With all the renewed chatter about spikes and shoes, I'd like to proposition running journalists and media outlets:

Stop saying "carbon-fiber plated shoes/spikes"

Some more accurate alternatives: super shoes (my favorite), next-gen footwear/shoes/spikes, augmented footwear, etc

Referring to new footwear as "carbon-fiber plated" is misleading to both fans and customers. It inappropriately attributes the benefit to that plate (it's also inaccurate re: Dragonfly spike). It suggests that any new shoe w/CF is beneficial. It's not. And CF's not new, either.

This has been discussed and studied elsewhere, but very cool, elegant recent study from @LauraHealey15 and @woutersinas recently highlighted this. They made cuts across the plates in VF to reduce the effect of the plate but preserve the shoe: https://prezi.com/i/q6vhwu0m-3ez/laura-a-healey-asb-2020/

They didn't observe any net changes in power absorption/generation at the foot/shoe/ankle complexes in the cut plates vs. the intact plates, supporting the idea that its primary function is that of an architectural supporting piece within the shoe matrix.

To reiterate: the benefit of the super shoes and spikes comes from the interaction of their components: the substantially more resilient and compliant foam and/or air units whose benefit is facilitated by the rigid pieces/plates.

Better materials enabling new architectures.

Our feet are composed of rigid bones, compliant tissue, and elastic tendons & ligaments. They're not "boned leg appendages", they're feet. All those ingredients interact in beautifully dynamic complex ways to be better than some stiff bones or globs of fat at the end of our shins

Re: Dragonfly spike: it's a hefty chunk of Pebax foam w/a rigid Pebax plate. Comp. to conventional spikes, that foam is softer w/more energy return (both energetic savings) while preserving low weight, and the plate enables stability and faster ground contact on the squishy foam.

Quite similar story to the VF.

The Pebax plate here is likely a bit less stiff than CF (more comfortable/optimal in a distance spike?). Pebax was used as a rigid material (sprint spikes, ski boots, etc.) long before the foam for the same reasons: light, resilient, robust to temp

So, executive summary:

Don't refer to new footwear as "carbon-fiber plated". It misattributes the benefit of the shoes and misguides fans/consumers into thinking anything with a plate is good (it's not, necessarily).

Proposed new vernacular: next-gen shoes, super shoes, etc.