Inside Adidas' new tech-infused store in New York City

A VR experience is one of several things to check out at the company's latest flagship space.

Senior Editor

UpdatedSat, December 10, 2016 at 8:30 PM UTC

Not to be outdone by Nike, Adidas has opened a new flagship store in New York City. And, just like its rival, the German company packed the space with loads of technology. Inside the four-story, 45,000-square-foot space, on the corner of 5th Avenue and 46th Street, you'll find a virtual-reality experience and a wearable system designed to help you find the best running shoe. Let's take a look at what other tech Adidas is featuring at its biggest retail store yet.

One of the most interesting things at the space is Run Genie, a system that uses two sensors and an iPad app to provide gait analysis for runners who visit the store. The goal is to help customers find the perfect shoe based on data collected during a quick running session in the store.

Once the Run Genie pods are attached to your shoes and you've hit at least 46 strides, the system figures out at which degree angle your foot strikes the ground and whether your ankle tends to roll to the inside after contact with it. Depending on your results, Run Genie could recommend a shoe model that focuses on cushioning and stability, for example.

And even if you don't buy a shoe there, Adidas still sends you your analysis for you to keep. But of course, the company would probably prefer you spend money there.

It's 2016, which means everything is now in virtual reality. To that end, Adidas has set up a 360-degree video experience featuring NBA superstar James Harden. Without giving too much away, you'll watch and listen to him as he tells the story of his signature sneaker with Adidas, which was released last week.

Throughout the store, you'll come across large touchscreens that let you view 3D scans of various shoes. Additionally, you can use these displays to read detailed product descriptions, as well as check out user reviews and ratings. Above all, though, Adidas says this is another way to keep customers entertained.

In case running up and down a track isn't your thing, Adidas also has treadmills people can use to try its Run Genie system. Similar to what Nike does with Trial Zones, you also get to run with a "view" of New York City -- which is much better than staring at a concrete wall.

This one is for sneakerheads. For the first time, Adidas is letting people customize its flagship running shoe, the Ultra Boost. The process is simple and takes only a few minutes to complete using a desktop computer. All you have to do is pick what color you want on the upper, heel, cage and laces, pay $265 and wait for it to show up at your door in three to five weeks.

The MI Ultra Boost is limited to the new Adidas store in New York City, as is a new "liberty" color (pictured here) that's not available on any other Ultra Boost.

Adidas' collaboration with Parley, an organization that focuses on fighting ocean pollution, extends beyond limited-edition sneakers. At its new flagship store, Adidas is using hangers and mannequins made from recycled ocean plastic -- yet another sustainability effort from the company. You can also buy $5 Parley-branded water bottles, with all proceeds going to environmental-conservation efforts.

According to Adidas, 87 percent of women are wearing the wrong size bra. That's why the company came up with the idea for its Bra Bar, which lets customers use a tablet to learn two simple steps to help them find the sports model with the right amount of support. After you've taken your measurements and entered what kind of activities you're planning to take on, the Bra Bar will make recommendations. Naturally, Adidas hopes women use that information to purchase one of its own bras.

"SAM," short for Store Associate Mobile, is a point-of-sales system powered by iPads. Adidas says it developed it in-house and that it allows employees to interact better with each other as well as customers. For instance, if someone wants to buy a shoe that isn't in stock, SAM lets the store associate look for that same model at other Adidas locations.

In addition, SAM can also pull up a product from the online store, at which point, should the customer still want it, she can order and pay for it the spot. Right now, SAM is being used on a full-time basis only at this new store, but Adidas says it'll roll out the system to more of its retail locations in the near future.

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Run Genie

One of the most interesting things at the space is Run Genie, a system that uses two sensors and an iPad app to provide gait analysis for runners who visit the store. The goal is to help customers find the perfect shoe based on data collected during a quick running session in the store.

Once the Run Genie pods are attached to your shoes and you've hit at least 46 strides, the system figures out at which degree angle your foot strikes the ground and whether your ankle tends to roll to the inside after contact with it. Depending on your results, Run Genie could recommend a shoe model that focuses on cushioning and stability, for example.

And even if you don't buy a shoe there, Adidas still sends you your analysis for you to keep. But of course, the company would probably prefer you spend money there.

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Inside Adidas' new tech-infused store in New York City

A VR experience is one of several things to check out at the company's latest flagship space.

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