Garneau has unveiled a limited edition version of its new Course Airlite XZ cycling shoe called the Rusty Woods, in recognition of Canada’s leading, top-pro rider Mike Woods.
Featuring three of Garneau’s patented technologies, the Course Airlite XZ has received many awards such as the coveted Eurobike Award. Simple on the outside, the inside structure of the shoe includes Garneau’s innovative X-Comfort Zone technology, with the artistic design of the insole drawn by Woods himself.
Like Garneau, Woods is also preoccupied with the environment, so reducing their carbon footprint was something really important for them, so much so that Garneau has committed itself to donate part of the proceeds from the sale of these shoes to offset the carbon footprint of its products.
“I am really excited about this launch. Not only are the shoes super cool, but Garneau has committed itself to making donations to offset the carbon footprint of their products, which aligns perfectly with my own personal convictions. On the more practical side, I wanted the idea behind the whole concept to be that once you purchase the shoes you become a part of the “Woods Cardio Club”, which is committed to two (2) things: climate and cardio. With Garneau handling the climate aspect as far as donations are concerned, I have decided for my part, as a commitment to cardio, to make a donation to Hop On, an organization dedicating itself to get school-aged kids on bikes across Canada, for every pair of shoes sold,” says Woods.
“When Garneau started talking to me about making a signature edition shoe, I was immediately excited by the project. I felt honored that they wanted to make a shoe with my input in mind, and I really wanted to do my best so that the shoe reflected both me and my style. I am a big fan of simplicity. I like fashion, but the clothes and shoes that I wear are often simple and minimal in their design and color. Therefore, in working with Garneau, I pushed for the shoe to be as understated as possible. However, keeping the shoe minimally designed left its appearance without opportunity for it to really tell my story, defeating the purpose, really, of a signature edition shoe.This is when it was suggested by the Garneau team that we keep the outside of the shoe looking clean and simple but make the insole wild. I was really intrigued by this idea as not only could I leave a mark on the actual shoe, but I felt like this would be an opportunity for the shoe to reflect all that goes on inside of me. After that meeting, I jumped on my iPad, and just started to doodle ideas. As I drew, I started to think that the insoles of the shoe should be just that, my doodles. Drawings of things that are important to me now, of things that were important to me in the past, of things that have made me what I am today. I tried to fill the insole with things, both big and small, that float through my head on my rides. The initials of my parents, the names of my wife and daughter, places that I have raced or lived in, or where I went to school, or the hockey team I cheer for, all of these things I drew. This is why I love these shoes; because I know a part of me lives inside of them,” adds Woods.
Garneau has spent decades addressing power transfer and shoe weight, but the most common problem resulting in numbness and irritation is fit. Not only is shoe width a major problem, but foot volume expansion during any type of exercise has also been a neglected conversation. The X-Comfort Zone technology expands to accommodate the rider’s foot and foot expansion, stretching up to 5mm in order to ensure comfort and prevent numbness during long rides. In addition, the X-Comfort allows the shoe to fit two different widths, from C to D, thanks to a ventilated elastomer-spandex insert, creating a dynamic, non-constrictive fit for the foot’s natural toe splay, thus improving power, reducing injuries and creating unsurpassed comfort.
The Rusty Woods limited edition Course Airlite XZ is sells for $409.99, which is available for pre-order with expected delivery by the end of this month’s Tour de France.
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