Kane Footwear Launches (Sustainable) Revive Active Recovery Footwear

Athletes are looking for any advantage they can get when it comes to performance, and a big part of performance is recovery. To perform your best, you need to recover your best. Kane Footwear, a new brand when it comes to recovery, is launching their Revive active recovery shoe. This slip-on shoe aims to provide all-day comfort and support for your tired muscles, while remaining environmentally friendly. I’ve had a demo pair in for a month or so before the launch to test them out.

While it might look like a simple slip-on shoe, there is a lot going on with the Revive. Kane’s BounceBack foam uses biopolymers that come from the byproducts of sustainably harvested Brazilian sugarcane. Not only is sugarcane a renewable resource that can be used to create plant based versions of petroleum products like plastic, but it is also carbon-negative in that it synthesizes carbon dioxide into energy through sugar. The sugar is what creates the ethylene in the EVA foam used in the shoe. Currently, Kane uses 56% sugarcane in their Revive shoes, and hopes to increase that amount in the future.

“It was important to me that sustainability was woven into Kane from the outset of the brand,” commented Kane Footwear CEO, John Gagliardi. “An obvious place for us to start was to be critical of the materials we used in production. As we learned more about the natural properties of sugarcane it became the clear choice for the Revive.”

Kane is also a pending B-Corp and will join 1% for The Planet, an organization dedicated to supporting environmental protection with the launch of the Revive.

When it comes to recovery, Kane tapped Dr. Daniel Geller, a renowned Board Certified foot and ankle surgeon who has worked with top cycling and triathlon teams, along with the New York City Ballet. Dr. Geller helped to create a design that provides comfort, support, fit, and air circulation in a package that allows you to comfortably move throughout your day while recovering. Let’s face it, these days, you can’t always workout, and then sit and recover all day, and honestly, that isn’t always the best way to recover. For example, after my wife ran the New York City Marathon, we spent the next day walking around the city to help keep her legs moving and loose, before our three hour drive back home, and she was back to training later that week.

The Revive uses dual-density foam to balance support and comfort. A firmer upper is mated to a 31mm thick sole that provides plenty of cushioning for all day wear. The design provides support to smaller muscle groups within the foot while providing comfort step after step. Kane uses an anatomical last shape that mirrors the natural proportions and contour of the foot, providing support to the arch, heel and instep. A generous toe box provides room for the forefoot without feeling confined.

“Coupling superior cushioning and proper mechanics Kane’s Revive achieves the concept of a recovery shoe,” notes Dr. Geller.

The upper has open holes to allow plenty of ventilation to keep your feet cool and dry. There is a rope loop on the back that helps with sliding them on and off, and allows you to hang them if you want.

So, all of that is great, but how do they actually perform? As I said earlier, I’ve had a pair in for about a month or so to test out before the release. Active recovery footwear isn’t completely new for me, having owned a few pairs of Oofos sandals for probably five years. They set the bar pretty high for me, considering they were comfortable enough to wear for a full day on the floor at Interbike years ago.

When they first arrived, I wore them around the house for the day for initial impressions. The Revive isn’t quite as soft as the Oofos, but they are definitely comfortable and a little more supportive for my foot, feeling more like a sneaker. They have a subtle texture on the footbed that is comfortable and provides a little bit of grip inside the shoe. It’s not nearly as pronounced as the numbs on Adidas slides from back in the day, which personally I never found comfortable, but this texture feels good bare foot or with socks on, while also promoting blood flow to pressure points on the foot. The upper provides support when walking, while remaining soft and comfortable without socks. The opening is large enough to easily slip them on, but still keep your foot stable.

From there, I wore them to and from the spin studio, and after efforts on the trainer. I never had a chance to beat up my legs like I have running half marathons, but wore them after a few Alpe d’Zwift rides and teaching back to back The Trip classes. The Revive was always comfortable, and provided the support I needed. In the summer, I would definitely enjoy the ventilation, but they were still warm enough to wear for the short walks to the car.

When it comes to looks, they wouldn’t be what I grab for a night out on the town, but at the gym or post race, they wouldn’t look out of place. They are available in a range of colors like black/cream, stone/cream, heather/pink, and special versions that have a white upper and either a Pacific (blue) or Spring (mint) speckled sole, or black with charcoal grey speckled sole. My blue/white combo are just one of a few other color combos that you can see on their website, but not the available through the Kickstarter.

For sizing, they run maybe a little on the larger side. I received a pre-production sample pair in size US 9 (the only size available at the time) to test out before the launch. While I’m usually a 10.5 or 11 (44.5-45), the sample in a men’s 9 wasn’t too far off in size. A 10 would probably have been perfect. The Revive will run in full sizes, ranging from 8-15 for men, and 5-9 in women.

Initially, the Revive will be available through Kane’s Kickstarter campaign. Early adopters will pay $55 a pair. After that option is exhausted, the Revive will run at its regular retail price of $65 or you can pick up two for $115. Later this summer, you’ll be able to order them directly from Kane.

If the Revive sounds like something you want to add to your pre or post workout routine, the Kickstarter is active now and runs through April 22nd, 2021.

http://www.kanefootwear.com