Today we’d like to share a review of 3D printed shoes put on by Xiaomi crowdfunding in August, 2018. Its full name is FreeTie volley 3D printed sports shoes, and the price was 599 yuan ($87) when we bought it. How does it feel and how is the condition of the shoes after wearing for a whole year? Check out our post and make decisions before you buy them someday!
FreeTie uses 3D printing technology to break the limitations of traditional mold technology. At the same time, combined with the characteristics of human foot force, the lightweight design of the sole is designed to create a mid-bottom hollow bionic structure, which makes the whole pair of shoes look unique. At night, it also shows the effect of light penetrating the sole.
The shoes feature a 3D printed sole, a unique hollow cushioning design, and a fishbone arch locking system. The upper is made of a unique one-piece flying weaving process, breathable for the feet but too cold in winter. The high-elastic yarns of five different colors are blended with a jacquard weave of contrasting jacquard to ensure that the upper is stretched and rebounded, and the upper is added to the upper layer.
Produced by E-Plus3D, the soles are printed with Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), using TPU powders. The shoes are well-designed and fit the feet of our colleague so well. But the sole is too thick that the advantages of 3D printed shoes like flexibility and light-weight have not been reflected. After a few weeks, the feet were accustomed to the relatively hard midsole, but sometimes the shoes hit the ankles and made some bruises.
The shoes have been worn in four seasons, in extremely wet and dry environments, in cities and countryside. Our colleague wore it walking, climbing mountains, playing basketball, fishing, surfing, etc. Wearing it and walk 15km every day is not a painful experience. The shoes can quickly get dry on rainy days, the midsole of which can easily be washed from mud and sand. However, the sand would leave in the upper parts, just like the other shoes.
Below are the photos of its current condition. Luckily, the shoes still look good and did not break or lose adhesion; there is little dirt left in the hollowed outsoles. Only part of the sores has abrasion.
Our colleague weighs less than 50kg, lighter than most males. So we interviewed a man who weighs 70kg, and he also said that the shoes have good quality. In a word, this pair of 3D printed shoes have a high cost-efficiency. It is suitable for daily wear but does not perform so well in sports.