XBlades
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sporting goods, Sportswear |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Founder | David Miers |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Footwear, Apparel, Sports gear |
| Owner | Leighton Richards, Jimmy Bartel |
XBlades is an Australian company that manufactures sports gear, focusing primarily on footwear and apparel. Established in 1989, the brand originally catered to athletes involved in rugby union and Australian rules football.
The firm introduced the innovative bladed sole football boot, engineered to minimize injury risks for players.
History
XBlades was founded by David Miers, a biomechanist and former Collingwood AFL athlete, who created the brand following his own experiences with repeated knee injuries linked to traditional studded footwear. He designed a shoe with rubber soles incorporating X-shaped blades as a novel solution.
In April 2015, Gloucester Rugby named XBlades as their official kit provider for the 2015-2016 season. By January 2016, ownership changed hands to Leighton Richards, previously a director at Callaway Golf, alongside former AFL star Jimmy Bartel.
In December 2017, XBlades entered into a multi-year agreement with Major League Rugby (MLR) and also secured a four-year contract with London Irish beginning with the 2017-2018 season.