When I took up running two years ago, I realized there are a ton of things that people do — and don't — tell you about it. For instance, eating carbs definitely does help, but having bad sneakers can wreck a run and cause some pain. The company Forus Athletics, which will be featured on Shark Tank this Friday night, has created a sneaker that promises to soothe both your foot pain and the ache from spending a lot on running shoes. According their website, Forus sneakers have special soles and 10 percent of all profits from the company are donated to children's charities.
Founded in 2010, Joel Vinocur and Arsene Millogo set out to make a lightweight shoe that was also comfortable. The result? They came up with the PolstarMax 6 insole shock-absorbing technology. "PolstarMax 6 fully absorbs the pressure of your body weight during a walk or intense work out and eliminates back, calf and spine pain allowing you to achieve your best performance," states the website. This technology — and sneaker — was able to raise more than $48,000 in an IndieGoGo campaign for its first run of kicks.
But will the sharks bite on Friday night to invest more in this product? Here's why they might invest in this comfy shoe for a good cause.
Varieties Of Forus Sneakers
According to the company's IndieGoGo campaign, Forus Athletics is named so because the shoes are "for us," the people. "This brand is 'for us' who want maximum support, comfort, and performance from our products, and 'for us' who wish to make a difference in our communities," the campaign states.
And that's why there are lots of varieties of shoes to choose from in the brand. The men's and women's Membrane Crypt is a lightweight shoe that includes the PolstarMax insole, which makes it "a shoe that feels like a sock," according to the Forus website. The men's and women's Nytro 90X promise to be lighter than your average running shoe and the IU shoes are, well, for designed for fans of Indiana University.
Charitable Donations
Forus Athletics promises to donate 10 percent of all profits to children's charities. "We believe all corporations should be involved in the communities they serve," the company states on its IndieGoGo page. "So Forus forever pledged 10% of its global profits to children charities worldwide."
How To Get Your Own
These light-as-a-feather miracle running shoes don't come cheap, but they're also not more expensive than your brand-name running kicks. The sneakers are currently available on the Forus website and range in price from $75 to $109.99, but watch out — some are already sold out. Looks like they're popular already.
Images: Michael Desmond/ABC; FORUS.Athletics.Official/Facebook (3)
