SUPER BOOM: Born from BOOM but More
For sneaker enthusiasts, the once-obscure Chinese character “䨻” has become a household name in recent years. Known as BOOM in English, this innovative midsole technology made its debut in 2019 with the Way of Wade 7, featuring BOOM cushioning in the forefoot. At the time, the only clue about this mysterious new material was the phrase "YOU WILL KNOW" printed on the insole. Soon after, Li-Ning officially unveiled BOOM, a midsole technology developed using supercritical bead foaming. Following its release, BOOM became a cornerstone of Li-Ning's footwear innovation. Research and development efforts began to expand in two directions: one aimed at vertically enhancing performance through advanced materials and processes, and the other at broadening its use across different scenarios.
Now, SUPER BOOM marks the next leap forward. Building upon the original BOOM platform, SUPER BOOM introduces an ultra-supercritical foaming process and incorporates injection molding technology. This allows for a more refined material structure that reduces density without compromising strength. The result is a midsole that is not only lighter and more responsive, but also more resilient under intense performance demands. SUPER BOOM represents a new chapter in cushioning innovation—where material science meets athletic performance, redefining what basketball footwear can achieve.
SUPER BOOM: Engineering the Impossible
Creating something truly groundbreaking isn’t just about going from 0 to 1—it’s just as challenging to go from 1 to 10. At the SUPER BOOM launch event, Wang Xu, Senior Manager of Footwear Chemical R&D at Li-Ning Group, shared insights into the long journey behind the innovation. “The special development process for SUPER BOOM took two and a half years,” he said. “In the beginning, all the supercritical foaming equipment on the market was tailored for EVA. There was nothing available that supported high-performance thermoplastic elastomers like TPU, PEBA, or TPEE.” That meant the team faced not only technical barriers, but also a lack of manufacturing infrastructure. There were no industry standards, no roadmaps—just a vision and a challenge.
To break through these limitations, Li-Ning’s R&D team partnered with expert collaborators to independently design and build a custom control system tailored to their needs. Since no existing raw materials were suitable for ultra-supercritical foaming of high-performance elastomers, they worked closely with leading materials manufacturers to co-develop a new molecular chain structure specifically engineered for this purpose. Through countless rounds of testing and iteration, they refined both the material composition and the production process. Every variable—from temperature control to pressure balance—was optimized to ensure maximum performance. The result is SUPER BOOM: a midsole technology that not only builds on the legacy of BOOM, but also redefines the limits of what’s possible in athletic footwear innovation.
SUPER BOOM: What to Expect When Hooping In
SUPER BOOM marks a major evolution from the original BOOM technology—offering significant improvements in weight, texture, and responsiveness. Thanks to advanced manufacturing methods, the midsole is not only lighter, but its microcell structure is finer and more uniform, delivering a smoother feel and refined look.
Engineered to meet the growing demand for lightness and elasticity, SUPER BOOM achieves an impressive energy return rate of 89%, helping athletes conserve energy during high-impact movements like running and jumping. With a density as low as 0.07g/cm³, the technology boasts a remarkable elasticity-to-weight ratio of 1271.42—a performance metric pioneered by Li-Ning to quantify both rebound and lightness in a single value. As Wang Xu explained during the launch, this unique balance of rebound and support makes SUPER BOOM ideal for dynamic, high-intensity sports. It also excels in durability, with just 0.74% deformation after 40,000 dynamic compression cycles—far outperforming traditional EVA midsoles, which deform by up to 20%.
SUPER BOOM's fast response time enhances athlete feedback, syncing movement with energy return for a more explosive feel. The Wade 808 5 Ultra series is the first product line to feature SUPER BOOM, offering players a firsthand experience of this next-generation cushioning. Explore the series now and feel the tech that’s changing the game on court!
