Perfectly adapted to the female anatomy: The Tecnica Fast Hiking model convinces with a perfect fit and cool design. In addition, despite its lightness, the shoe offers a lot of stability in the places where it is necessary. A special construction increases, for example, the lateral strength of the shoe when it goes quickly downhill and provides more stability on uneven terrain, twisting is thus prevented. A great model for women!
Fit has always been our pillar, therefore our goal was to deliver ultimate comfort and uncompromised performance by providing technical product solution to meet the needs of women’s feet. Therefore, the foundation of the shoe development is based on the specific female last and a unique sandwich construction is delivered by matching a multi-layer upper, a Pebax® mid pad, a dimensional midsole cage and the Ortholite® insole. In this way, the Agate perfectly adapts to the anatomy of women’s feet, providing superior out-of-the-box comfort. We have also taken into consideration the real differences in the female anatomy, the general body characteristics, and the results obtained during the dedicated focus groups with the W2W program. In order to validate then these women-dedicated solutions engineered in the product, we tested Agate with the support of the internationally-renowned CeRiSM research centre at the University of Verona, where we got important findings: Impulso technology (featuring EVA and Pebax® elastomer) has been proved to provide targeted shock absorption to cushion and reduce load impact during foot strikes when hiking/running downhill; the targeted flex points in the exclusive sole design help take advantage of the foot’s natural rolling motion, improving forward impulse; the higher plantar arch, together with a dedicated lateral support band and an oversize midsole geometry, increases the shoe’s lateral stability when moving fast downhill or on uneven terrain.
In the past, foot-shaped moulds or shoe lasts that form the basis for the fit and feel of a shoe were based only on men’s feet. However, women’s feet are a different shape to men’s feet, and as a consequence female athletes and mountain enthusiasts have different needs. That is the reason why we have adopted a full gender specific-approach and process:o we have started from the scientific literature and based on an anatomical mould of a woman’s foot as the starting point to build our new women’s footwear (more triangular shape with a lower volume, narrower heel bone, shorter ball-to-heel length, higher foot arch);o we have worked closely with focus groups of women of all ages and backgrounds from Europe and North America to investigate what women really feel and experience in a women’s specific shoe and to actively involve them in the design of the new Agate shoe;o to test the prototypes developed based on their specific requirements and validate our scientific approach, we worked with the independent, internationally-renowned CeRiSM research centre at the University of Verona. The test protocol included group discussions and static indoor testing, dynamic indoor treadmill & outdoor testing, biomechanical and kinematic analysis, scientific questionnaires;o the whole process described above was led by the podiatry expert and footwear specialist Samantha Tischendorf. “When it comes to performance shoes, most of the research has been dedicated to men,” says Samantha Tischendorf. “We decided to place the needs of women right at the heart of this project and make sure we asked the right questions.”
"What MATERIALS is your product made off? "
• Upper: Hydrophobic polyamide mesh
• Collar Lining: Lycra
• Footbed: Ortholite® foam
• Midsole: Compression molded EVA with high rebound compound + Pebax
• Outsole: Vibram® rubber
"Tell us more about your COMPANY / PRODUCT SUSTAINABILITY... "
Tecnica Group (where Tecnica outdoor is part of) has just started a sustainability path that includes Planet, People, Profit.
"We know there are FUN FACTS and / or a BACKSTORY! Please share!"
Girls of Tecnica Outdoor team had fun to test their own product!
