Endurance Sports Leader Spartan Develops Technical, High-Performance Trail Running Shoe with Craft Sportswear

May 18, 2021

Spartan x Craft Nordic Speed Shoe Features Carbon-Infused Outsole, Reinforced Foam Midsole and Flexible Upper

BOSTON, Mass. – Following the release of its highly-anticipated, best-in-class obstacle course racing shoe, the Spartan RD Pro by Craft, the world’s leader in endurance sports and extreme wellness went back to the lab with its performance apparel and footwear partner to create a technical, high-performance trail running shoe, the “Spartan x Craft Nordic Speed Shoe.” The shoe, built for speed, endurance, and durability, meets the specific needs that trail runners expect to face on the trail, from uneven terrain to wet, slippery surfaces.

“With Spartan Trail events growing across the world, attracting athletes from beginners to professionals, our community needs a high-performance shoe to keep up with the demands of the terrain,” said Michael Lunardelli, Spartan’s vice president of merchandise and retail. “We’ve worked closely with Craft’s team of designers and technicians – who pay strict attention to detail – to create the Spartan x Craft Nordic Speed. Every stitch and seam has been intricately designed using the best materials and technology available – ensuring it will stand up to the terrain and providing a competitive edge to those who wear it.”

The Spartan x Craft Nordic Speed is designed for speed and built to endure. It’s ready for any trail and equipped with essential technology, including:

• Specially formulated carbon-infused outsole, which holds grip over slippery, wet terrain
• Reinforced foam midsole, which produces a smooth ride on rough, uneven trails
• Ultra flexible, ultra durable upper, which keeps you fresh and protected mile after mile

The men’s colorway features a black upper with a teal sole and tongue, while the women’s is offered with a teal upper and smoked pearl sole and tongue. Both models retail for $140 on Spartan.com.

“People in Sweden and the Nordic region are very health and fitness conscious and use the extreme conditions of the nature around them to maximize the way they run and train,” said Eric Sarin, head of CRAFT’s footwear development and a 25-year athletic shoe maven responsible for the engineering and design behind Spartan X Craft footwear collaborations. “This shoe was born with exactly that in mind — to assist athletes as they train and compete in variable conditions to their ultimate ability. With Nordic trails and mountains and natural obstacles as our muse, we created an extremely versatile trail running OCR shoe.”

Since partnering with CRAFT Sportswear in 2018, Spartan has established itself as a serious player in high-performance apparel and footwear built for endurance training and racing. The creation of the Spartan x Craft Nordic Speed Shoe was a natural evolution for the collaboration between the two brands, as Spartan has expanded its footprint in trail running with the creation and growth of Spartan Trail and the Spartan Trail World Championship, which draw the world’s best trail runners to 10 prestigious trail and ultra races across four continents.

About CRAFT Sportswear

CRAFT Sportswear is a Swedish brand specializing in clothing and footwear for endurance sports where performance and comfort are crucial for a good result. With a passion for sports and a commitment to innovation, design and performance, CRAFT Sportswear offers tools for sport achievements that inspire and enable athletic progress for world champions and everyday heroes. For more information, please visit www.craftsports.us

ABOUT SPARTAN

Spartan is a global experiential sport and wellness brand with a 10 million+ strong community. We create transformational experiences, products, and content to help people, companies and teams tear down boundaries and expand what they believe to be possible. Spartan combines large scale global events with a vibrant digital content and community platform. With 250 events across more than 40 countries on six continents, Spartan is the world’s leading extreme wellness and endurance brand. Visit spartan.com for more information and registration.