Hoka One One unveils new shoe for athletes
January 18, 2021 - United States Of America
Hoka One One, a division of Deckers Brands, has designed and introduced Carbon X 2, a lightweight and propulsive shoe for athletes, which is meant to help them break their own records. To mark the new footwear innovation, Hoka is organising Project Carbon X 2 - 100K world record attempts in the US and Japan by several of its athletes - on January 23.
The Carbon X 2 features a carbon fibre plate embedded in its midsole and is the successor to the original Carbon X, launched in May 2019. The Carbon X franchise brings the technology of carbon fibre plates, which are designed to provide a smooth and propulsive ride through the gait cycle for an efficient stride over many miles, in an inherently stable and supportive package capable of withstanding training miles in addition to races.
The Carbon X 2 has a Profly midsole and a rubberised EVA outside. Constructed with some of Hoka's softest, lightest foams to date, it is designed to provide a harmonious blend of soft protection and energetic response from the shoe. With an aggressive Meta-Rocker geometry and the carbon fibre plate, the Carbon X 2 midsole is designed to propel athletes forward and provide an up-tempo training and racing shoe capable of going the distance – fast. Compared to its predecessor, the Carbon X features a simplified upper material for a lightweight and breathable fit, as well as a bonded tongue for a more secure wrap of the foot. It weighs 8.4 ounces and has a 5-milimetre heel-to-toe drop.
To celebrate the launch of this newest innovation, Hoka has unveiled Project Carbon X 2 - an attempt to break the 100K world record by Hoka athletes around the world wearing the Carbon X 2. Headlined by Hoka US athletes Jim Walmsley and Camille Herron; Hoka EMEA athletes Elov Olsson and Caitriona Jennings; and Hoka Japan athletes Aiko Kanematsu and Yoshiki Otsuka, over three dozen Hoka global athletes will successively attempt the record from Chiba, Japan and the Phoenix, Arizona area at 7AM JST and 7AM MST, respectively, on January 23, with Olsson and Jennings joining the US athletes in Arizona. The US event will be livestreamed for free at hokaoneone.com and the Japan event will be livestreamed for free at hokaoneone.jp.
The current men's 100K world record is 6:09:14 – 5 minutes, 56.5 seconds-per-mile pace for 62.2 miles – set by Japan's Nao Kazami in 2018; the women's mark is 6:33:11, set by Japan's Tomoe Abe in 2000.
"At Hoka, we have grown into the brand we are today by setting lofty goals, not compromising, and taking a bold and unexpected approach to meet those ends," says Mike McManus, director of Global Sports Marketing at Hoka One One. "Perhaps no shoe embodies that spirit better than the Carbon X 2 – designed without compromise to offer the very best in performance innovation to all athletes, empowering them to fly no matter their goals – and perhaps no event embodies it better than Project Carbon X 2: a chance for some of our elite athletes to try and go farther and faster than we once thought possible."
In accordance with COVID-19 safety guidelines, all athletes and event personnel will have to follow rigorous pre-event testing and on-site safety protocols to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved in Project Carbon X 2, as well as the health and safety of the host community.
The Carbon X 2 features a carbon fibre plate embedded in its midsole and is the successor to the original Carbon X, launched in May 2019. The Carbon X franchise brings the technology of carbon fibre plates, which are designed to provide a smooth and propulsive ride through the gait cycle for an efficient stride over many miles, in an inherently stable and supportive package capable of withstanding training miles in addition to races.
The Carbon X 2 has a Profly midsole and a rubberised EVA outside. Constructed with some of Hoka's softest, lightest foams to date, it is designed to provide a harmonious blend of soft protection and energetic response from the shoe. With an aggressive Meta-Rocker geometry and the carbon fibre plate, the Carbon X 2 midsole is designed to propel athletes forward and provide an up-tempo training and racing shoe capable of going the distance – fast. Compared to its predecessor, the Carbon X features a simplified upper material for a lightweight and breathable fit, as well as a bonded tongue for a more secure wrap of the foot. It weighs 8.4 ounces and has a 5-milimetre heel-to-toe drop.
To celebrate the launch of this newest innovation, Hoka has unveiled Project Carbon X 2 - an attempt to break the 100K world record by Hoka athletes around the world wearing the Carbon X 2. Headlined by Hoka US athletes Jim Walmsley and Camille Herron; Hoka EMEA athletes Elov Olsson and Caitriona Jennings; and Hoka Japan athletes Aiko Kanematsu and Yoshiki Otsuka, over three dozen Hoka global athletes will successively attempt the record from Chiba, Japan and the Phoenix, Arizona area at 7AM JST and 7AM MST, respectively, on January 23, with Olsson and Jennings joining the US athletes in Arizona. The US event will be livestreamed for free at hokaoneone.com and the Japan event will be livestreamed for free at hokaoneone.jp.
The current men's 100K world record is 6:09:14 – 5 minutes, 56.5 seconds-per-mile pace for 62.2 miles – set by Japan's Nao Kazami in 2018; the women's mark is 6:33:11, set by Japan's Tomoe Abe in 2000.
"At Hoka, we have grown into the brand we are today by setting lofty goals, not compromising, and taking a bold and unexpected approach to meet those ends," says Mike McManus, director of Global Sports Marketing at Hoka One One. "Perhaps no shoe embodies that spirit better than the Carbon X 2 – designed without compromise to offer the very best in performance innovation to all athletes, empowering them to fly no matter their goals – and perhaps no event embodies it better than Project Carbon X 2: a chance for some of our elite athletes to try and go farther and faster than we once thought possible."
In accordance with COVID-19 safety guidelines, all athletes and event personnel will have to follow rigorous pre-event testing and on-site safety protocols to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved in Project Carbon X 2, as well as the health and safety of the host community.