Should you buy the Nike Mind 001 mules or Ray-Ban Meta glasses? A review

This year, a pair of new shoes from Nike and a pair of glasses from Ray Ban, created in partnership with Meta, have become hot topics for small talk among those who have embraced the active lifestyle. While the new shoes promise to sharpen your focus by pushing all the right buttons (literally), the AI-powered glasses talk to you, listen to you and take photos for you on command. Having used the viral products for a while, here’s a definitive low-down that will help you decide if they're truly worth your time and money.

NIKE MIND 001 MULES

The first thing you need to know about these mules is that they were developed by a new department at Nike called Mind Science—a detail prominently printed on the box. The team spent over a decade on research and development to create this “neuroscience-based” pair, which promises improved focus and a sense of calm. In fact, Manchester City’s Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland, one of the early testers who wore them for five years, says, “Every step I take, I think of the shoe and what I feel in my feet—which is a good thing. It helps me bring balance to my game.” Like Haaland, even I thought hard about what I felt on my feet while testing them out.

First, the looks. A friend who saw the Mind 001 mules wondered aloud, “Nike makes Crocs now?” Another thought they looked smart. To be honest, they do resemble Crocs minus the holes, cost a lot more ( ₹8,495), and are currently out of stock almost everywhere. That’s likely because these mules are unlike anything anyone has worn before. The soles feature 22 orange, moving nodes of varying sizes that press into your feet as you walk. They function a bit like haptic feedback for your feet, allowing you to feel the surface you are walking on. The gentle poking takes some getting used to, but after the initial awkwardness, you get acclimitised to the feeling of your feet being pressed at different points with each step.

The Mind Science team has attempted to stimulate nerve endings and acupressure points on the soles of your feet to impact brain activity. The nodes are arranged to target areas with the highest concentration of acupressure points and nerve endings thereby ensuring your feet get maximum stimulation.

While the shoes are certainly different and let you “feel” every step you take, I am not entirely convinced about their mind-altering claims. I am wearing the Mind 001s while writing this and I have been just as distracted as ever.

The Nike Mind Science team put sensors on athletes to measure their impact on brain but since none of us have access to such equipment, all you can go by is a simpler test: how often do you scroll while working with these on. Going by that metric, they don’t seem to be helping me. However, these mules are excellent for long haul flights — your feet are covered and yet can breathe. The gentle massage from the nodes is also soothing. If you are curious and do buy a pair, chances are they will end up as your home slippers.

RAY BAN META SMART GLASSES (GEN 2)

The world has been talking about smart glasses for years. After several unsuccessful attempts by multiple players—including Google—there is finally a functional pair from Ray-Ban, powered by Meta. These smart glasses are equipped with a camera, two speakers on the stems and mics that let you interact with them. You can also opt for prescription lenses, if needed.

The Ray-Ban Meta glasses are excellent at following simple orders such as clicking photos and shooting videos on demand. You can also use them to search for information online, which is then relayed to you through the built-in speakers. To access these features, you’ll need to install the Meta app on your phone.

However, these smart glasses are only truly “smart” when tethered to your phone. If the signal is weak or there’s distance between you and the device, they’re quickly reduced to regular glasses or sunglasses. They’re also heavy (because of all the features stuffed into them), so wearing them for long hours can be bothersome.

In public spaces, it can get difficult to hear what the glasses are saying, even at maximum volume. Then there is the little matter of price. These glasses don’t come cheap, ranging from ₹29,900 to ₹45,700. Honestly, at this point, they do feel a bit gimmicky. The Oakley Meta sports sunglasses, which integrate with Garmin and Strava, sound more promising, but until recently, I couldn’t find a pair at Sunglass Hut stores in Mumbai or Kolkata. All things considered though, do you really need another device to charge in your life?

Shrenik Avlani is a writer and editor and the co-author of The Shivfit Way, a book on functional fitness.