Brendan Dunne 
We’d say the Nike Lunar Hyperdunk+ had a pretty good coming out party as far as sneaker debuts go, being the most sighted piece of footwear for the newly minted gold medal champions of Team USA. This biggest leap in the Hyperdunk line took hold of the Olympic stage the same way the originator did four years ago, this time popping out the Flywire technology on the sides out the sneaker and outfitting the bottom with Lunar cushioning for the first time in the series along with a smart sole that takes Nike+ to a whole new level. Hard hitters of Nike design Eric Avar, Leo Chang and Tracy Teague all came together for this one and ended up with one of the most futuristic functional pieces of footwear in recent memory. Click through to check out design sketches, early renderings, and more of the Nike Lunar Hyperdunk+ and let us know if you think it deserve its spot amongst the other hallowed silhouettes featured in this series from Nike.
“We’re always trying to evolve platforms and technologies — can we make it more responsive, lighter, more natural motion? There is no finish line.”- Eric Avar
A lot can change in four years. As the biggest global stage for sports is set up again in a new location, it’s time for the Nike Hyperdunk to make another statement. The landmark innovations of 2008 — Nike Flywire and Lunarlon Technology — have evolved significantly for basketball use, perfecting the formula for a breathable, responsive, durable, locked-down performance. Now, under the hood, a new technology emerges that will change the way Nike links physical sport to digital services — Nike+ Basketball.
Advanced Nike Flywire uses high-strength cables that are loose when at rest and dynamic when the foot is in motion, tensing to stabilize the foot on the footbed. This advanced lock-down support was born in 2008 but has truly revolutionized basketball shoe design with its progression.
Lunarlon foam cushioning takes over as the primary cushioning system for the first time in a Nike Basketball shoe, as a new foam is tuned to the demands of basketball. The result is a soft, yet responsive, foundation.
Nike Basketball creative director Tracy Teague believes that now’s the time to implement these technologies across a basketball shoe. “There’s light for lightweight’s sake and then there’s the light that’s right.”
The Nike Hyperdunk+ 2012 was designed by a collection of Nike Basketball’s best designers — Eric Avar, Leo Chang and Tracy Teague, among others; a true team effort that resulted in the fully-loaded version of Nike’s top innovations and the ultimate team shoe. In addition to Advanced Nike Flywire and Lunarlon foam cushioning, the Nike Hyperdunk+ 2012 features include Hyperfuse construction for light weight, a unique collar wrap that increases flex and stability, a 3D-shaped midfoot shank that improves torsion and an outrigger that enhances balance during cuts.
The element that truly changes the game forever is a new Nike+ Pressure Sensor built into each shoe. This technology collects information about the user’s movement and then wirelessly transmits data to his or her phone.
Now any baller can measure jump height, hustle and quickness to give him or her access to the kind of feedback that only coaches and trainers could provide before.
This is basketball footwear that senses the wearer — it literally comes alive. Most importantly, it inspires a baller to do more. Just Do It has leapt off the magazine pages and computer screens and into shoes. Now that’s progress.
