Project Background

In performance running footwear, the midsole is a primary driver of athlete experience, directly influencing ride feel, energy return, durability, and long-term consistency across pairs.

The challenge was to evaluate and refine midsole material options in a way that translated lab-scale performance data into footwear-relevant insights, while balancing:

• Ride feel and responsiveness

• Durability and compression behavior over time

• Weight and density targets

• Manufacturing robustness and scalability

• Tight product development timelines

Product & Athlete Outcome–Driven Approach

• Framed testing around shoe-level outcomes (ride feel, responsiveness, consistency)

• Evaluated relative performance trends across midsole variants rather than optimizing a single metric

• Translated lab results into footwear-relevant tradeoffs that informed development decisions

Systems & tradeoffs considered:
Midsole performance was evaluated in context of the full shoe system—interfaces with the outsole and upper, geometry sensitivity, and manufacturing scalability—balancing:

• Energy return ↔ long-term durability

• Weight reduction ↔ process consistency

• Peak lab performance ↔ repeatability at scale

Result:
Decisions prioritized athlete experience and product reliability, not just lab optimization.

Impact & Outcomes

• Informed midsole material down-selection during active development cycles

• Reduced uncertainty around performance variability and durability risks

• Aligned lab testing outcomes with footwear-level decision criteria

• Supported more confident iteration and development planning

This work contributed to Nike’s goal of delivering consistent, high-performance running footwear to all athletes.