Standing in the cold banging clumps of mud out of your boots is the last thing you want to do after 90 minutes of trudging around a cow field.
Well guess that what? You won’t have to waste another minute on this painstaking task if you invest in a new pair of Nike boots equipped with anti-clog technology.
It might sound like something you’ll find down the cleaning product aisle, but this technology will ensure you show defenders a clean pair of heels, rather than a boot from the bog of eternal stench.
But how, exactly, does it work? The sole plate design – which has taken two years to develop - prevents mud from sticking to your footwear thanks to a lubricous layer on the underside of the boot. Instead of muck clinging to your studs, it slides off.
Dr Jeremy Walker, one of several PhDs working on this project, with backgrounds in materials science engineering and chemistry explains. “We stopped thinking about repelling water and started thinking about using it to our advantage to create a lubricious layer, without sacrificing traction,” he said.
“Understanding the molecular structure of mud was key to developing a hydrophilic solution, which helps keep mud from clogging the plate.”
(Hydrophilic adj having a tendency to mix with, dissolve in, or be wetted by water – in case you were wondering) Nike have tested their latest innovation on everyone from the park player to the world’s best – earning a resounding thumbs up.
“They leave the pitch preparing to habitually clean the mud out of their studs only to discover there’s almost no mud there,” added Blau. “They can’t believe this is even possible, but it is.”
With less mud cemented to your trotters you’ll be faster out on the pitch and home quicker than you can say, “Mum can you clean my boots?”
Nike Anti-Clog Traction will initially be available in limited quantities via the Nike Football App on April 15.
