‘Just the start’: Nike and Hyperice unveil wearable technology that boosts athletes’ warm up and recovery efforts

Nike and Hyperice have teamed up to launch new boots and a vest - wearable technology designed to help athletes perform at their best throughout training and competition.

“Recovery is an important part of any athlete’s journey, but we’re hearing from athletes that this concept of ‘pre-covery’ is equally as important,” says Tobie Hatfield, Senior Director, Nike Athlete Innovation.

“The footwear and vest that we’ve developed with Hyperice help get the body ready for activity, whether you’re playing for a title or you’re on your feet a lot at work.”

The Nike x Hyperice boot is a wearable and mobile high-top shoe that offers heat and dynamic air-compression massage on demand for athletes’ feet and ankles.

The shoe contains a system of dual-air Normatec bladders bonded to warming elements that evenly distribute heat throughout the entire upper. This combination is designed to drive heat deep into the muscle and tissue in the foot and ankle, helping athletes move, perform and recover naturally much faster.

Athletes can synchronise the heat and compression of both shoes with the press of a button, or choose to run the left and right shoes individually, selecting from three distinct levels of compression and heat powered by a battery pack in each shoe’s insole.

The Nike x Hyperice vest allows athletes to target one variable of performance they historically couldn’t control: the environment.

Leveraging similar technology utilised in the Hyperice X line of contrast devices, the vest uses thermoelectric coolers that deliver instant heating and cooling without the need for ice or liquid, helping athletes dial their body temperatures to their exact specifications during warm-ups and cool-downs.

The vest contains thermal modules whose sensors autonomously monitor and maintain body temperature.

Meanwhile, an air bladder and pressure sensor within the vest adjusts to the body by pressing those thermal modules inward, enhancing comfort while also maximising the effectiveness of the heating and cooling technology.

“Taking care of my body has always been an important part of my preparation as a basketball player. That commitment is what has allowed me to maintain a high level of play for more than 21 years now,” says Nike signature athlete LeBron James.

“From the moment I tried the Nike x Hyperice boots and vest while they were still in development more than a year ago, I knew they were going to change the game for athletes’ warm-up and recovery.”   

“Since the inception of Hyperice, we have taken a lot of inspiration from Nike, from the care and innovation we put into our products to how we connect with the athlete,” says Anthony Katz, Founder and President at Hyperice.

“This collaboration is the culmination of years of work between our two brands to deliver innovative footwear and apparel for the athlete with the goal of enhancing their performance and recovery. And this is just the start.”