If you’re an athlete, then you remember all too well that the time between 2015 and 2020 was when recovery tools really took over. While hard to believe, there was, in fact, a time when a hard workout or a weekend long run didn’t end with a session in Normatec Legs or a bout with a massage gun. But in 2025, athletes of all ranges, from pro to amateur level, and in nearly every sport, have made recovery a key component of their training. In line with this notion are the novel tech and tools that athletes now have access to. Think Normatec boots and Hyperice massage guns, yes, but also at-home portable cupping, red light therapy, TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) devices, and infrared sauna blankets, to name just a few. The latest in this lineup is the Hyperboot, an extremely high-tech pair of recovery boots that are priced at $899.
The Hyperboot is somewhat of a mashup between an ultra-comfy and supportive recovery shoe—which many sportswear companies have released in the past several years—and a compression boot, but one specifically designed to provide recovery support to the foot and ankle. They’re a collaboration between Nike, which is responsible for the bulk of the shoe design, including the mid and outer soles, and Hyperice, a company that makes high-end recovery tools for athletes.
Hyperice x Nike Hyperboot Nike and Hyperice's Hyperboots will make your feet feel fresh and relaxed after working out, but $900 is steep for the specialized recovery shoes. Pros Remarkably relaxing
Remarkably relaxing Easy setup
Easy setup TSA-approved for carry-on Cons Bulky, weird-looking
Bulky, weird-looking Very expensive
What Do They Do and Why Do They Look So Weird?
The Hyperboot is not discreet. They are big and bulky and look like they are meant to accompany an astronaut on a moonwalk. Though by now, most runners, casual and professional, are used to colossal-sized running shoes, these are larger still—and by a lot. The reason for the chunkiness, and the secret sauce of these recovery shoes, is that they have the same built-in air compression technology that you’ll find in the Normatec boots (Hyperice bought Normatec in 2020).
Better known as intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices, they use a system of air pumps and chambers to inflate and deflate in a regularly repeating pattern. The idea behind this is that by expanding and collapsing in a systematic way, blood flow and the movement of lymphatic fluid increases, allowing for better circulation and removal of waste, and, theoretically, faster recovery—all while you are seated, resting and relaxing.
In addition to this squeezing technology, the Hyperboot added one more feature: heat. While you are getting your feet and ankles squeezed, the device heats up. Because heat is known to relax muscles, adding it in with the compression technology should enable even more blood flow and fluid movement; also, heat just feels really nice.
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