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Protective footwear for sports makes a splash

Projects | August 1, 2016 | By:

Free Your Feet is the newest iteration of the Kitesock, which was inspired by the needs of kite surfers who required protection against hidden sharp objects while still being able to stay in sync with their boards. Photo: Swiss Barefoot Company.
Free Your Feet is the newest iteration of the Kitesock, which was inspired by the needs of kite surfers who required protection against hidden sharp objects while still being able to stay in sync with their boards. Photo: Swiss Barefoot Company.

People who enjoy board sports like body boarding and surfing, or other outdoor activities like rock climbing, trail running or volleyball, will tell you they prefer to be barefoot for better balance. But there’s a problem with that: cuts, abrasions and other injuries are always a possibility.

Swiss Barefoot Company, Landschlacht, Switzerland, has solved the problem with Free Your Feet, protective footwear that is so minimal it mimics being barefoot. At the same time, Free Your Feet offers maximum protection.

The high-tech footwear features Dyneema®, a fiber that is reportedly 15 times stronger than steel. Made by Netherlands-based DSM Dyneema, the fiber is so tough it is used in ropes and cables to moor oil rigs and sail ships, and in bullet-resistant armor for police and military personnel. It has a very high abrasion resistance and stands up to cuts, moisture, UV light and chemicals.

Photo: Swiss Barefoot Company.
Photo: Swiss Barefoot Company.

Despite being so strong, Dyneema is as thin as microfiber. It can be woven into an ultra-lightweight sock-thin fabric that is soft and silky to the touch. The result is a barefoot feeling and experience unlike any other in high-tech protective footwear.  For more, visit www.fyf.io.

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