Erik Hernandez
Pattern revision sheet for the KAI 1, line art of the upper with red notes on the tongue, toe cap, heel foam, and spacer mesh bootie, above a wear-test photo of a blue and cream sample.
Second-round render of the KAI 1 in tan with a tonal camo print, lateral and medial views side by side, with an outsole inset.
Second-round render of the KAI 1 Core TPU in white and royal blue with a blue snakeskin print and SHUGO wordmark, lateral and medial views side by side, with an outsole inset.
Blueprint for the KAI 1 plate, with medial, bottom, lateral, and top views and cross sections of the stud layout.

Elite

KAI 1 Elite montage, a large white pair on aqua plates with a tonal SHUGO wordmark, beside close-ups of the printed SHUGO toe and the aqua plate and studs.

Core

KAI 1 Core montage in grey and white, a side view and a three-view sheet, then a pair from above, a lace and logo close-up, and a pair showing the plates.

Core TPU

KAI 1 Core TPU montage in royal blue and white, a player lacing the cleats on the field beside a side view, a pair, and a pair from the heel, then a lace and logo close-up, a pair from above, and a pair showing the plates, above a full-width blue outsole.

Brief

The Kai 1 followed the Zero as the second SHUGO cleat for Marcus Stroman. It came in two tiers: an Elite version with zoned upper construction, and pared-down Core versions with metal or molded TPU cleats.

Process

Early concepts explored multi-panel, zoned uppers for greater flexibility. Refinement produced a full-featured Elite and a simplified Core, built more economically for youth and cost-conscious athletes.