Under Armour launches female-specific basketball shoe

The new UA HOVR Breakthru has been created to fit a woman’s foot dimensions as well as her style of play.

USA-based Under Armour (UA) has produced the company’s first basketball shoe intended specifically for female players. From the beginning of the design process, which began towards the end of 2019, the aim was to create a new product rather than an adaptation of an existing men’s shoe. The UA biomechanics team assisted by evaluating the unique aspects of a woman’s foot, which include being typically narrower across the ball and heel, higher in the arch and lower in the midfoot. It generally has a shorter ankle height and a smaller instep circumference. Also, while being more flexible than a man’s foot, it has more sensory receptors.

The UA team engineered a new woman’s last and a focus group of female basketball players provided input on what works on the court and what ‘feels’ right, as well as style and colour preferences. The company then delivered the UA HOVR Breakthru – described as a fast and light shoe that features a specially curved collar construction, a soft double-layered heel for extra durability and support, a dual-density moulded sockliner, cables for extra structure and optimal flexibility, and tongue webbing for ease of entry. The UA HOVR Breakthru has been released in North America at a recommended retail price of $110 (£85).

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 48 of the November 2020 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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