Nike has unveiled a special edition football cleat specifically tailored to the "big uglies" in the trenches who are either protecting their quarterback, or trying to destroy the opposing team's signal caller.
The Nike Force Savage Elite cleat's strength comes in the form of 15 twisting triangular studs that line the outsole.
Per Nike,
“Triangles are the strongest force in nature,” says Erin Cochrane, Lead Footwear Designer for Nike’s latest lineman-dedicated cleat. Beyond that, testing also proved the shape provides the best 360-degree traction on the field. “Every time a player cuts he has an edge to push off,” she says.
“We worked with the Nike Sport Research Lab and found that after about 20 minutes, tape doesn’t provide any physical benefit,” says Cochrane.
Though it provides an important mental one: The athletes expressed that they feel safer when they’re wearing something around their ankles. Because wrestling shoes nail ankle support, Cochrane’s team thought to put a wrestling boot on a football plate. This resulted in a mobile upper that, when tightened, locks the foot and ankle in to provide the sensation of support. Beyond that, the oversize cables are motion specific.
“The lateral side grabs the player’s foot when he cuts, and the medial side pulls from the arch,” explains Cochrane.
Additionally, the cleats feature more protective triangles on the toe, inspired by steel-toe boots, to protect the feet of linemen from being stepped on by other 300+ pounders.
“Offensive linemen get stepped on a lot when they’re trying to protect the quarterback,” explains Cochrane, “so we wanted their cleat to act as a steel-toed boot.”
The Nike Force Savage Elite is now available on nike.com and at select retailers.