You can beta test Puma's self-lacing sneakers
The best part? You can keep the shoes after the test.
If you didn't have the scratch to buy a pair of Nike's self-tying BB Sneakers, you're not out of luck.
The Puma Fi beta testing program is looking for people to try the shoes this year. Interested participants need only fill out the online form on Puma Fi's website. To try out Puma's shoes, you must be at least 18 and live in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan (20 years old), Hong Kong (China), Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Spain, India or Turkey.
A spokesperson for Berk Communications, the company that handles Puma's public relations, said the Puma Fi technology stands apart from Nike's BB sneakers because it can be deployed in a range of different sport and lifestyle products.
The Puma Fi technology "follows Puma's vision for performance products that are Adaptive Dynamic and respond to athletes and their environment," the spokesperson said in an email. "Through Fit Intelligence, Puma has made fit intelligent and adaptive to each user. In addition to having a removable battery that can be charged on the go with the portable charger, which means you can leave your charging plate at home when traveling."
Puma's $330 self-lacing sneaker will launch in the spring of 2020. The shoes use a top-side motor to tighten the Dyneema strings, but they're adjustable through the Bluetooth companion app.
Originally published April 18, 1:56 p.m. PT.
Update, April 24: Includes more details.