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Warrior has come out with the new Burn Speed 3.0 cleat and the light and sleek shoe is what Team USA will be wearing next summer at the World Lacrosse Championships. Warrior gave Lacrosse Playground an inside look at what it takes to put a shoe like this together. We spoke to the team responsible for the cleat, including Head Designer Lars, Designer "Killer" and Footwear Brand/Product Manager C.D.
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What is the creative process for developing a custom team cleat like this?
There is so much that goes into a product like this. It is very much a team process. From a design perspective it’s a matter of marrying form and function. We work very hard to balance all the proper elements to create a shoe that exemplifies the Warrior brand and will make the US team feel fast when they step on the field. It’s all about playing fast and looking fast.
What was the inspiration behind the cleat?
Speed and aggression. Those are the things you need to win on the field as a player. We work to express that in the equipment. If the player “feels” tougher and faster than anyone else on the field, we have done our job.
What was the decision-making behind the colors? Why did you end up using what you did and in the manner in which you did?
Well a nice white cleat always feels fast on the foot. The rest of the color scheme aids in hooking up with the U.S. team colors. It’s about making the shoe and the player look classy. We wanted to properly rep the U.S. with a good balance of red and blue. We definitely accomplished that in this custom shoe.
During the process of creating the cleat, how much does the final product differ from the initial designs? What’s the revision process like?
In the footwear industry a design can take tons of twists and turns along the way. If you have a strong vision and do your homework from the beginning, most the time it won’t need to change too much. I think with the 3.0 we are at about 90% of the intended concept.
Is there anything unique about this cleat or any stories behind the creation of this cleat that would be of interest to readers?
Well, we all know that Warrior as a lax brand is as legit as you will get. We try to bring this to the product in every detail we add. Many cross-over cleats out there are used for football and lax. We have pushed how much mesh can go on a cleat and how light we can get this shoe. This is a cleat for the bad ass baller, every step of the way. When we add support to an area, or mesh for breathability in other areas it’s directly relative to lax specific needs.
What type of feedback or input, if any, did you get from the teams?
Clean, fast, clean, fast and FAST! We work with numerous teams and players across the country. These guys want to dust anyone they step to. You can’t do that with a brick on your foot.
For the Team USA cleat, it obviously is representing our country. Is there anything in particular that you looked for in terms of inspiration in designing that cleat?
I would go back to the classy part. We want our boys to feel hardcore but they are representing the best country in the world. There is no need for any over the top colors or something outlandish. These cleats have a great balance of speed, class, and aggression...clean and true, red, white and blue...GO USA!
This is the first part in a series looking at some of the fresh custom footwear that Warrior is bringing lacrosse. Be sure to check back with Lacrosse Playground next week to learn even more.