Advantage, Michelin: Tennis shoes wear car rubber
Click above for a gallery of the Babolat Propulse 2 with Michelin rubber
Michelin, the tire company, has a division called Michelin Lifestyle Limited that focuses solely on extending the company's "Better Mobility Concept" to other arenas, the latest one being center court. The brand of Bibendum has developed the outsole rubber for a range of Babolat's new tennis shoes, the Propulse and Team.
With a tennis player's movements centered around "acceleration, braking, grip and relaunch" on a variety of different surfaces, the Michelin R&D lab probably had a good idea of what kind of rubber was needed. Michelin mated rubber technology from its auto racing programs with a revised version of its Optimized Cell System that uses seamless circlular micro-cells inspired by rally racing tires. The result is said to be exceptional grip and durability. And if it's good enough for Sebastien Loeb, there's a good chance it's good enough for the U. S. Open...
[Source: Babolat]
Michelin, the tire company, has a division called Michelin Lifestyle Limited that focuses solely on extending the company's "Better Mobility Concept" to other arenas, the latest one being center court. The brand of Bibendum has developed the outsole rubber for a range of Babolat's new tennis shoes, the Propulse and Team.
With a tennis player's movements centered around "acceleration, braking, grip and relaunch" on a variety of different surfaces, the Michelin R&D lab probably had a good idea of what kind of rubber was needed. Michelin mated rubber technology from its auto racing programs with a revised version of its Optimized Cell System that uses seamless circlular micro-cells inspired by rally racing tires. The result is said to be exceptional grip and durability. And if it's good enough for Sebastien Loeb, there's a good chance it's good enough for the U. S. Open...
[Source: Babolat]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
chineyz954 2:39PM (3/22/2009)
Make them all black and loose the velcro strap and Ill rock em
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P.V. 3:00PM (3/22/2009)
I would buy a pair of those if the blue was a little darker.
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Andy 3:21PM (3/22/2009)
Nothing new as Goodyear has partnered with shoemakers for years.
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intthis 4:22PM (3/22/2009)
seriously... i'm currently wearing a pair of goodyear adidas... i bought them at least 2 years ago... and they weren't even new then...
Kitko 9:03PM (3/22/2009)
Dunlop too. I remember there were shoes in early 90s that made the sole shaped exactly like their tyres, those with the huge single middle grove.
Hike15 3:17PM (3/22/2009)
Slow weekend?
and i agree with P.V., it needs a darker blue, or even better for me would be a darker red instead of the light blue
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Josh 3:44PM (3/22/2009)
***lastet = latest
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Shardm 3:59PM (3/22/2009)
Err.. Sebastien Loeb and the rest of the WRC drivers are running Pirelli's
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poematik14 4:10PM (3/22/2009)
Old news. Ive been rocking babolats for like 3 years. Best court shoes imo
That design in the picture is new though..i haven't seen them yet on sale.
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a 4:44PM (3/22/2009)
autoblog should make this a sweet giveaway :D
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l3it3r 5:01PM (3/22/2009)
I had Michelin tennis shoes at LEAST 10 years ago. This is not news.
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chconline 6:00PM (3/22/2009)
They should allow the user to adjust air padding inflation pressure, and a set for winter and summer. :P
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Matt 8:52PM (3/22/2009)
Do you have to weave back and forth to get them warmed up for optimum grip?
ABUinAlba 8:46PM (3/22/2009)
Let's hope this isn't the same rubber as the tires from the 2005 United States Grand Prix.
Reply