In the next installment (see previous installment NB Minimus Zero Sole) of the New Balance Minimus Zero design series, two NB senior designers, Drew Nyssen and Chris Wawrousek, talks about the uppers of the Zero collection – inspiration of how they were designed and developed. There really is no roadmap for designing ultra-lightweight and zero-drop shoes other than a post-mortem of the lessons learned from the original NB Minimus trail and road shoes.
Starting with the original Minimus platform, Chris & Drew tried to build a racing shoe that could have a ‘slipper-like’ fit without adding weight. The result is a ‘burrito’ or mono-tongue, a single piece of material that wraps around the foot, providing medial support while simplifying construction.
My pet peeve has been the tongue and lacing systems of minimal shoes and I’m super excited about the new design that is meant to deliver an ideal blend of flexibility and movement in the forefoot while minimizing the number of seams on the interior for the sockless!
Additionally, ultra-thin overlays are welded to the all mesh uppers to provide structural support while providing stretching at other points across the foot.
Another noticeable feature is that the NB Minimus Zero Trail and Road shoes will be available in completely updated and eye-catching colors in combination with the new materials used in the uppers – these shoes will make a statement!
You can read the full article on New Balance web site later today.