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    Nike unveils lightweight running shoe inspired by a sock

    Nike unveils lightweight running shoe inspired by a sock

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    A new running shoe design from Nike sheds some weight with a woven design inspired by socks.

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    Nike Flynit
    Nike Flynit

    Nike's latest shoe took four years to create and required a team of designers, engineers, and programmers — all to give it the properties of a sock. Unveiled at Nike's 21 Mercer store in New York, the Flyknit Racer features a single-piece upper body made from a combination of yarn and fabric. The materials are "precisely engineered only where they are needed" to create a shoe that weighs just 5.6 ounces — 19 percent less than Nike's own Zoom Streak 3, one of the more popular shoes for marathon runners.

    Nike describes the design process as a "mission of micro-engineering," as the team behind the Flyknit had to develop a new proprietary technology to create the lightweight upper section of the shoe. The Flynit Racer will be on display at the London Olympics as marathon runners from the US, Kenya, Russia, and Great Britain will be wearing them, while a slightly heavier version — weighing in at 7.7 ounces — will be made more widely available in July. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it will natively support Nike+ ... or have laces that can tie themselves.