Research commissioned by ADIDAS TERREX found four in ten (43%) of women starting to hike during the pandemic.* It’s no surprise, therefore, that Adidas has launched the WMN Hiker Mid Rain.Rdy, a HIKING shoe, made with recycled materials.
It was developed for women with its design, ‘informed by women-specific insights and tested alongside one of Europe’s largest women’s-only hiking communities.’
“Our research shows that being outdoors in nature motivates 96 percent of women across countries to hike, as they look to connect with nature and escape the everyday,” said Rebecca MacKay, Product Manager at Adidas Terrex.
“Working alongside our internal last-specific team to gain insights from thousands of foot scans, we analyzed and designed a shoe that matches what our research showed women are looking for: hiking products that are comfortable, durable and, importantly, offer performance.”
During the development process, the design team ‘explored the ways the female foot hits the ground while hiking and the impact this has on the Achilles tendon. The insight from groups in the mountains, anatomic foot specifications and women’s testing feedback made this hiking shoe superior in comfort and support.’
With these insights in mind, the team created potential female-specific lasts and gathered the thoughts on these from a selection of members from the MUNICH MOUNTAIN GIRLS, a community of 1000s of mountain-loving women.
Their feedback enabled the team to assess which placement of cushioning and support provided the most effective hiking experience, as well as tracking durability between prototypes.
With the launch of the shoe comes the women’s-focused Adidas Terrex apparel range made, in part, with recycled materials.
* 1,301 women between the ages of 18-and-35 living in Germany, UK and US were questioned by GroupSolver, an online platform.
