WALK ON WATER

Presenting the INESIS MW500 shoes

By Inesis

May 3^rd, 2022

A WALKING (R)EVOLUTION

Launched in 2019, the Inesis Grip Waterproof and Grip Dry shoes have revolutionised the Inesis range with their common 3-part sole ensuring maximum grip. We have been working to replace them for a year and a half, and now the time has come to show you the final version of the MW500, designed for playing golf in mild weather (temperatures between 10 and 20°C).

Erik, who designed the Grip range, remains at the helm of design, supported by Tanguy at the Foarms agency. In close collaboration with the Inesis design teams and the Decathlon footwear division.

LASTINGLY WATERPROOF

The MW500 shoes are waterproof. This is to be expected, because when you play golf in temperatures between 10 and 20°C, there’s a good chance you’ll encounter rain, or at least wet ground. It’s also often due to ground humidity that you end up with wet feet. But with the MW500s, this will never happen. The team designed the MW500 around a lining with a waterproof rainproof membrane. This lining goes round the entire shoe. We also paid attention to the details, for example with a “gutter” that links the upper and the tongue to prevent water from getting into the shoe.

What makes the MW500 waterproof is its architecture and build, as well as a surface treatment. So they’ll stay waterproof throughout their lifespan and not just during initial use.

A 3-PIECE SOLE

The design team focused on the MW500’s sole. Considering the importance of good footing in golf, designing a good sole is essential to give golfers the best connection with the ground.

The designers looked to combine grip, comfort and durability. In mild weather, the ground can be dry or wet. So the engineers developed a sole in 3 parts:

A rubber part
A TPU part for great grip on soft ground
An EVA midsole for excellent comfort while walking

DICTATED BY THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE SWING

Sophie, a footwear product engineer, worked with the Sportslab teams. They defined the study to be set up, on the one hand, to specify the pressure zones by level of intensity, and on the other hand, the orientation of these stresses during a golf swing, for the left and right foot.

DOWN TO THE LAST DETAIL

The results of this study showed us very precisely what stresses are applied to the sole at any point.

An asymmetrical sole was designed, with each stud serving a specific function: in length, width, height, no two are alike! They are also distributed over the surface of the sole to match the pressure areas when walking and swinging. This work on the studs guarantees excellent grip qualities while limiting wear.

The outsole is also perforated to provide more flexibility and save weight where possible.

THE COMFORT OF EVA

The Inesis MW500 shoes are extremely comfortable. This is due to the flexibility and suppleness of the rubber outsole, but also the cushioning properties of the EVA foam midsole. It is a component widely found in running shoes. We benefit from all the expertise of the engineers of the running and trail brands at Decathlon who have developed exclusive EVA formulas.

Erik and Tanguy wanted to highlight the comfort qualities of the MW500 by designing “bumpers”, the waves found across the entire rim of the midsole.

Although they started from a blank slate when designing the Inesis Grip Waterproof, this time Erik and Tanguy were able to draw on the design of the previous version to create the upper of the Inesis MW500.

The idea was to retain the identity of the Inesis Grip Waterproof while adding more dynamic lines and improving user comfort. The forefoot is now constructed with a single piece for extra flexibility. Then there’s everything you don’t see, the internal build, the choice of foams, etc. We went the extra mile in terms of attention to detail.

TESTED IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS

The long-term test of the MW500 shoes began in January 2022. 20 testers (10 men, 10 women) were tasked with wearing the shoes as often as possible on their usual course. The fact there are testers spread across France, and the fact we started the test in mid-winter, means we’re pushing the MW500 to its limits, confronting it with more demanding conditions than what it was designed for. The MW500 shoes will also meet a wide variety of courses and grounds, from mud and sand to rainy and dry ground. The real life of a versatile golf shoe.