Hi-TecKnowledgy - V-Lite Infinity featuring ion-mask™

Back in March we posted an article on the V-Lite Infinity Trail Running shoes featuring ion-mask™, which you can read here.

Since then the Infinity story has gone from strength to strength picking up a host of awards along the way including the Health Magazine Gear Award for the best trail running shoe (women's shoe) and the Best New Trail Shoe Award from Running Network. You can see Hi-Tec talking about the awards and the shoes at the Outdoor Retailer here.

V-Lite Infinity HPi

However, the success did not stop there. The Liquid Mountaineering viral that promoted the Infinities has now surpassed 10 million views and was even featured in an episode on the hit Discovery Channel TV show, Mythbusters:



The campaign has also been used by The Times 100 as a case study example of 'Using promotion to position a brand' which you can read here.

With the Infinity range gather a strong momentum, Hi-Tec have now produced a series of videos, filmed at the 'Hook and Bullet' lounge. Already covering the Cascadia eVent HPi (also featuring ion-mask™) the latest video focuses on the V-Lite Hpi version of the Infinity range and looks at the 'sciencey' stuff in your shoes. You can be one of the first to view it below:



Do you own a pair of Infinity's? If so, we would love to hear how they and the ion-mask™ technology works for you. Also if you have not played the Infinity Run game yet, why not give it a go.... You can also find out more about the technology that makes the Infinity 'run on water' here?

ion-mask™ - Then and Now

Where did it all begin?

P2i originated as a project within the UK Governments' DSTL division to make soldier's clothing more effective against chemical attack. In 2004 P2i became the first DSTL technology transfer company to commercialize the technologies developed by the UK Government. 

Where are we now?

Today we operate within five key market sectors: Lifestyle (ion-mask™), Electronics (Aridion™), Filtration & Energy, Life Sciences and Military & Institutional. In this post we will focus on ion-mask™ and where it has been optimized for the footwear industry.

ion-mask™ has been available commercially since 2008, when outdoor footwear company Hi-Tec became the first brand to bring the technology to consumers by applying ion-mask™ to a new style of hiking boot; the V-Lite Altitude Ultra WPi:



Hi-Tec V-Lite Altitude Ultra WPi - First ever walking boot to feature ion-mask™

 Since then the ion-mask™ - Hi-Tec range has expanded significantly including the development of the Infinity trail runner which spawned the YouTube viral sensation 'Liquid Mountaineering':



Today, ion-mask™ has been applied to eleven separate footwear brands including Timberland, Van Dal and K∙Swiss to name but a few. You can read more about ion-mask™ and these brands in our case studies as well as seeing some of the styles below:



K∙Swiss Kwicky Blade Light



Hi-Tec Infinity HPI





Timberland City 6in Boot



Van Dal Cannes



ion-mask™ has also branched out from footwear and in 2011 we have seen the technology being applied to lifestyle accessories including gloves (Fox) and hats.

From previous post you will also have read that we have just returned from OutDoor 2011 in Friedrichshafen, Germany where we were demonstrated ion-mask™ to leading outdoor brands. The show was a great success with many companies enquiring about the adoption of ion-mask™ for apparel, a similar question we receive through our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts. This is an area that we are extensively researching so watch this space...

The range of products featuring ion-mask™ continues to grow and if you have your own footwear featuring the technology we would love to hear your reviews and comments. There are also a host of reviews online you can read if you would like to know more or thinking of purchasing a new pair of shoes, here is a brief selection:

- Hi-Tec:

   ∙ Outdoors Magic 

    ∙ Outdoor Enthusiasts

    ∙ Gear We Are

- K∙Swiss:

   ∙ Sport (SBlog)

    ∙ Ironman

 

'Running on Water' - Hi-Tec's Liquid Mountaineering featured on MythBusters

'Liquid Mountaineering', launched last April as a viral on YouTube, has taken the world by storm. With nearly 10 million views to date, it has even started a new sports phenomenon with a whole host of videos emerging of attempts to run on water, including Liquid Mountaineering arrives in America;  Ripple Runner and St. Andrews Surface Tension.

While all are very good, it is the original that has really captured the imagination:



All this exposure has caught the attention of Discovery Channel's 'MythBusters' program who were keen to put the myth to the test - can you actually run on water?

As you can see from the amount of views and spin-offs video that the viral has generated, it is a question that many people want an answer to. So on Wednesday's edition of MythBusters, the episode entitled 'Running on Water' was aired. You can see highlights from the after show edition below:



The viral all stems from Hi-Tec's development of their Infinity range which includes P2i's ion-mask™ technology or the 'totally water repellent coating' that is mentioned in the video. From this the 'Walk on Water' idea was born and a few months later Hi-Tec revealed all with the 'Making of Hi-Tec Liquid Mountaineering'...



Awarded the coveted: Best Viral Mockumentary from Ad Age, Liquid Mountaineering has been a huge success for Hi-Tec and the coverage on MythBusters tops off a very successful campaign.

Want to know more about the shoes featured in the video? You can see the collection and learn about the Infinity story here.

Infinite Possibilities with Hi-Tec and ion-mask™

For any runner the correct footwear is essential as a wrong purchase can lead to blisters, sprains or worse and for trail runners this takes on even more significance as the terrain is undulating, filled with among other things; rocks, mud and water.

In this environment, footwear really must be up to the task, offering stability over and on rocks, grip through mud and loose surfaces, as well as liquid repellent benefits when faced with water (rain, streams or puddles).

It is with this in mind that Hi-Tec has developed the Infinity collection, designed with trail runner's comfort in mind. Incorporating a number of ground breaking technologies including ion-mask™, the Infinity range offers the highest levels of comfort by setting the standard for the ultimate lightweight shoe for adventure sports performance:



Hi-Tec, who were the first leading brand to bring ion-mask™ to the consumer marketplace with their V-Lite hiking range,  have again incorporated the liquid repellent benefits that the world leading technology offers. ion-mask™ has been applied to all HPi models and thanks to the technology, the shoes will remain dryer, lighter and cleaner when out on the trail.

While we of course carry out rigorous testing, Hi-Tec sought further third party validation and this testing proved that water uptake is reduced by 87.66% when compared to an untreated shoe.

In addition to this, the shoes also feature Vibram soles and S.U.Z.E (Seamless Upper Zone Engineering) which is unique to Hi-Tec. You can find out more about the technologies here.

Two shoes that make up the Infinity range are the men's and women's V-Lite Infinity HPi which can be seen below:


 


A fully interactive micro-site has also been built specifically for the collection, here you can find out more behind the Infinity story, including the now famous Liquid Mountaineering viral video as well as the details on all the technologies involved - www.hi-tec.com/infinity.

We are delighted that Hi-Tec has incorporated ion-mask™ technology to this industry changing collection and we would be eager to hear your thoughts on how they performed for you.

You can learn more about ion-mask™ here or visit our YouTube channel and watch our Lifestyle video.