All in the mind: are exercise slides the next ugly shoe?

"Nike claim that the 22 nodules on the sole stimulate the mechanoreceptors on your feet, engaging the sensory area of your brain, meaning focus is heightened. Meanwhile, recovery slides made by brands such as Hoka and Oofos use cushioned soles and a shape that cradles the foot to helpfight foot fatigue after a lot of exercise. The Mind are worn by footballers including Erling Haaland and Reece James, runner Keely Hodgkinson and basketball players Victor Wembanyama and A'ja Wilson, while ballerina Francesca Hayward namechecks Hoka's slides as part of her daily routine."

"When the much-hyped Nike Mind shoes were released in January, I bought a pair. I was grabbed by the idea that the orange nodules on the sole could, supposedly, focus the mind. The futuristic look of the shoe also appeals. If walking on knobbly things took a bit of getting used to, it was worth it if only for that irresistible fashion smugness of having something rare. In the last week, I have been stopped in the street and asked where I got the shoes."

"It turns out they are now out of stock and have sold for over 300 on resale site Goat. The Mind is part of a wider trend in exercise slides, a pre-game shoe designed to ground you ahead of your chosen activity. Of course, the connection between footwear and sport isn't always purely about function. This month, Crocs partnered with Umbro on a pair of slides that combine the clog shape with the look of a football boot just because."

"So: in a world where the ugly shoe is now an established category, could the exercise slide be next in line? Tom Barker, style editor at Highsnobiety, thinks they have stiff competition in the world of ugly shoes. Consider the Vibram FiveFingers barefoot shoes originally created for hikers, with a pocket for each toe that are now being worn with cult brands Damson"

Nike Mind exercise slides feature orange nodules on the sole and a futuristic design. The shoes were released in January and quickly sold out, with pairs appearing on resale sites for over 300. Nike claims the 22 nodules stimulate mechanoreceptors on the feet and engage sensory areas of the brain to heighten focus. The Mind fits a broader trend of exercise slides meant to ground wearers before activities. Recovery slides from brands like Hoka and Oofos use cushioned, foot-cradling shapes to reduce fatigue after exercise. Athletes and performers including Erling Haaland, Keely Hodgkinson, and Francesca Hayward are associated with these slide styles. Other brands also blend function and fashion, including Crocs with Umbro and design-led activewear from Literary Sport.

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