An entirely new segment is emerging in the running market, in the shape of spiked shoes that are intended to run on ice. It was pioneered by Icebug, a small Swedish company, but ASICS and New Balance are both entering the fray this year, lending more support to its unique concept.
Icebug, which was launched 5 years ago, sold about 50,000 pairs of spiked running shoes last year - around Scandinavia as well as in the USA, Canada, Japan and Russia. After several changes in distribution that took place in the course of 2005, the Stockholm-based company expects to achieve sales growth of about 50 percent this year.
For the time being the Norwegian and Swiss markets are the most attractive ones for Icebug, but the sell-in has soared lately in German and American stores. While Icebug’s studded shoes are designed for runners, they are also spreading in Scandinavia as safe winter footwear, particularly for not so young people. Runners previously tended to hammer nails into their shoes in the winter, mostly using spikes that are intended for tires, but they regularly fell off and didn’t provide nearly the same level of grip as studded shoes.
ASICS Europe has taken up the concept for its own spiked running shoes, to be introduced at the retail level later this year, starting only with Scandinavia, the Baltic States and the Germanic countries. The sell-in of its new “Arctic Gel” series indicates that ASICS could sell from 10,000 to 15,000 pairs of these shoes in the first year. New Balance’s concept is somewhat different, with just one style that can be fitted with screw-in spikes.
Icebug was initially unsettled by ASICS’ launch, suspecting that the Japanese company’s designs may infringe upon Icebug’s patents. The Swedish company is still studying and comparing the designs, but a dispute now appears unlikely and Icebug has already come to the conclusion that ASICS was not harming its business in any significant ways.
To the contrary, the involvement of another more established brand has apparently encouraged some retailers to enter the ice segment. The two companies are selling their studded running shoes at comparable prices, each at about €120 a pair.
Based in Gothenburg, Icebug is led by Arne Törnkvist and his wife, Eliza Törnkvist, who earned her stripes as a skiwear designer working for Big Ski, Prototype and Reima. Together with other family members they own most of Icebug, although a small stake is in the hands of a Taiwanese sourcing company.
