the pinnacle of “power-lacing” with the release of the Nike Mag, the mythical sneaker that was dreamed in Back To The Future II. Since then, Nike launched the Adapt category of auto-lacing footwear, bringing the futuristic tech to basketball, training, and lifestyle with its family of Adapt footwear.
The first self-lacing sneaker available to the larger market was the HyperAdapt 1.0 in late 2016; with an MSRP of $720, this state-of-the-art sneaker came housed in premium packaging came with an AC adapter, charging pucks for the internal motor that ignites the automatic lacing system, and a handy quick-start manual so you’ll know how to use the brand new tech. From that point on, several different colorways of the HyperAdapt 1.0 were brought to market until its final documented release in late Spring 2018.
Nike quickly pivoted to bringing Adapt tech to performance basketball with the Adapt BB 1.0 in early 2019. This performance basketball shoe was fully capable on the court, but featured the same hands-free technology and even a companion App that allowed for remote control of the lacing, the lightning, and power on/off capability.
The Adapt Huarache was unveiled later that year in August 2019; the design was inspired by the Air Huarache running shoe from the early 1990s and featured the same auto-lacing mechanism and App companionship as the Adapt BB.
The last Adapt-powered shoe to hit the public was the Nike Adapt Auto Max in March 2020; much bulkier compared to the Adapt Huarache, the Adapt Auto Max leveraged the properties of Air Max cushioning with the hands-free lacing. The Adapt Auto Max left circulation at the end of 2020.
In 2022, adidas took Nike to court, claiming technology infringement surrounding the production of the Adapt series of footwear.
You can read Nike’s full statement and FAQ page here.
