Asics brought elite runners past and present to New York Tuesday to help introduce its new DynaFlyte running shoe.
U.S. half marathon record-holder Ryan Hall, who retired in January, and teen sprinting phenomenon Candace Hill helped launch the shoe, which is the first to use the brand’s patented midsole technology and is designed to provide superior cushioning in a lightweight shoe. With less weight, the company said, runners experience less energy loss, more efficient running and more speed at all distances.
The DynaFlyte weighs 9.3 ounces for men and 7.8 ounces for women. Most cushioned shoes weigh more than 10.5 ounces.
The shoe is able to be so light because it uses FlyteFoam, a responsive cushioning technology that took three years to develop and over 300 prototypes that were tested at the Asics Institute of Sport Science, the company said. The reinforced fiber in the foam is approximately 55 percent lighter than the industry standard.
The shoe was developed and designed at Asics’ research and development center in Kobe, Japan.
The DynaFlyte model will be available at Asics stores and select running stores starting on July 1. It will retail for $140.