adidas has launched its second apparel collection featuring RHEON ™ technology from RHEON Labs®, the Adizero Control running collection. The apparel pieces in the Adizero Control collection feature the RHEON™ patented reactive super polymer, which provides unparalleled energy control to help athletes improve their performance.
Simon Huntsman, Commercial Director and Head of Reactivewear at RHEON Labs®:
In a world of elite sport, incremental gains can be the difference between the podium and last place. Until now, athletes have been losing energy – and therefore performance – through unwanted muscle movement or ‘shearing’. But apparel featuring RHEON ™ works like a reactive exoskeleton, reducing muscle inefficiencies and those small fractional losses of performance.The RHEON™ material ensures that this energy is not lost by positioning muscles into the most efficient position, so more energy is directed into performance, helping athletes to unlock those few extra percentage points when performing at their limits. RHEON ™ is highly strain-rate sensitive. Like running on wet sand, it is naturally soft and flexible but stiffens up the faster it is stretched. In activewear this unlocks a new world of performance apparel that is barely noticeable during everyday use, yet highly supportive in high-intensity movements.”
Using existing manufacture to bring new benefits
RHEON™ is strategically placed across major muscles. The strands are strain-rate sensitive, meaning the material is soft and flexible, but instantly becomes more rigid and supports when the wearer is performing high-intensity movements. This means the Adizero Control apparel provides all-around support during activity without being restrictive or overly compressive.
Strands are designed using proprietary ‘geometries’ by RHEON Labs®. The shape, size and placement of each piece is ergonomically designed using computer modelling to offer the optimal support for key muscle groups during exercise.
The manufacture of the collection has also been carefully overseen to ensure that RHEON™ works to the best effect. The RHEON Labs® and adidas teams have worked closely with tier one manufacturers to ensure that the application of the panels works within existing manufacturing processes for lamination, using settings which preserve the energy absorption qualities of the material.
