Nike isn’t the only brand considering making shoes that are more accessible. Fit to Fit, Reebok’s first adaptable footwear collection, will be launched in collaboration with Zappos. The collection includes two sneakers that are designed to make it easier for persons with impairments to enter and exit.
The shoes were created in partnership with Zappos Adaptive, a section of the e-commerce site dedicated to accessible footwear, clothes, and accessories. The $90 Nanoflex Parafit TR trainers have a mesh top, a side zip, and a heel pull tab. The $65 Club MEMT Parafit, on the other hand, are lifestyle sneakers with an additional 4E wide fit, side zip, and leather upper. Both shoes have lace-up closures, detachable insoles, and abrasion-resistant rubber outsoles for enhanced traction. The sneakers are also low-cut for enhanced movement, according to Reebok.
The reason behind having both a lace-up and a zipper closing is that you can modify the fit by tying the laces once. The front zipper can then be used to get in and out of the shoe. Pull tabs on the zippers make them even easier to operate. The shoes are available in unisex sizes and in pairs or individually.
The shoes are available in a variety of hues and sizes on the Reebok and Zappos websites. The Nanoflex Parafit TR is now available in 2022 Special Olympics USA editions. Individual shoes are available solely on Zappos for those who want to buy them, but the firms did not provide a specific timeline. It would simply be “soon.”
This isn’t the first time in recent years that we’ve seen accessible sneaker styles. In 2021, Nike made a stir with the Go FlyEase, a pair of hands-free sneakers featuring a bistable hinge. However, because Nike only had a limited supply, the footwear aroused debate. As a result, persons with impairments were unable to purchase the sneaker because resellers purchased them and sold them at a premium price.
We’ll have to wait and see how Reebok handles this. Hopefully, the hype beasts don’t sabotage Reebok’s design for the groups that can genuinely benefit from it. Nonetheless, seeing more companies create personalized footwear that helps everyone is a positive sign.