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Nike wears ion-mask
Nike has become the latest major sports brand to bring ion-mask technology to its shoes, by using the nano-coating technology to waterproof its new Lunar Wood TZ running shoe.
The ion-mask nano-coating technology has been developed by P2i, and it has already been used with great effect by footwear brands Hi-Tec and Ecco. Indeed, in addition to applying the technology to footwear, Hi-Tec has also ion-masked its leather golf gloves.
Nike’s Lunar Wood TZ became available to selected retailers on December 19.
Ion-mask is a nanoscopic protective polymer layer that protects shoes by forcing water to bead and roll-off a shoe, rather than being absorbed. The ion-mask prevents external water getting into a shoe while allowing evaporated perspiration to flow out.
The invisible ion-mask is 1,000 times thinner than a human hair, although P2i promises that its waterproof protection is molecularly bonded to the shoe’s surface, and so will therefore last as long as the shoe itself. The ion-masking application process is also environmentally friendly as it is solvent-free, does not require lots of energy and it leaves minimal waste.
“We are delighted that our revolutionary ion-mask liquid repellent nano-coating technology has been chosen to protect Lunar Wood TZ,” says P2i’s Stephen Coulson. “Current approaches simply cannot match the amazing levels of performance that ion-mask has been shown to deliver.”
