One giant leap for innovative footwear.
Who hasn’t dreamed of what it would be like to walk on the moon? Only 12 men have ever experienced it, but with only one sixth of Earth’s gravity, walking on the moon would surely feel different — and bouncier — than on Earth.
If walking around on our home planet has gotten a little dry for you, it might be time for the 20:16 MoonWalker. According to their Indiegogo campaign page, the shoes are “urban, sleek, yet futuristic and are made for both men and women on a mission to conquer the world one step at a time.”
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What makes MoonWalkers different than regular shoes? The soles are made up of two layers of magnets placed such that they repel each other, leaving you “light on your feet and happy as an astronaut.” A layer of memory foam sits between the magnets and your feet so that the shoes are comfortable and fitted to your feet.
The MoonWalker technology. Courtesy of 20:16 MoonWalker
It’s basic magnetism. Two magnets attract each other if they can move so that their opposite poles are near each other. However, if they are positioned such that north is facing north or south is facing south, they will repel each other. The powerful N45 magnets used are typically used to “lift anything from massive barbells to cars,” so a human isn’t a problem.
The makers of 20:16 MoonWalker shoes are hopeful about the success of their shoes, and if nothing else, the over $200,000 they have managed to raise through crowdsourcing proves that, for many, a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut is still alive.
“While we might not be rocket scientists building Mars-bound spaceships, we are planning, designing, engineering, manufacturing, testing, and producing a product that we hope will enrich your lives,” the makers write on their IndieGoGo page.
The shoes aren’t only futuristic on the inside, the outside material is novel as well. The soles on the second version of the shoes — MW V2 —are made with e-paper so they are personalizable using an app. In other words, you can update text and images on them in real time with logos, tweets, animations or anything else you choose.
The shoes can be pre-ordered now and the company expects to deliver them mid-August. The planned retail price is $249, but you can get them for less if you order them through the Indiegogo campaign page.
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