Footwear Engineer Chris Bellamy is going to run the Boston Marathon in 3D Printed Sandals. Naturally, his employers at custom footwear maker Wiivv are only too happy to support him.
The custom footwear company Wiivv has some dedicated employees. Engineer Chris Bellamy believes so much in the company, for example, that he’s going to run the Boston Marathon on 16 April in a pair of their 3D printed sandals.
If it sounds like the kind of stunt that happens after losing a bet; well, you’d be absolutely right. According to the official Wiivv blog, Bellamy promised to run a marathon in the Wiivv Sandals if the company raised more than $500,000 from a Kickstarter campaign.
“When everyone said our sandal was impossible, I bet them that I’d be able to run a marathon in them, and now I will,” Bellamy says with no hint of apprehension whatsoever.
“We’ve reengineered every part of the traditional flip-flop to design the most comfortable, optimized sandal ever created, and I’ve had this marathon in the back of my mind through every decision we made.”
Wiivv 3D Printed Sandals Made From Digitally Mapped Feet
Wiivv Sandals are custom made for each wearer using foot measurements taken from the Wiivv app.
Each foot is digitally mapped using more than 200 points to understand arch contours, foot length, width and volume, and toe spacing.
Wiivv then 3D prints a custom arch for each foot, places each toe thong to fit between your toes, and adjusts each strap to fit your foot.
They sound very comfortable, but are they really suitable for running a 26 mile marathon…?
Bellamy qualified for the Boston Marathon by running his first marathon in Vancouver last year in two hours and 52 minutes. Just last weekend ran in a half marathon in the Wiivv sandals, so he seems ready for the task that lays ahead.
“There is nothing more pleasing as an engineer than to put your money where your mouth is,” says Bellamy. Ahem. Or your feet.
Wiivv sandals will be available to buy from May for $129, with a pre-launch sign-up open for early access at Wiivv.
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