Official supplier of the Premier League and Serie A, Nike has just unveiled a new ball “Nike Flight”, which takes over from the ball “Merlin” introduced on the market during the summer of 2018.
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In addition to its design which does not go unnoticed with raised areas and hollow areas, this new ball has the distinction of highlighting a new technology called “Aerowsculpt” by Nike. The originality of this technology? The virtual absence of stitching on the ball. You should know that a “normal” soccer ball consists of several panels that are either sewn or heat sealed while this new Nike Flight ball offers a construction with four panels welded by fusion, with 40% less rigid seams than a traditional 12-panel ball. This construction provides a prominent fulcrum for superior tactile performance.
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This virtual absence of stitching is not just a detail since the aerodynamics of the ball and therefore the trajectories are modified. Nike says in a statement that “The ball offers a measurable advantage of 30% more flight time than the Merlin ball”. This Aerowsculpt technology is the fruit of more than 8 years of laboratory research which has given in particular 68 different iterations before the final product.
“Everything that is done in the laboratory is rooted in science”says Kieran Ronan, chief equipment officer at Nike. “Here we are able to detect small differences in performance that may not be noticeable for most athletes, but when these small differences are repeated 68 times, the result is a noticeable jump in performance”.
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In order to reduce the oscillation, and therefore to create more predictable and more regular trajectories, the laboratory of Nike has developed a solution which favors the movement of air around the ball rather than grabbing its surface. Nike AerowSculpt technology uses patented technology to mold features in the surface of the ball that are designed to improve aerodynamics and act similar to the dimples on a golf ball.
The Nike Flight balloon also uses 3D ink to strategically print “micro-flaps”, which allows it to draw inspiration from aerospace principles and further optimize aerodynamic stability.
A Premier League and Serie A version of the ball is expected to be released soon. We will soon be fixed on the impact of this new ball in the match. The “Nike Flight” ball is already available for sale from our partners at Foot.fr who offer you a 20% discount for the purchase of this ball thanks to the promo code: FLIGHT20.
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