Adidas launches barefoot shoe

Portland: Adidas is going barefoot. The world's second-largest athletic company unveiled its first "barefoot" training shoe Tuesday, which is designed to mimic the experience of exercising barefoot while providing the protection, traction and durability of a shoe.

The Adipure Trainer, which is a cross between a glove for the feet and a traditional shoe, hits US stores in November priced at $90. The barefoot shoe is part of a strategy by Adidas, which is based in Germany, to expand into the US, where rival Nike dominates.

"People who believe barefoot is the way to go...are very emphatic about it," said Matt Powell, an analyst with industry research organization SportsOneSource Group. "They want to spread the message. It sounds religious but some of them are evangelical about it."

The athletic shoe and clothing business has been fairly resilient during the US economic downturn, but it is an industry that thrives almost entirely on new products. When it comes to shoes, the latest and greatest captures the US customer.

While barefoot shoes make up a tiny fraction of the $22 billion US athletic shoe industry, it is one of the fast-growing categories. Sales have more than doubled in the past year to roughly $750 million, according to SportsOneSource.

The design

The design of the Adidas barefoot shoe strikes a balance between the two styles. The brightly-colored trainer, which features the trademark Adidas three stripes, covers the foot as a shoe would but with a sock-like fit and toe compartments to allow more natural movement.

"The Adipure Trainer is a unique piece of equipment for elite level athletes that we're bringing to our core consumer," said Patrik Nilsson, president of Adidas North America.

The growing US barefoot market is an important one for Adidas. The company runs a close race with Nike globally, but the gap is much wider in North America.

"A lot of engineering went into making your foot a high performance machine," said Mark Verstegen, founder of Athletes' Performance, a training and performance organization for elite athletes that works with Adidas.

"Using your foot's natural power and movement will help you strengthen muscles you never knew you had in your feet, lower legs and throughout your core."