Debut of First Archery Shoes 'Archer Socks' Developed with Proprietary Technology
Inspired by Honorary Chairman Lee Woongyeol's Idea
Official Sponsorship of the 2025 Gwangju World Archery Championships
Stable Traction on Muddy Ground
Kolon Sports, the outdoor brand operated by Kolon Industries FnC (Kolon FnC), announced on September 12 that it has officially sponsored the 'Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships', held in Gwangju Metropolitan City from September 5 to 12, and has officially debuted its first archery shoes, 'Archer Socks', developed with its proprietary technology.
Previously, Kolon Sports introduced its first archery shoes, 'Archer Socks', at the Paris Olympics last year. The idea originated from Kolon Group Honorary Chairman Lee Woongyeol, who questioned, "Why are there golf shoes and tennis shoes, but no archery shoes?" By analyzing the unique characteristics of archery, which requires precise body movement for accurate aiming, the brand developed archery shoes designed to provide stable support for athletes.
On the 10th, during the final of the Recurve Men's Team event at the 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships, the Korean and American archery teams competed wearing Kolon Sports archery shoes. Provided by Kolon FnC
The Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships is one of the world's top three archery competitions, held every two years. This year, approximately 731 athletes and staff from 76 countries visited Korea. For the event, Kolon Sports sponsored about 1,200 pieces of apparel for volunteers and event staff. At the venue, the brand also set up an experience booth for athletes, showcasing and selling archery shoes, archery hats, and more.
In particular, the 'Archer Socks' archery shoes are a product that incorporates technology optimized specifically for archery. Featuring 162 independent lugs on a Vibram outsole, the shoes provide stable traction on any surface, while the Megagrip compound ensures secure footing even on 45-degree slopes. The upper is crafted using a PU casting method without seams, minimizing pressure on the foot. Instead of traditional laces, the BOA system allows for fine adjustments according to foot shape or competition conditions. Additionally, the use of a Gore-Tex lining keeps the shoes comfortable even in rainy and challenging weather conditions.
At the start of the competition, the Gwangju venue experienced frequent rain, resulting in muddy and challenging ground conditions. However, athletes wearing the archery shoes were able to maintain stable performance. Kolon Sports operated a shoe booth at the event, attracting athletes from various countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. According to the company, many on-site considered the archery shoes to be Korea's secret weapon, and some athletes purchased the product at the booth and immediately competed wearing them.
Kolon Sports is accelerating the development of the second-generation 'Archer Socks' archery shoes. The brand is enhancing product quality through precise field testing with the Kolon Xtenboys athletes and aims for national team members to wear the shoes at the '2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games'.
A Kolon Sports representative stated, "This tournament was a great opportunity to promote 'K-Archery Shoes' on the international stage," adding, "As archery is a sport where Korea leads the world, we will continue to invest in research and development to further support athletes' performance."
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