Looking good is part of the game. For Bryce Harper, style-driven performance has earned him some of baseball’s most prestigious recognitions and a reputation as one of the best to ever do it.
The newest iteration of Harper’s namesake cleat by Under Armour is an embodiment of that style and a nod to the future of the game. Drawing inspiration from Japan, a longstanding fashion hub of the world and where baseball was supposed to again walk alongside other symbolic Summer sports like swimming, gymnastics and athletics, the UA Harper 5 represents Bryce’s on-field persona inspired by elements of Dynasty,
Ritual and Mastery.”We took a very down-to-earth approach with Harper 5. Connecting over text with Bryce, showing sketches, sharing stories and inspiration we see in our daily lives, all went into designing an aesthetic that he’s proud to wear on the field. Creating a connection to the cleats over the design process was important.
Bryce gave personal insights into his life and his approach to the sport, allowing us to create an expression through the design. In our personal conversations he has said this is by far the best Harper cleat we have done to date.”- Spencer Hawkins, Sr. Footwear Designer at Under Armour
Dynasty is a succession of prominence. Harper’s dynasty, his son and heir to his baseball legend, is imprinted into the fabric at the rear of the cleat. The repeated text, which reads Heir To The Throne, lives within a layered design meant to represent cascading armour for protection.
Ritual, an order of actions performed ceremoniously. Bryce Harper begins every at-bat with his ritual. The six-time All-Star taps four corners of home plate and finishes by striking his lead foot to lock in and enter Bryce Mode.
Each UA Harper 5 will have “Tap Here” scribed on the right cleat to allow its wearer to enter the performance state required to go yard, just like the “Five-Tool Player” himself.
Mastery is having superior control of a skill. The UA Harper 5 undoubtedly has the style for ball players to talk the talk. But for Bryce Harper, when it comes to mastery, walking the walk says more.
Reinforced with Under Armour’s HOVR technology, the cleat has the innovations needed to master complex movements and elevate performance in clutch moments. So whether you’re batting clean up with bases loaded or turning two on a ground-ball, UA Harper 5 powers your play, backing up what you say.
The UA Harper 5 is now available for pre-order in adult and youth sizes on UA.com and dickssportinggoods.com.