sparked by the needs of a decathlon athlete - NIKE prototypes cooling mask

sparked by the needs of a decathlon athlete – NIKE prototypes cooling mask
all images courtesy of NIKE

the idea started when united states olympic champion and decathlon world record holder ashton eaton, needed something to help him speed up his recovery time between events during competition. ‘a perfect scenario would be to feel like you’ve just started on every event. the more you do, the more attrition you experience,’ explains eaton. ‘rather than realizing immediate physiological gain, the challenge is more about reducing the mental attrition from the two days to maximize each event. after asking questions about current recovery techniques, the conversation prompted me to ask myself: why does it feel good, after running, to pour a bottle of water over your head? i don’t know the physiological answer, but the fact that it does feel better makes me perform better. ‘  

the face is two to five times more sensitive that any other body surface

NIKE sports research lab was already exploring the performance benefits of cooling the face, finding out that the face is two to five times more sensitive that any other body surface.  ashton, in cooperation with NIKE ‘apparel innovation team’, the cooling mask with head and neck coverage was created. the inner layers are designed to retain cool water without leaking, and at the same time, the mask keeps cold portions in place while maintaining a secure fit. the NIKE cooling mask is still in development in other sports as well, with many iterations of the hood being tested. NIKE will perfect the idea as elite tack and field competitions arrive in the next 18 months.

the mask keeps cold portions in place while maintaining a secure fit