We cover shoes that aid mobility, support stability, and tracker wearer locations. For example, we wrote about smart shoes developed at Arizona State University that use sensors and AI to help prevent ankle injury. Shoes with GTX BPS SmartSole insoles track cognitively impaired people who wander. Tec-Innovation‘s InnoMake shoe with built-in smart obstacle detection assists blind people so they can walk free without a cane. We also wrote about self-tying shoes from Nike and Digisole. Self-tying shoes are primarily designed to assist older people with arthritis or anyone who lacks the flexibility to reach their shoes and the dexterity to tie them.
Utah-based Kizik makes hands-free shoes for the whole family. Kiziks are for women, men, seniors, and kids who want shoes they can put on solely by stepping into them. Kizik styles with laces are permanently tied. When you put on a Kizik you simply step into the shoe. One of three trademarked design features compresses the back of the shoe while you slide your foot in and then springs back to hold the shoe securely on your foot. Kizik’s hands-free design components are the Cage, the Internal Cage, and Flex Arc. The Cage is a flexible plastic lattice fitted at the back of the shoe. According to Kizik, the Cage withstands more than 30,000 compressions. The Internal Cage has flexible interwoven ribs integrated in the shoe upper. Kizik shoes with the Flex Arc have a flexible, rainbow-shaped arc attached to the sole that rebounds to cushion and hold your foot in place after you step into the shoe.
Unlike many slip-on/slip-off shoes for seniors that resemble industrial safety gear, Kizik shoes are fashion-first. They come in several styles with many color variations. Kizik also has a customer rewards program that awards points when you buy shoes, refer a friend, or mention the Kizik brand on social media. Points can be cashed in for discounts on your next pair of Kizik shoes.
