Skip to main content

Banned in the NBA: Jump Higher with Athletic Propulsion Labs

atheletic propulsion labs vision low
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Looking for a new pair of athletic shoes? These sneakers are built with special Load ‘N Launch technology designed to give you some serious vertical lift.  Adam and Ryan Goldston, twins and collegiate athletes, founded Athletic Propulsion Labs in March of 2009 in an effort to create a new line of shoes aimed to seamlessly blend performance and style. The technology they built into the shoes was so effective at increasing jump height, they were even banned by the NBA for “providing an undue competitive advantage” a year after their debut.

And they aren’t just great at giving you some extra hops; they take cues from classic sneaker silhouettes, providing a distinct look and style that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to reinvent the wheel. Their newest shoe, the Vision, is APL’s first low-top shoe, and features the same Load ‘N Launch technology as their high-top flavors.  An array of intertwined straps also provide articulated midfoot support that flexes and moves naturally with your foot. APL Concours load n launch If you feel like you need a little bit more ankle support, the Concours is an attractive design with the same tech features you’d likely find across the APL line. With a luxurious quilted suede upper, full-grain Nappa leather, and an icy translucent outsole, they look great on or off the court. Even with all the high quality materials, the Concours only weight just over 16 ounces, so they won’t drag you down when you need to start moving quickly. You can purchase sneakers with the Load ‘N Launch technology in a number of unique styles and colorways on the Athletic Propulsion Labs site.

Topics
Brad Bourque
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brad Bourque is a beer and sneaker writer, retired fantasy football commissioner, and devout Portland Timbers. On the…
Go bold with yellow watches for men: Our top picks
Our top picks for yellow watches for men
Hublot Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic

Yellow watches for men are not for the faint-hearted, and you'll need some serious confidence if you're going to sport one of these eye-catchers on your wrist. With summer just around the corner, a yellow watch is the perfect accessory to brighten up your look, whether you're taking a stroll along the Italian Riviera or lounging at home with steaks on the grill. These citrus-hued watches, from the TAG Heuer Formula 1 to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver, stand out as a ray of sunshine amid the gloom of rainy spring days, making us dream of the warm breeze and blooming flowers in summer.

Yellow watches come in a hue that commands attention, that's for sure, which is why you see them on road signs and neon highlighters at school. With its inherent ability to captivate, either as a matte yellow or a more lustrous gold, the presence of a yellow dial on your watch will certainly draw attention.
Yellow watches for men: Our Top 5 picks

Read more
5 stylish spring color combinations every man should know
Ditch the fall and winter colors for the spring
Man in linen jacket and shirt

Now that spring is here, your wardrobe could use a bit of an update in the color department. While the fall and winter seasons have a bevy of jewel tones and earth tones to keep you nice and cozy, the spring and summer is built for light and fun colors that keep your mood as light as the hues. Spring colors are some of the brightest and lightest on the color wheel, including pastels and lighter tones of your reds, greens, blues, and purples.

When putting together spring colors for men, there are some great options to ensure your looks are always top-notch. One of our favorite resources is Max Israel of Y. Chroma. His entire system is built for ease of color use, and while you may feel a little initial unpleasantness getting outside your comfort zone, adopting these five color combinations will ease you into some more fun palettes and get your wardrobe to the point of being the talk of the town.
Navy/white

Read more
F1 driver Michael Schumacher’s watch collection to be auctioned (and it’s great)
Buy Michael Schumacher's championship watch
April 2006. F1 World Championship. Grand Prix of San Marino. Michael Schumacher, Germany, Ferrari, winner, celebrating on the podium with Fernando Alonso and Juan-Pablo Montoya.

If you want to own a little bit of F1 history, you have the chance to buy one of Michael Schumacher’s watches. The German racing legend jointly holds the record for most F1 world championships won, sitting alongside Lewis Hamilton with seven. Like Lewis, Schumacher also has an impressive watch collection, though that is about to get a bit smaller.

In total, eight of Schumacher’s timepieces are set to go under the hammer in May. All-in-all, around $4.8 million is expected to be raised, though there’s a chance this figure could be significantly higher should two affluent fans get into a bidding war.

Read more