It's their routine and what is beneficial for them.
Nike and Hyperice just put HEAT and VIBRATION inside that habit. The Air Zoom Hyperslide follows last year's heavy-duty shoe..
So what's new? And why do I think this could be category-defining?
The shoe missed out on the 'habit', but the slipper builds on the behaviour people already have, and that makes it very compelling.
Wearables tell you that you are under-recovered. So what do WE have to recover well?
There are recovery brands, like OOFOS OOahh Plus, US$70. Then we have the performance brands that are moving into recovery:
• lululemon Restfeel Slide, US$58
• HOKA Ora Recovery Slide 3, US$60
• Nike ReactX Rejuven8, US$65
• adidas Purechill, about US$75
• Salomon Reelax Slide 6.0, about US$75
• ASICS ACTIBREEZE Hybrid Sandal 2, US$110
• Under Armour Armour SlipSpeed, US$120
• norda run 008 recovery slide, US$145
• Nike x Hyperice Air Zoom Hyperslide, US$249
And Crocs, Inc. sells a Mellow Recovery Slide at US$40, which is where the category stops being athletic and becomes retail.
Clearly, Nike is betting on powered tech at four times the price. The pro training room proved the protocol. Bigger question is: Will this be the category that leads them out of the years-long slump?
The data agrees. Recovery services revenue will grow from US$8 to US$24.5 Billion by 2035, an 11.6% CAGR (Future Market Insights, 2025).
As a long-term user of Therabody and other recovery products, I can personally vouch for how IMPORTANT recovery is to maintain your fitness goals as one ages.
While there's a lot of exciting things happening in the healthspan space, the money (as always) will sit in the boring formats: things that fit a routine instead of demanding a new one.
So tell me: Do you know any amazing companies that are working to get everyday habits 'wired up' next?
