Bucket Style: Puma Running with Mercedes AMG Petronas F1

Sports company PUMA and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 have teamed up to create PUMA’s fastest, lightest and most propulsive Track & Field spike to date. Together with Mercedes AMG Petronas F1, PUMA applied engineering insights from the world of Formula 1 and automotive to design the EVOSPEED TOKYO FUTURE FASTER+ and the EVOSPEED TOKYO FUTURE NITRO FASTER+ for its athletes, including Karsten Warholm, Norwegian hurdler, World Record holder, World Champion and European Champion, and André De Grasse, Canadian sprinter and Olympic silver medalist. 

“To make the best spikes for our athletes, that comply with the regulations, we connected the engineers of Mercedes AGM Petronas F1 with our best footwear people,” said PUMA CEO Bjørn Gulden. “With the input from our athletes and their coaches, the team developed the best spikes PUMA has ever made.” 

Learnings and technological advances from the FASTER+ program were also passed down and integrated into other track and field spikes for athletes such as Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Swedish pole vaulter Armand “Mondo” Duplantis and Swiss sprinter Ajla Del Ponte

 “The FASTER+ program is about creating elite products for our elite athletes to help them excel in their sport” said Erin Longin, Global Director Run/Train at PUMA. “We believe that together with Mercedes AMG Petronas, we have created unique, innovation-led Track and Field spikes that will help our athletes run faster, jump farther and soar higher.”

“This collaboration with PUMA has been a natural alignment – track spikes need to run fast, and racing cars need to drive fast,” said Toto Wolff, CEO of Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport Formula One Team. “Whether you’re designing a great racing car or the perfect track spike, it comes down to engineering and putting as much performance as possible into the product. We have drawn on our experience and expertise in carbon fibre with the design, and along the way we learned that making an innovative track spike involves the same kind of complexity as a Formula One car – and it has been an exciting challenge to tackle together. Working closely with a trusted partner like PUMA, I believe this FASTER+ track and field spike is just the beginning of the collaboration between the two companies when it comes to innovation.”

The EVOSPEED TOKYO FUTURE FASTER+ was designed with 400m hurdles World Record holder Karsten Warholm and his coach. The spike’s upper is infused with carbon fiber threads and its sole has a carbon plate, engineered by Mercedes AMG Petronas, with permanent titanium pins. It weighs 135 grams. 

“What’s important for me is that I run very much on my forefoot,“ said Karsten. “This is why you want the carbon fiber plate to push you in the right direction, so when you land you want the plate to bend in the right way and return the energy. When you sprint, you have a very short amount of contact time with the ground, only 1 second, so you want the plate to answer very quickly. Therefore, I want the carbon to be stiff enough that I get the return before I leave the ground. That helps me run even faster.”

To respond to the needs of Canadian 100m and 200m sprinter Andre De Grasse, the EVOSPEED TOKYO FUTURE NITRO FASTER+ includes PUMA’s proprietary NITRO Foam in addition to the Mercedes AMG Petronas engineered carbon plate for added rebound. It weighs 199 grams.

“I believe that the partnership between PUMA and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 is excellent for the brand. It’s pretty cool that I actually have the carbon fiber in my spikes that’s going into the F1 cars that Lewis Hamilton races in," said Andre. "The stiffness of the plate is just amazing because I’m able to get off the ground as quickly as possible. Having this propulsion forward at the start of the race and being able to rebound and get off the ground as quickly as possible make these spikes just perfect for my 100m race."

PUMA’s FASTER+ program applies engineering insights from every corner of sport culture to our PUMA sports products. Benefits are focused on helping our athletes excel in their sport by looking beyond their typical field of play to make them better, faster, stronger.

“What I feel is very unique about this project is that it combines the best of all the worlds,” added Karsten. “It combines what PUMA knows about how to make a shoe that’s comfortable and fits your foot. It combines what Mercedes knows about carbon fiber through their Formula 1 work and it combines what my coach and I know about running and the biomechanics for running. This is very unique and it has given us the perfect product for us to work on the track - a spike that is really aggressive, with a really good forward propulsion, and it gives me all the tools I need to be the best version of myself.”

FASTER+ is part of PUMA’s Only See Great’ campaign – launched in the spring of 2021 - to convey a spirit of optimism, hope and self-belief – following a difficult year and leading up to major sports moments.

Bucket Tech: Fitbit Charge 4

With gyms being closed around the world, in home workouts are becoming the in thing, for those with rewards and goals facilities on medical aids, the only way to reach those targets is with a fitness watch, now more than ever is the best time to own one. Fitbit Charge has been one of the best entry level fitness trackers from the first model, with it at the time being the cheapest and most reliable heart rate monitor on the market. There was no fancy colour screen or graphics, just did the job and did it well. Not much has changed in the fourth generation model in terms of aesthetics but the technology that is packs can compete with some of the best in the market.  

The Charge 4 features improved battery life of up to 7 days, meaning less charges required, the built-in GPS tracks your pace and distance so its great for running, cycling and hiking. With the built-in GPS, you do not require your phone to be on you to track your work out. Previous models required your phone to be connected and in close proximity. The Charge 4 also notifies you when you'e reached your target rate, so you can continue to maintain that on your workout without having to keep checking your watch. The Charge 4 syncs to the Fitbit app on your mobile device seamlessly, has a host of preloaded exercises to track. The Charge 4 is already available for pre-order for $149,95 on the official Fitbit store as well as a host of bands and accessories

Bucket Tech: Huawei Watch GT2

As a brand committed ushering in technological innovations, Huawei has unveiled the its new HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series. The 42mm series is the more feminine version of the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 46mm series, which was released in October. The 42mm series boasts some distinctly superior tech aspects and features, well as an elegant design and aesthetic.

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series has advanced power-saving capabilities, Bluetooth calling, music playback functionalities, and, most importantly, boasts brand new multi-sports modes with richer programmes and better monitoring. The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 is also Huawei’s first sportswatch with an all-in-one 3D glass screen that has undergone artisanal polishing, allowing the warm elegance of the device to flow all over the screen, making it the ideal wearable for women who love partaking in sporting activities, while maintaining a stylish look.

Here are some of the unique features of the all-new HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series:

üThe Huawei Kirin A1: energy-efficient power. 

The new HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series comes built in with the Huawei Kirin A1, which has an ultra-energy efficient Cortex-M7 processor. This processor has achieved a maximum consumption rate of 10uA/MHz – sitting well below the industry's 30uA/MHZ power consumption level. This enables the device to achieve the perfect combination of advanced performance and ultra energy efficiency. 

ü A high definition touch screen: crystal-clear clarity 

With its 1.2 inch AMOLED display and highly accurate touch response, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm reaches up to 390 x 390 pixels, delivering an unparalleled visual experience. The AMOLED HD screen provides contrast and colour vibrancy that surpasses what you’d typically find on a TV. ü 

üSmart battery saving algorithm 2.0: intelligent performance

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series’ software has also been upgraded from its predecessor, and boasts an all-new smart power-saving algorithm 2.0 mode. This mode can intelligently identify the user’s actions in different situations –such as standing, wearing, or sport scenarios – and adjusts energy usage for those different activities. This feature strikes a perfect balance between performance and energy consumption, enabling the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series’ battery to last one week when:

· Worn 24 hours a day;

· Screen is turned on 200 times a day;

· 90 minutes of working out every week (GPS enabled);

· Heart rate monitoring enabled;

· HUAWEI TruSleepTM enabled for sleeping;

· Message notifications enabled (50 SMS messages and 3 alarms a day);

· 30 minutes music playing every week.

üHeart rate monitoring: precise body recognition

Combine the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm Cortex-M7’s powerful multi-sensors with the capacitive sensor, optical heart rate sensor and a range of others and it is becomes easy to understand why the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series can provide users with some of the most accurate body recognition and monitoring capabilities. This multi-sports watch is so advanced that it will send you reminders when your heart rate has stayed above 100 bpm or lower than 50 bpm for over 10 minutes when you are resting. You can customise these limits and check your heart rate in the Huawei Health App.

ü An advanced sports device: 15 professional sports modes

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series boasts an impressive 15 sporting modes, including 7 types of outdoor activities – like hiking, running and cross country – and 7 indoor activities, including the elliptical machine, rowing machine and treadmill. The device is also able to track your activity from all of these sports, and uploads that data onto the Huawei Health App. Both Android and iOS users can easily download this app to sync with the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series. This positions the watch as a smart workout partner, which is able to provide users with real-time guidance, and real-time workout status reminders.

ü Dual satellite system: precise location

Through its accurate GPS, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series uses a dual satellite system for clear positioning. Because this sportswatch is able to search for a large number of satellites, it provides complete accuracy in location data. The GPS adopts a precise trajectory algorithm, enabling one-to-one trajectory optimisation in complex terrains and locations.

ü Huawei TruSleep™ 2.0: sleep monitoring and improvement

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series goes further than just tracking your physical activities and movements during strenuous exercises and sporting activities. It also comes built in with the Huawei TruSleep™ 2.0 – a game-changing feature that allows you to monitor your real-time heart rate, sleep quality and sleep breathing quality. Coupled with Huawei’s AI technology, the device can accurately diagnose six types of sleep issues and provide suggestions for better rest.

The elegant HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm is available at a RRP of R4 499 and can be purchased at the Huawei online store (www.huaweistore.co.za), Sportsman’s Warehouse, Cape Union Mart and Totalsports.

Discovery Vitality members – the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series can earn you up to 75% cash back on your purchase of this sportswatch and cash back on your monthly goals. Go to https://www.discovery.co.za/vitality/fitnessbooster -device to find out more.