The one constant with sneaker drops and designers is that there will be constant innovation, as Nike, Adidas and other designers have consistently pushed new materials and designs to their absolute limits.
Whilst in some cases such as the Air Force One Invisible Women plastic trainers or the Air Jordan 15s these innovations do not pan out, in other cases, they become an essential part of future sneakers and make rare Jordans for sale as comfortable as they are desirable.
Whilst it is difficult to round down nearly a century of innovation into a few choices, here are the biggest innovations in sneaker history.
The Air Cushion
First fitted to the Nike Air Tailwind in 1979 to help with gruelling marathons, the air cushion has become a vital innovation that would not only transform running and later basketball, but would also transform shoe fashion as well with the debut of the Air Max 1 in 1987.
Designed by Tinker Hatfield, the star designer for Nike, the visible air cushion was initially a risk but would be quickly rewarded and would later inspire Asics gel technology and Reebok’s pumps.
The Shox
Possibly the second most iconic sole design after the Nike Air cushion, the Shox BB4 had four “springs” that not only absorbed impacts but allegedly added power to your stride.
What turned them from an incredible innovation to an iconic one was Vince Carter’s incredible “Dunk of Death” over Fredric Weiss which became one of the most iconic moments of the 2000 Olympics and turned the Shox into an icon overnight.
The Waffle Sole
Possibly the most important innovation in shoes, the Waffle Sole was literally invented with the help of a waffle iron and some rubber soles by Bill Bowerman.
This innovation was the first sole of any kind to provide a sole with elements that protruded out, making them ideal for a wide range of different running conditions.
After the Waffle Trainer was released in 1973, the rest was history, and Nike would start to make considerable inroads in the athletic shoe market.
The FlyEase
A more recent but no less fascinating invention, the Nike Go FlyEase are trainers you can easily put on and take off without having to use your hands.
It works using a specially designed torsion band in the centre of the shoe which keeps them in place whether your feet are in them or not.
The VaporFly Sole
The latest, greatest and most controversial innovation in running is the Vaporfly sole technology, controversially used by Eliud Kipchoge to run a marathon in under two hours.
How it works is a combination of exceptionally light materials, two foam layers and a carbon plate in the middle which makes the shoes almost springloaded and improves performance to a significant enough degree that a prototype of the technology was banned for the Olympics.
Whilst it is unlikely to have improved the performance of athletes by the 4 per cent it claims, given that the vast majority of marathon runners use some form of the large soled shoe, it is clear that Nike have hit onto something revolutionary.
Whilst in some cases such as the Air Force One Invisible Women plastic trainers or the Air Jordan 15s these innovations do not pan out, in other cases, they become an essential part of future sneakers and make rare Jordans for sale as comfortable as they are desirable.
Whilst it is difficult to round down nearly a century of innovation into a few choices, here are the biggest innovations in sneaker history.
The Air Cushion
First fitted to the Nike Air Tailwind in 1979 to help with gruelling marathons, the air cushion has become a vital innovation that would not only transform running and later basketball, but would also transform shoe fashion as well with the debut of the Air Max 1 in 1987.
Designed by Tinker Hatfield, the star designer for Nike, the visible air cushion was initially a risk but would be quickly rewarded and would later inspire Asics gel technology and Reebok’s pumps.
The Shox
Possibly the second most iconic sole design after the Nike Air cushion, the Shox BB4 had four “springs” that not only absorbed impacts but allegedly added power to your stride.
What turned them from an incredible innovation to an iconic one was Vince Carter’s incredible “Dunk of Death” over Fredric Weiss which became one of the most iconic moments of the 2000 Olympics and turned the Shox into an icon overnight.
The Waffle Sole
Possibly the most important innovation in shoes, the Waffle Sole was literally invented with the help of a waffle iron and some rubber soles by Bill Bowerman.
This innovation was the first sole of any kind to provide a sole with elements that protruded out, making them ideal for a wide range of different running conditions.
After the Waffle Trainer was released in 1973, the rest was history, and Nike would start to make considerable inroads in the athletic shoe market.
The FlyEase
A more recent but no less fascinating invention, the Nike Go FlyEase are trainers you can easily put on and take off without having to use your hands.
It works using a specially designed torsion band in the centre of the shoe which keeps them in place whether your feet are in them or not.
The VaporFly Sole
The latest, greatest and most controversial innovation in running is the Vaporfly sole technology, controversially used by Eliud Kipchoge to run a marathon in under two hours.
How it works is a combination of exceptionally light materials, two foam layers and a carbon plate in the middle which makes the shoes almost springloaded and improves performance to a significant enough degree that a prototype of the technology was banned for the Olympics.
Whilst it is unlikely to have improved the performance of athletes by the 4 per cent it claims, given that the vast majority of marathon runners use some form of the large soled shoe, it is clear that Nike have hit onto something revolutionary.
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