The unibody construction of conventional sneakers means the laces secure your entire foot indiscriminately. Lace too loosely and your heel slips; overtighten and you risk forefoot pain and even nerve damage. So Asics lopped off the internal heel counter in the back. In its place sits a free-floating sleeve lined with memory foam. This heel hugger is reattached to the rest of the shoe with taping material, creating an innovative pulley system that wraps the sleeve around your heel without choking the rest of your foot.
$110, asics.com