Under Armor has just unveiled the “ArchiTech Futurist”, a limited edition 3D printed sneaker that costs $300.

Last year, athletic apparel company Under Armor out-innovated competing athletic footwear producers with the release of their 3D printed “ArchiTech” sneakers. Limited to 96 pairs, they produced the customized shoe in celebration of the company’s 20th anniversary.

Now, Under Armor is returning with the next iteration of their 3D printed trainer line: the ArchiTech Futurist.  

ArchiTech Futurist: The Most Innovative 3D Printed Sneaker Yet

The ArchiTech Futurist offers a number of upgrades over their previous 3D printed model. Under Armor still uses 3D printing to manufacture a “dynamic lattice network” for cushioning. But this time around, the design team also implemented a matching compression lace system.

Equipped with an external zippered sleeve and UA SpeedForm upper section, the sneaker offers exceptional support and fit. Under Armour’s SpeedForm solution is fashionable, while also securing the heel for added protection during lifting, training, running, or other physical activities.

The Futurist also provides a “heel stability solution,” optimizing the sneaker for strength training, while also promoting versatility. The 3D printed heel rests upon a firm outsole that is comprised of dense foam.

3D Printing Provides Comfort and Support to Athletes

To produce the 3D printed midsole, Under Armor used laser sintering technology located at their laboratory in Baltimore. According to Engineering.com, the Futurist is printed with a TPU material that is developed by Lehman & Voss & Co. Due to the complexity of the intertwined tendril design, it reportedly takes a full day to print the tooling for this shoe.

During the 2017 Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) conference in Chicago, Alan Guyan, the brand’s Director of Design & Manufacturing Innovation, discussed the ultimate aim of the ArchiTech Futurist.

He claimed that the goal of the sporting apparel company is to merge a CrossFit shoe with a weightlifting trainer. The 3D printed sneaker has already been “weartested” by baseball star Bryce Harper, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and a select number of NCAA athletes.

Debuted earlier this week, the sneaker surfaced at Under Armor’s fashion show for their Fall/Winter 2017 collection. Guyan also provided a sneak peek at the design during the 2017 AMUG event.

Under Armor’s Futurist will retail at $300, produced in a limited batch of over 2,000 pairs. The 3D printed sneaker will launch online and in select cities on March 30.