Dee Gordon_UA Yard FW18

Dee Gordon_UA Yard FW18

10.02.2018

GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING DANGEROUS

The new Under Armour Yard baseball cleat feels like a sneaker, but plays with an edge

One of the best compliments he can get, according to UA footwear designer Gabriel To’oto’o, is that his cleat is as comfortable as a running shoe. With the UA Yard, he’s accomplished just that. By mimicking how a running shoe is zoned, and using ultra-comfortable signature textiles, the UA Yard is bringing the sneaker fit and feel to cleated footwear.

 

Some of baseball’s most exciting players, including Andrew Benintendi of the Boston Red Sox, Dee Gordon of the Seattle Mariners, and Willson Contreras of the Chicago Cubs, have been wearing the UA Yard this season.

 

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“As baseball players, we play such a long season that wearing uncomfortable cleats could start causing us problems. Since I’ve started wearing the UA Yard, I have yet to have a single issue. These cleats are hands down one of my favorite, if not my favorite cleat I’ve ever worn.”

Andrew Benintendi, Boston Red Sox Outfielder

The pros know that in this game when you’re comfortable, you’re deadly. The UA Yard cleat – releasing along with a UA Yard trainer – is meant to take athletes from warm ups well into extra innings, through a grueling 162 game season into a heart-thumping postseason, without any discomfort. On top of the exceptionally comfy design, these cleats were carefully crafted to grip hard into the dirt, for everything from game-saving catches, to base-stealing sprints and walk-off grand slams.

 

To’oto’o harnessed his experience in designing performance running footwear to develop the Yard's composition. He added a mesh vamp for breathability and mobility in the forefoot, a laser-perforated suede midfoot panel that envelops the foot and keeps it centered, and plush material wrapped around the heel and collar to eliminate irritation and provide a locked-in fit. You can tell by holding the cleat that it’s going to feel great on your foot. That’s what To’oto’o and his team call the “pinch test” in reference to athletes who were shown the UA Yard prototype immediately grabbing and pinching at the heel and collar as a way of determining if they think a shoe will be comfortable or not. 

 

“We wanted these cleats, before anything else, to be Under Armour quality at a great value and a shoe that is ultimately going to feel fantastic on your foot. You’ll know immediately when you touch these cleats that they are unlike anything else Under Armour has done in the cleated footwear space; they’re softer, lighter and more comfortable.”

Gabriel To'oto'o, Senior Footwear Design Manager for Team Sports

Some of the key performance technologies and benefits the UA Yard offers include:

 

  • Molded heel, stretch collar & signature textiles make it fit & feel like your favorite sneaker.
  • Super-soft suede combines old-school style with new-school performance for enhanced baseball movement.
  • Ventilated tongue keeps you feeling cool during the hot summer months.
  • 9 metal spikes that dig in for explosive speed & power.
  • UA Charged Cushioning® returns energy & feels incredible while the molded sockliner forms perfectly to your foot.

Starting today, the UA Yard cleat ($90 USD) and UA Yard trainer ($85 USD) are available for purchase at Under Armour Brand Houses, UA.com, and at select retailers.