Brooks Sports, Inc., a leading performance running company, today unveiled a new Kids’ footwear line designed to stand up to the scurried activity and biomechanical needs of young feet. Recognized for its premium running gear, Brooks continues its commitment to performance with the new Kids’ collection that features award-winning footwear technologies similar to those in Brooks’ adult running shoes.
Following extensive research and testing to ensure its tot-sized footwear provides the necessary level of stability without hindering the natural growth of the foot, Brooks opens the collection with two distinct shoes—the Kids’ Adrenaline™ GTS and the Kids’ Defyance. Both will offer styles for boys and girls.
“Making sure kids have the right shoes early helps them grow up to be as smart about footwear as their parents,” said Fritz Taylor, senior vice president of Footwear for Brooks. “Whether they are playing hopscotch or Kick the Can, running gym class apaches or around the block, kids want fun, and there’s nothing fun about kids’ shoes if they’re harmful to growing feet. That’s why we’ve taken great care to create the best possible styles that feel good, look great, and offer parents a way to invest in their kids’ health.”
Similar to its award-winning parent, the Kids’ Adrenaline™ GTS features Brooks’ proprietary Diagonal Rollbar (DRB®), a support device that prevents inward rolling of the feet. Retailing for $60, the Kids’ Adrenaline™ GTS is available in sizes 1 to 7.
The Kids’ Defyance is a neutral shoe made for smaller feet still taking shape. Modeled after the all new adult-sized Defyance that garnered Runner’s World’s coveted “Editor’s Choice” award in the June 2008 issue, the kids’ version retails for $55 and ranges from size 10.5—which fits an average four-year-old child—to size 7.
“When developing our new kids’ shoes, we didn’t simply shrink down our adult models and call it a day; we designed shoes that give support when necessary while allowing for natural musculo-skeletal development,” said Derek Campbell, materials engineer for Brooks. “We also understand the environments in which kids run and play, so we added reinforced toe caps and no-skid outsoles.”
In recent years the sporting goods industry has reported increased demand for kids’ running shoes. According to Sportscan, sales of kids’ running shoes have experienced an annual compound growth of 23 percent between 2005 and 2007. Additionally, the average retail price of kids’ running shoes has increased from $37.70 in 2005, to $46.64 in 2007, to $49.25 year-to-date for 2008.
“We really value our customers’ feedback, and many have expressed the desire to buy quality shoes for their children,” said Henry Guzman, footwear product line manager at Boulder Running Company, which consists of three stores in south Denver and Boulder, Colo. “We’re very excited a trusted brand like Brooks is delivering on this need—a brand that is building kids’ shoes up to a standard instead of down to a price.”
Both the Kids’ Adrenaline™ GTS and the Kids’ Defyance feature enhanced cushioning technologies including HydroFlow®, which dampens and disperses shock, and MoGo, a midsole compound proven to increase cushioning 40 percent and dispel fatigue by 33 percent.
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