Sports Product Design Capstones

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https://hdl.handle.net/1794/23870

Sports Product Design is the creation of innovative sports products through research and design. It's a focused experience in ideation, creation, material research, production, and design development specific to sports products. The master of science in sports product design prepares designers to be key members and leaders of multidisciplinary development teams within the more than 700 sports product companies located in Oregon and beyond. The degree focuses on innovation methods, design for the athlete, product sustainability, and sports product marketing and branding.

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Open Access
Designing Footwear for Adventure Travel Photographers in Diverse Warm Weather Environments
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-14) Carhuff, Daniel
This thesis aims to bring unlimited freedom and maximum performance to those that seek to capture the spirit of adventure through photography in warm weather environments while minimizing their environmental footprint. It will accomplish this by designing a collection of products that let adventurers do more with less and go anywhere their feet can take them. A range of versatile footwear that can seamlessly transition between the airplane cabin, jungle floor, desert dunes, and urban promenade made with sustainable, performance driven materials will accomplish these goals. How could we maximize freedom of exploration for adventure photographers during travel to and within rugged warm weather environments while minimizing gear and environmental impact? This thesis aims to find a balance between efficient travel and ample gear, high performance and high protection, as well as maximized environmental adaptability and minimum environmental impact. There are always sacrifices to be made when seeking adventure, and it is the goal of this thesis to optimize and even eliminate some of those sacrifices to best prepare the most ambitious adventure travel photographers. A cohesive system of modular footwear focusing on two soles and three uppers should adapt to the needs of the most demanding travelers.
Open Access
Kofa: A Soccer Cleat Designed for The Female Athlete
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-14) Prempeh, Maxwell A.
Many women find themselves playing in cleats designed to accommodate men’s movements. This has led to a surge of injuries in the lower extremities for women in football that includes ligaments strains and tears in the knees, ankles, and feet. Black women playing at historically black colleges and universities suffer largely from being unsupported, overlooked, and overwhelmingly underfunded. As a result, these institutions find themselves being incapable of replacing damaged cleats for players who are unable to afford new ones, leading them to play in footwear that not only isn’t made for them but, now puts both their health and performance at risk.This research paper will address the designing of cleats that aim to mitigate lower extremity injuries in women’s soccer, while also addressing the sport from a socioeconomic standpoint regarding the lack of diversity and representation in the game. The goal is to address this issue on a foundational level in hopes of seeing this minority continue to make their impacts felt on the highest level.
Open Access
Glide Runner: Laugavegur Trail Running Outfit Designed to Finish the Race Fast and Safely
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-14) Thorgrimsson, Kristofer
‟A Decade of Fitness”, is the title of an article posted on The New York Times website in December 2019. It outlines the major increase that has occurred in the physical activity of the public for the past decade and even longer. Every year, an abundance of studies are published listing the benefits of physical activity for health and longevity. People have caught on and have started to spend more time walking, jogging, weight training, swimming, biking, hiking et cetera in the hope of increasing their health and being able to spend more time with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren in their old age (Reynolds, 2019). This trend can be seen in the expansion of trail running. And with more people frequently training and competing in trail running, the need for specialized trail running garments and equipment has increased. Every trail is unique and comes with its own set of challenges while all trail running products on the market are generic. The purpose of this paper is to research how that might be changed with the design of a specific trail running outfit for the Laugavegur Ultra Marathon, one of the most popular trail running competition in Iceland (IBR, n.d.). The scope of this project has been summarized into one problem statement. How could a competition outfit help elite male trail runners finish the Laugavegur Ultra Marathon in a shorter time by improving running economy, carry necessary equipment and keep them safe in case of sudden change in weather?
Open Access
Women's Fastpitch Softball: Ankle Sprain Preventing Footwear and Protective Battling Gloves
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-14) Everill, Kylie
I am a function forward designer with experience in biomechanics, fashion design, coaching and collegiate athletics. I have a passion for creating products that allow athletes to reach their highest potential through injury prevention and performance innovations. My top five strengths from the Clifton Strengths Finder are as follows, with definitions summarized (Gallup, 2022). Individualization: intrigued with the unique qualities of each person, passionate about meeting people at different stages of their process and seeing ways to improve things for each individual rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach.Empathy: able to intuitively share others’ perspectives, connect to and understand people’s stories and experiences, capable of anticipating the needs of others. Ideation: fascinated with ideas, innate ability to connect the dots between seemingly disconnected phenomena. Strategic: able to quickly spot patterns and potential downfalls, easily create progress in alternative ways, capable of seeing solutions that many cannot. Positivity: contagiously enthusiastic, able to bring energy to projects where it may be difficult to muster, making everything a little bit more exciting.
Open Access
Circulation and Thermoregulation for Female Snowboarders: An Analysis of Female Specific Needs for Snow Footwear
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-14) Tong, Alyssa J.
My mission is to enable people to connect with the outdoors, allowing individuals to cultivate meaningful experiences in nature. I create thoughtful designs that prioritize the intended user’s needs. My designs focus on the people behind the sport, not just the sport itself. They allow users to develop respect for nature and foster a deep connection between the two.
Open Access
Immersion Suits for Alaskan Commercial Fishermen: An Analysis of Marine Survival Equipment
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-14) Lemus, Benjamen
Being a commercial fisherman in Alaska is considered one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. Every year the Bering Sea provides between 5-6 billion pounds of seafood, accounting for about 60% of total U.S. seafood harvests (Capozzi, n.d.-a). Catching this amount of seafood every year is no easy task, and it comes with an enormous amount of risk for the thousands of workers who participate. Workers are often at sea for weeks at a time and safety isn’t guaranteed, with the Bering Sea claiming 88 souls from 2013-2022 (Beacon,2023). Many of the deaths on commercial fishing boats are caused by vessel losses, and men going overboard with improper equipment leading to drownings (Woodford, USCG, 2022). Fishermen risk their lives in this industry to try and fulfill the demand for seafood throughout the country, therefore they should be equipped with superior safety protection equipment that will ensure their safety.
Open Access
Equipping Pemon Adventure Guides in Canaima National Park with High-Performing Footwear and Headwear that Promote Culture, Commerce, and Safety
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-14) Valeri, Sara
Globally, specialized gear is required for tour guides in any national park to successfully guide visitors to adventurous new places. This is even more important for the native guides in Canaima National Park, which is one of the most challenging in terms of changing climates and environments. As important carriers of culture and knowledge of this land, the Pemon guides play the most important role of guiding and creating harmony between the visitor and nature. The role of being the native tour guide goes beyond just a monetary endeavor. It expands to finding a way for their culture and identity to exist in the present day. It also ensures their place in this ecosystem as guardians of this sacred park. However, most Pemon guides wear inadequate gear when navigating these terrains. This affects how they can execute their job and complete each task when walking, hiking, wading, and canoeing on their journey to Angel Falls. The jungle crossings can be the most challenging; as avid climber Gary Flint supports in his description of his journey to Angel Falls; the jungle path can be a full-body workout. They passed over terrains filled with overgrown tree roots, narrow log bridges that go over gullies, and some water-filled pits. Moreover, as the inclination of the assent increases, the whole body must be used, making this the most challenging path to transverse (Flint, Notes from the Lost World: Venezuela - secret compass 2023). Furthermore, it is problematic that the Pemon guides mainly prioritize comfort in their gear, given their current product choices on the market. By choosing convenience over function, they fail to have shoes that can enhance their overall performance in their journey through the jungle. They currently choose to wear running shoes for their cushioning and support. However, these do not provide adequate traction, stability, or adaptability for Canaima's ever-changing terrains and climates. A balanced and specialized offering must be designed to combine the best of their met and unmet needs. Moreover, they carry a dry bag with them sponsored by the lodges they work for; in this bag, they usually carry first aid kits, change of clothes, towels, and additional food. But it becomes hard to juggle everything together when they have to be drenched in water all day. Nevertheless, the products currently used can be enhanced to provide protection and enable them to be always comfortable and clear of any distractions that can drastically change the course of the expedition. This especially applies when navigating the water rapids and having to walk in the river to help the canoe, as well as crossing roots and waterfalls, as this can compromise the safety of each of the tourists and the overall success of their journey. Overall, the Pemon tour guides need fast-drying and weatherproof equipment that will not sacrifice comfort over function, adapting to the many challenges they can quickly face in Canaima National Park's varied and dynamic environments. Additionally, their gear is needed to help them succeed in providing the safest and most memorable experience to the visitor, the success of which goes hand in hand with their identity and the preservation of their culture.
Open Access
Backcountry Ski Equipment for Courses That Cover More Distance Than Elevation
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-14) Waits, Joe
The user I am designing for ski tours on courses with more distance than elevation gain. They ski in places such as the northern Midwest, Alaska, Colorado, or eastern Canada. These are all places that are cold enough to receive snow. The places this user tends to recreate are large landscapes that can feature mountains, valleys, rivers, and lakes. While the user might live near mountains or not near mountains, they seek out flatter terrain in hopes of traversing the landscape and covering long distances. Backcountry skiing is a large industry in the United States. According to the Sierra Sun, “SnowSports Industries America estimates that there are more than six million backcountry riders in the United States” (Absolon, 2023). These users are advanced to expert skiers who enjoy exploring beyond the boundary of the ski resort. The user has experience skiing and might have experience backcountry skiing in larger mountains. They follow the general trend of the growth of backcountry skiing. Backcountry skiing is the fastest growing segment in skiing (Rosalsky, 2020).
Open Access
Financially Affordable Helmet Add-On Concussion Prevention in High School Football
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-13) Bunker, Sky
Football is one of the largest sports in the United States of America. From the popularity of the National Football League and College Football, down to high school and youth football, the sport is the center of attention during the fall season year in and year out. With all this interest in the sport however, comes the increased awareness in the issues the sport brings, most notably, the risk of head injury and concussions. Concussions can be defined as “a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth.” (CDC, 2019). These brain injuries have become very common in football with roughly 300,000 occurring from football each year (UCLA, 2021). While positive strides have been made in helmet innovation to help counteract this issue and make the game safer, there is still more work to be done to protect players. This project will explore how to develop a financially affordable football helmet add-on technology that helps decrease the risk of concussions in high school football, facilitating comprehensive protection for each player and allowing anyone to participate.
Open Access
PACT Travel Golf Equipment and Apparel
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-13) Edwards, Vic
Golf, for those who don’t play, is a very misunderstood game. Often perceived as high class or even pretentious, but golf is more than that. It’s a game where athletes are consistently pushing for better shots, lower scores, and improved experiences on the course. The perfect or “pure” golf shot is something that every golfer hopes to experience and works towards on every shot. The pure shot moment is an instantaneous revelation that unfolds effortlessly, solid and serene, and unveils the perfect golf experience. It is a mental euphoria that ignites the obsession to repeat the moment, a desire that grows with each successful shot. Golf is a sport that requires dedication and precision dependent solely on the player, and the “pure” shot is the goal that drives the addiction to consistently play better. Players often begin with their local courses when learning, but after time the desire grows to conquer new courses and thus destination golf begins. Players travel to scenic courses all over the world to experience new challenges, beautiful courses, and have a fun time with friends. Many famous courses are also a bucket-list item for golfers, with rich golf-histories that players want to experience and be a part of. Destination golf is much more than trying a new course, it’s a new experience, a new challenge, and a great way to enjoy the outdoors.
Open Access
Cork 12L Freeride World Tour Snow Safety Airbag Pack and Airbag Vest
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-13) Karow, Ryan M.
Freeride skiing and snowboarding represent a recent evolution in extreme snow sports, embracing a diverse range of competitive disciplines. The Freeride World Tour stands as the pinnacle of competition for the most daring Freeride skiers and snowboarders, displaying their unparalleled skill, creativity, and style on some of the world's most challenging terrain. To meet the demands of such high-level performance, there is an urgent call for innovation to elevate the quality of equipment, as current offerings often fall short of expectations. Each year around fifty top competing riders qualify for this intense competition and compete internationally at four to six stops with the ultimate goal of qualifying for finals in Verbier, Switzerland, the final stop of the tour (WE ARE THE HOME OF FREERIDE, n.d.). With this extreme level of riding comes the highest level of consequences. One bad fall and riders can tumble down 50° slopes over cliff bands, rock faces, and cause huge avalanche that can bury them. To combat these risks, riders are now required to use back protectors, avalanche airbags, helmets, and other avalanche gear at a minimum, to protect against these hazards. Each of these products perform well but not in conjunction with each other. To embrace the fluidity of movement, the elevated stakes, the ever-present threat of avalanches, and address the existing issues of system integration, there's an imperative demand for a fresh line of safety equipment tailored for freeride skiers and snowboarders. This innovation is crucial to not only safeguard riders but also enhance their performance and overall enjoyment. This research explores, substantiates, and proposes innovative solutions for backcountry skiing avalanche airbag packs and vests.
Open Access
Specialized Bowhunting Gear for the Pacific Northwest: Unlock PNW Big Game Bowhunters' Potential for Endurance and Stealth by Synchronizing Clothing and Gear to Level the Playing Field
(University of Oregon, 2024) Mao, Yuxin
Design Statement How could we unlock PNW big game bowhunters potential for endurance and stealth by synchronizing clothing and gear to amplify their field encounters and harvest. Golden Circle Statement Why: Fueled by a passion for mitigating risks and enhancing human performance in outdoor environments to harmonize the human and natural world How: By implementing cutting-edge technologies, design processes & materials. What: Create user-centered designs that seamlessly integrate human experience with the natural world, inspired by the backcountry gear he uses and the diverse aspects of the sports he enjoys.
Open Access
Female Specific Alpinist Gear: An In-Depth Analysis of the Effects of Under-Representation in Alpinist Gear
(University of Oregon, 2024) Klatt, Makena A.
Throughout the ages, women have continually tested their abilities in the mountains. For just as long, their contributions have unfolded behind the scenes, with recognition seldom accorded to them, being cataloged simply as someone's “wife" or simply left without a name. The prevailing narrative often downplayed their capabilities, attributing their summit successes to the assumed assistance of their male counterparts. Yet, despite the persistent challenges and biased narratives, women have persevered. From the late eighteenth century, when the exploits of women in mountaineering were first documented, to the groundbreaking achievement of Caroline North and Christina Huber with their first all-female ascent of Cerro Torre in 2015 (First All-Female Ascent of Cerro Torre via the Ragni Route - Alpinist.Com, n.d.), the magnetic allure of the mountains has resonated for women just as powerfully as it has for men. My thesis project is focused on creating an integrated layering system specifically for female alpinists that takes into account women's specific needs such as bathroom breaks, menstruation, odor control, hygiene, mobility, fit, and thermoregulation. The goal is to make something that allows women to move quickly and efficiently through the mountains in variable conditions.
Open Access
EMBRACE: Hood to Coast Adaptive Athlete Training Collection
(University of Oregon, 2024) Catipon, Aeryk
Hood to Coast is a challenging and memorable 197-mile relay race that takes place every year in Oregon. The relay race starts at the Timberline Lodge at Mount Hood and finishes at the Oregon coast city of Seaside. Athletes work in teams of twelve, with two vans to complete the race in a 24 to 36-hour range. In its 41-year history, the 2022 race was the first year that a mixed adaptive athlete team completed the race (Burka, 2022). The adaptive athlete team, So Every BODY Can Move, highlights the capabilities of different bodied athletes, and promoted awareness of their unique backgrounds.
Open Access
RIDE: Footwear for Astronauts Living and Exercising on the International Space Station
(University of Oregon, 2023-06-15) Hazen, Kat
As we look to the stars and dream of the next frontier in space exploration, we must not forget the human element. Even with the most advanced tools and technology, long-distance exploration of our universe will not be possible until we find ways for the human body to better live and function in the harsh conditions of space. To find such solutions, scientists look to the International Space Station (ISS), where hundreds of astronauts have had the opportunity to live and work in a microgravity environment while orbiting around the Earth (Wild, 2020). Though humans have populated the space station for over twenty consecutive years, the longest consecutive stay of an individual human is only 355 days, which was completed by NASA astronaut Mark Vande Wei in 2021-2022 (Howell, 2022). Through studying astronauts on the ISS, researchers know that after prolonged periods of time in microgravity, human bodies undergo many changes which pose a danger to astronaut health and limits the amount of time humans can stay in space (Mars, 2022). The muscles of the feet and legs are particularly impacted in a microgravity environment. Without the force of gravity to provide resistance, the muscles and bones in the back and lower limbs rapidly deteriorate. This leads to issues such as muscle weakness, bone loss, and balance problems. To counteract muscle atrophy and bone density loss, astronauts on the ISS dedicate two and a half hours to exercising each day to make up for the twenty-one and a half hours that their body is not experiencing physical activity. Astronauts follow personal workout regimen that is prescribed to them and monitored by a team back on Earth (Bowen,2018). However, even with this meticulous effort to keep their muscles stimulated, astronauts still lose 1% of their bone density per month in space (Canadian Space Agency, 2019). Another way that the feet are affected by microgravity is that the nerves of the feet become hyper-sensitive in space without the underfoot stimulation of standing and walking. While the bottom of the feet is under stimulated, the tops of the feet are being used in a completely new way on the space station. Astronauts hook their feet under metal rails to anchor themselves in one place or to get around the space station. The top of their feet gets sore and eventually callous over due to being used in a completely new way (Pomeroy, 2017). Because of this, astronauts can have foot pain that lasts for months after returning to Earth (Harrington, 2016). Mitigating these issues is paramount for astronaut health and the ability to plan future space travel. Surprisingly, despite the significant foot and leg issues that astronauts experience during and after their missions, there has not been much innovation regarding footwear to wear inside the space station that could help stimulate nerves, activate muscles, and protect the feet.
Restricted
Footwear and Shin Guards Design for Male & Female Mongolian Wrestling
(University of Oregon, 2023-06-14) Yu, Deshui
This paper will define design opportunities by analyzing the development history of Mongolian wrestling, tracking wrestlers' training and competition behavior, understanding the peculiarities of the competition environment, and investigating competitive products. This design innovation project aims to provide an outdoor performance footwear and shin guard set for Mongolian wrestling's unique arena based on research data, helping wrestlers reduce injuries and have a better competitive experience.
Open Access
Ettōr: Sand Running Footwear Inspired by the Marshall Islands
(University of Oregon, 2023-06-13) Rehm, Domenic
The RMI struggles to find the resources to fund sports and sports facilities, battle obesity, and climate change. The country is progressing to find solutions to these problems though, including the opening of a new track and field stadium in the capital city, Majuro. The stadium will also act as a sea-wall to combat the rising sea levels. This new facility will provide the access to sport that the country is lacking, and combat not only the rising sea levels, but potentially obesity and participation in sport as well (Future Marshall Islands Stadium, 2022). This capstone research will be looking at creating innovative, performance running footwear, conscious of the challenges the Marshallese people are facing today.
Open Access
Multi-Use Affordable Trad Climbing Protection for Low-Income Climbers
(University of Oregon, 2023-06-13) Orlow, Michael J.
As early as there have been mountains, ridges, cliffs, and all manner of towering natural features, humans have felt the draw to test themselves physically and mentally by ascending these features with their own strength and perseverance. In the pursuit of self-improvement through climbing, a sub-population of athletes dedicates themselves to non-traditional living such as nomadic van housing or hitch-hiking while working remote or odd jobs. These individuals often do not have a stable income and so are limited in their access to essential life-saving equipment used in the specific discipline of climbing referred to as “trad” or traditional, in favor of food, clothing, and shelter. Specialized and highly functional equipment for trad exists but is made inaccessible to some through high unit cost and/or limited versatility which requires a large investment into many unique and duplicate pieces of equipment. The intent of this project is to explore design and manufacturing methods that allows greater versatility and efficiency for both development and performance for the user. This singular type of protection should fulfill the role that multiple different types of protection currently fill. By only needing to invest in and learn how to use one type of protection, users will see reduced cost and more easily achieve participation in trad climbing.
Open Access
Epona Sport: Investigating Inclusive Sizing and Comfort in Footwear and Apparel for Professional Female Equestrians
(University of Oregon, 2023-06-13) Taylor, Mary-Gwynedd
This thesis aims to identify ways of improving everyday equestrian apparel and footwear for the female equestrian professional. Improving the fit of footwear, clothing and choosing materials that improve the accessibility of purpose-built products.
Open Access
Theseus Bouldering Kit: Wase-Led Winter Bouldering Apparel and Equipment Designed for Repair
(University of Oregon, 2023-06-13) Stone, Christopher
How can we rethink apparel and bag design to increase repair process efficiencies, and extend the life of modern elite boulders gear? Designing for repair and durability are at the forefront of this project but there are other things to consider as well like how can designing for repair increase consumer joy and benefit the brand? The outcome of this project is a collection of bouldering apparel and equipment that increases repair process efficiencies without compromising performance, reduces repair costs for the brand and consumer, and provides a timeless garment that tells a story.