It certainly is an oddity. The more important question is whether or not it will be of any use. It appears that a few thousand customers will soon endeavor to to find out. I admit to been personally skeptical and expect wear issues to ultimately make this device impractical.
However we can be surprised.
Many other variations have been put out there over decades and most change little except the direction of the marketing budget. Air pads are essentially small enough to actually beg significance which is likely why they are still out there.
This technology iinovation process will obviously continue forever because it is rewarding in terms of marketing. Sports shoes have gone from God Awful to plausibly excellent to variations on the same result.
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Enko running shoes have a shocking design
http://www.gizmag.com/enko-suspension-running-shoe/35879/
We've certainly seen a lot of running shoes with shock-absorbing cushions
in the soles, that are designed to absorb energy on the downstep and
then release it on the upstep. The Enko shoe, however, takes that
concept a step farther – it incorporates two actual coil-sprung shocks
on each shoe, along with a hinged second sole.
In development by French runner Christian Freschi since 2002, the Enko's concept is fairly simple.
When the user steps down onto their heel, the shocks are compressed
and the rear section of the sole folds up against the underside of the
foot. As they stride forward and transfer their weight up to the ball of
their foot, the shocks expand again. Since the ground blocks the rear
part of the sole from moving down, all of the energy that's released by
the coils instead goes into pushing the foot up and forward. That's the
idea, at any rate.
Additionally, the setup also helps absorb potentially injury-causing impact every time the user's feet hit the ground.
An Enko prototype being manufactured in Italy
A lever on the side of each shoe allows users to tweak the coil
tension for use in walking or running. Additionally, users can choose
between coils of varying stiffness, depending on their body weight. As
an added bonus, the rubber studs on the bottom of the sole are
replaceable, so users don't have to throw the shoes away as soon as
their gripping surface wears down.
Freschi and his team are currently raising production funds for the
Enko, on Indiegogo. A pledge of US$390 will get you a pair, when and if
they're ready to go. Potential buyers might also want to check out Adidas' Springblade shoe.
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