Footwork Table Tennis Shoes
The sport of table tennis changed drastically after moving from 38 mm balls to 40 mm seamless balls. Increased ball control meant more fast-paced sideways footwork for positioning, and called for a different kind of shoe. At XIOM I helped design and develop Footwork Agilite, with a unique parametric sole, side lacing and breathing mesh construction. Designed with Vilhelm von Platen and the rest of the XIOM design team.
Project
Athletic Shoes
My Role
Part of in-house team
Parametric 3D design
Industrial Design
Research and Development
Date
2015 – 2016
With more sidestepping, top lever players demanded shoes adapted to the new style of playing. The shoes need to perfectly balance how and when they provide grip, and when they allow a short slide. Additionally, the shoes need to fit snuggly and breathe well, to allow for long, intense rallies.
By designing a one-piece parametric sole, fitted to a mesh upper body with asymmetrical leather, we were able to create a shoe which adapted to each players movement. By varying the size and combination of the hexagon pattern, different areas of the sole support the different foot movements needed to compete at the highest levels.