LOOKBACK: TOP 10 SNEAKERS Terry Fox ran in Adidas Orion sneakers that he bolstered by attaching glue to the soles of both feet. A lot’s changed with running shoes since the Marathon of Hope. For starters, the sneaker industry’s now worth an estimated US $11-billion. Throughout the '80s, the shoe designer's goal was to maximize cushioning and minimize pronation (the inward rolling of the foot upon striking the ground). We had “air technology,” KISS boots, and barefoot shoes and, today, running companies have advanced research labs that employ the world’s best biomechanics researchers that, oddly, don’t recommend doctoring your shoes with glue. Jeremy Cobb explores. 1 Brooks Vantage, 1980: The Birth of Motion Control
6 Saucony GRID, 1991: Launching ‘Stability’ as a Category
This shoe came before 1980, but you can’t talk about motion control without mentioning it. The first shoe to lend medial support; a revolutionary feature because most running shoes at the time were neutral. To control movement, this shoe incorporated a device called the ‘Varus Wedge,’ which stabilized the foot. Plus, it looks like a marshmallow spaceship.
The GRID is made up of woven Hytrel filaments that act like a tennis racquet to guide the foot’s initial contact with the ground. Hytrel’s chemical composition allows it to flex in different directions over and over and to last longer than rubber. Although it’s been updated, Saucony still uses a Grid-like cushioning system in the majority of its running shoes.
2 Nike Pegasus, 1983: The Most Famous Running Shoe of All Time
7 Asics Kayano, 1995: Starting to Gel
A novel approach to sneakers, it added a narrow heel to its wide toe box, which was designed to attract female buyers. “This was the beginning of the second ‘running boom,’ when female runners really got into the sport,” Bill Rodgers says. The shoe continues to be popular today, 30 years after its initial release.
Incorporated Asics ‘GEL’ technology, a completely new cushioning system that used gel instead of EVA rubber. “Asics Gel technology has stood the test of time, and it took them to market leadership,’” says Stanton. The GEL technology is still being used by Asics today, and is the foundation of Asic’s success.
3 Adidas Micropace, 1984: Computer Love
8 Mizuno Wave Rider, 1998: From KISS boots to Boom!
4 Nike Air Max, 1987: “Air” Technology Takes Flight
9 Vibram FiveFingers Classic, 2009: Selling a Barefoot Shoe
“The first piece of sporting electronics,” according to John Stanton, founder of the Running Room. It featured a computer on the tongue that measured mileage and average speed. Even though the computer was not much more than a pedometer, this shoe was the pre-cursor to all the running technology we take for granted today, from Nike+ to Fitbit to GPS watches.
That air bubbles in a running shoe should be a selling point highlights Nike’s clever marketing, which has only increased, not decreased, through the years. Featuring added cushioning—and a visible air bag—Nike extended the shoe’s width, and in so doing, elevated comfort to the running game.
5 New Balance M577, 1990: A Sneaker Geeks Swoon
The shoe incorporated New Balance's ‘ENCAP’ technology, which is made of EVA encapsulated within a shell of polyurethane. This design gives added stability and shock dispersion to the shoe. Since the get-go, New Balance has encouraged its running teams to provide feedback and criticism, while eschewing the celebrity sponsorship model other shoe companies use.
iRun to see how far I can go. — Kim Curtin, Ontario
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Introduced at the 1997 New York Marathon, this neutral foundation of the Mizuno family is their most famous, and most successful, shoe. Balancing responsiveness with a thick outsole, Wave blended a molded, thermoplastic component layered between foam, and has endured for this classic Japanese sports’ brand. Fun fact: Internally, this shoe was originally referred to as the KISS boot.
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Credit Born to Run, Chris McDougall’s 1999 book, with kicking off the Vibram craze. The original FiveFingers design features a thin stretch nylon fabric that fits low on the foot. With rubber soles, and plastic tips beneath each individually wrapped toe, the Vibram, favourited by celebrities like Woody Harrelson, upped the ante of the Nike Free, charting new territory in how low you can go.
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10 Adidas Adios, 2013: The Fastest Marathon Shoe of All-Time
Worn by Dennis Kimetto when he broke the marathon record at the 2014 Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:02:56. The Boost material is made of tiny, super lightweight pellets that give unprecedented levels of energy return. Runner’s oxygen consumption rates (a measure of energy used) were compared between an Adidas Energy boost and a replica that did not contain the Boost midsole. When running in Boost, runners used 1% less oxygen—they used less energy to run.
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