Sports equipment industry fails female athletes by adapting male designs instead of innovating for women's needs
By
Ine Mylle
The bagel they save for the regulars. Don't skim, savour.
Summary
The article argues that the sports-equipment industry has long neglected the specific physiological needs of female athletes by simply shrinking and recoloring male-designed products ("shrink it and pink it"). It highlights how equipment like soccer cleats, running shoes, and protective gear are designed based on male anatomy, ignoring differences in women's foot shape, hip width, breast biomechanics, and muscle distribution. The piece calls for genuine research and design innovation tailored to female athletes, citing examples from breast biomechanics research and the need for better-fitting gear to improve performance and prevent injury.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledImagine French superstar Kylian Mbappé lacing up a pair of soccer boots before the World Cup final that were designed for a narrower heel, a different arch, a foot shape that is not his. Imagine him trying to explain to his coach, mid-sprint, why his ankle keeps rolling. Nobody would buy it. Nobody would even suggest it. Yet this is what the sports industry has been asking female athletes to do for decades.
The sports industry has long operated on a 'shrink it and pink it' model, taking products designed for men, making them smaller and colouring them pink or pastel, and calling them women's gear.
When you design for the average man, you design for nobody else. When you design for women, you design for everyone.
The gap in sports equipment design is not just about comfort – it's about performance, safety and fairness.
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