Iron Footwear, Shoes and Boots Design · 2016
Kateem Trail Running Shoe
- A' Design Award 2016 Iron Winner in Footwear, Shoes and Boots Design
- Awarded April 15, 2016
- CLIENT: Florian Seidl
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 38,757
- Verification code 449653EA63 · Verify this award
About Kateem Trail Running Shoe
A light weight trail running shoe that uses innovative materials and production techniques but also builds on traditional know-how to create a new running experience. The upper is made from semi-rigid panels like a stretchy exoskeleton - robust, water repellant and breathable. It has a carbon toe cap and precisely defined flex zones. Traditional lacing is easily adjustable, the sock-like inner and custom 3D printed insole guarantee perfect fit. The midsole is thin and has variable tread inlays. Feet are well protected and supported - empowering runners to perform better.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- A tough and lightweight trail running shoe making use of new technology and traditional know-how. The upper panels form a stretchy exoskeleton. It is robust, water repellant, breathable, has a carbon toe cap and defined flex zones. A sock-like inner and custom 3D printed insole guarantee perfect fit. The thin midsole can be adjusted with different inlays. Function and ergonomics are expressed with bold volumes, controlled surfacing, striking colors and minimal graphics empowering runners to perform better and achieve more.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- shoe size 42 (EU)
dimensions approximately: 100m x 280 mm x 110mm - Tags
- concept, design, running, shoe, sneaker, trail, off-road, sport, extreme, innovative, carbon, 3D textile, 3D printing, custom, light weight
- Production Technology
- New manufacturing technologies and innovative or unusual materials are very important for this concept and make it really possible. The carbon fiber toe cap, the stretchy exoskeleton made from woven 3D textile mesh panels (used for the upper) and the custom 3D printed insole that guarantees a perfect fit for every individual foot and every runner are the main examples. The design does however also build on well-established and proven footwear technology to create an innovative product with exceptional performance.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge for a project that is so closely related to the human body is the right balance between ergonomic and functional requirements and the desired formal expression.
- Project Duration
- Kateem is a private free time project that was developed and refined step by step on long evenings and during weekends. This lengthy process was finished in 2015 in Turin, Italy.
- Operation Flow
- The main aim is better protection and guidance for the foot of trail runners in rough and difficult terrain. The soft inner shoe is protected by a semi-rigid outer shell and a light weight carbon fiber toe cap. The 3D printed insole is an important ergonomic feature. Created individually with a specific profile for every runner rapid manufacturing techniques change the way footwear is designed. With traditional lacing - well known, reliable, easily adjustable - and the heel ribbon getting in and out of the shoe is really simple.
- Research
- The concept is based on personal research analysing the market segment, the main competitors, the target group and relevant trends. Special focus was also put on ergonomics/anthropometrics and current and future materials and production techniques in the field of sneaker and sport shoe design. This research is mainly based on articles, literature review and interviews with experts. The findings were then transformed and translated in a tangible real world clay model and then refined in an extended formal research phase.
- Inspiration
- We are living in competitive times and sports and recreation are getting ever more important. So it is no surprise that trail running, a sport that offers the chance of real life adventures and competition outside in nature, is growing ever more popular. The main inspirations are coming from this off-road and sometimes extreme performance sport, new production techniques, rock formations, exoskeletons and low poly modeling for good measure.
- Image Credits
- Image #1 : Photographer Florian Seidl, Kateem Product Shot 01, 2015.
Image #2 : Photographer Florian Seidl, Kateem Product Shot 02, 2015.
Image #3 : Photographer Florian Seidl, Kateem Product Shot 03, 2015.
Image #4 : Photographer Florian Seidl, Kateem Product Shot 04, 2015.
Image #5 : Designer Florian Seidl, Kateem Selected Sketches, 2015.
Colors of Kateem Trail Running Shoe
Design Interview about Kateem Trail Running Shoe
I guess the main idea lies in the creation of a running shoe with a flexible and protective exoskeleton made from semi-rigid 3D textile panels.
It was very important for me to creat a good looking and special design for a trail running shoe that combines an adequate formal expression with exceptional ergonomics.
There are currently no specific plans to develop Kateem further.
Kateem was developed and refined step by step on long evenings and during weekends. This lengthy process was finished in 2015 in Turin, Italy.
It was a self motivated "just-for-fun" project.
Kateem is currently only a private free time project. It would be nice to see what could be done though...
I really like modern footwear design. I have seen many inspitrational and really cool projects and wanted to see what I could do.
There are many different influences, but not one in particular.
I'd imagined the target customer profile as male, between 15 and 40 years old. He'd be living in Europe or North America, has an active lifestyle and a well developed brand awareness. He is thirsty for adventure, enjoys sport in general and loves running.
Its's orange. :)
It's a word play on letters, pronunciation and form language.
The design process involved everything from analog and digital sketching to rough volumetric foam models and also a proper clay modeling phase.
New manufacturing technologies and materials are very important for this concept. The design does however build also on well-established and proven footwear technology to create an innovative product with exceptional performance.
I got some very valuable feedback from colleagues and friends. Not much else.
The project combines proven know-how and new materials and technology. The traditional lacing system and overall construction is combined with new elements like the carbon fiber toe cap, the stretchy exoskeleton (made from woven 3D textile mesh panels) and the custom 3D printed insole that guarantees a perfect fit for every individual foot and every runner.
The concept is based on personal research analysing the market segment, the main competitors, the target group and relevant trends. Special focus was also put on ergonomics/anthropometrics and current and future materials and production techniques in the field of sneaker and sport shoe design. This research is mainly based on articles, literature review and interviews with experts. The findings were then transformed and translated in a tangible real world clay model and then refined in an extended formal research phase.
The main challenge for a project that is so closely related to the human body is the right balance between ergonomic and functional requirements and the desired formal expression.
Friends ahve participated before and I wanted to give it a go.
I learned a lot about current sneaker design and also found out that casting a last from a real foot can be rather tricky/dangerous.
That's all.
Grand Interview about Kateem Trail Running Shoe
Well, it is actually rather simple: The carbon fibre toe cap provides great protection while also being extremely lightweight. In combination with the other semirigid panels it forms the flexible and stretchy exoskeleton. Providing real protection without much actual weight leads to a great running experience.
The idea here is really to use innovative and new manufacturing technologies to create something inspired and useful. Being able to create a personalized, ergonomic insole with the right materials in no time has incredible potential and gives a whole new meaning to the concept of tailor-made performance products.
The design process in this case was quite interesting. During the initial phase several different proposals were explored through sketches and quick foam models. With the general design direction chosen the design was further developed and based on a solid shoe last. This helped to make sure the ergonomic aspect was guaranteed while the expressive shape of the running shoe was actually created and modelled in clay.
Traditional shoe lacing works great and is very flexible. It is also very simple which makes it work reliably and really quite hard to beat. So the decision to keep this aspect and combine it with more advanced materials and production techniques happened quite early on. Sometimes it is not necessary to reinvent the wheel.
The trail running segment is very interesting and competitive. There are several players. Each with a very unique approach and identity. Function and performance are key in this market and we wanted the design to reflect this rough and hardcore segment. That's when we came up with the idea of the semi-rigid and lightweight exoskeleton.
This extended period of continuous formal research and refinement was a necessary aspect of the whole design process. After the initial creative phase there was also an important part in which the shape of the physical clay model had to be translated into a more realistic mock-up made from textiles and other more realistic materials.
A trail running shoe needs to have a good balance between protection and support on the one side and flexibility and adaptability on the other side. Analysing how and where more flexible zones are needed lead to the idea of dedicated flex openings and semirigid external panels for the upper. This also opened the opportunity for a rather unusual and expressive shape of the shoe. Together with the striking colour range this creates a visual statement that sets the shoe apart from the competition.
The idea here is that different terrain requirements can be translated into different specifications for the whole sole assembly and its materials. A variable tread inlay gives the opportunity to fine tune the shoe's specification and behaviour to very specific needs. A nice feature and also a competitive advantage.
I really hope that Kateem will have an impact on the trail running sector and maybe even beyond that. And to be honest, I have already seen some of the conceptual ideas showing up in other interesting products since Kattem was presented as well. I'm mainly referring to visually more expressive shapes and 3D printing as a new production method.
It was very important from the beginning to develop a visual form language for the shoe that would be based in functional necessities, but also express the competitive nature of trail running in an appropriate way. This can be seen in the sculptural aspects of the shape as well as the chosen materials and the striking colour scheme.