The History Of Running Shoes

The History Of Running Shoes

The History Of Running Shoes

The history of running shoes commences in 1832 and this type of footwear is still popular today. The discovery of vulcanized rubber led to the invention of sports footwear. Popularity of athletic heroes led to a great marketing opportunity for product suppliers and it did not take long before sports celebrities were sponsored to wear brand names. The popularity of sports footwear has increased over the decades and have now become an everyday choice of footwear.

In 1832 the concept of rubber soles being attracted to leather boots and shoes was patented. It was the process of vulcanized rubber that helped with running footwear first being invented. Vulcanized rubber is rubber and sulphur mixed together and heated. The vulcanized process makes rubber pliable and waterproof, whereas, rubber on its own becomes brittle in the cold and melts in the heat.

In 1917, the first mass market rubber shoes were launched on to the market in the Unites States. During the companies marketing it is thought this is where the term sneakers derived from, as the advertising campaign portrayed this product as enabling people to move around without making a sound, hence being able to sneak around.

During the 1920s various designs of sports footwear were created with various models of sports footwear being offered for different distances and types of running. With these new designs spikes were added to the rubber soles, this style of shoe is now referred to as the traditional spike footwear.

In 1964 a runner who was unhappy with his clumsy footwear discussed with his coach the poor design of the athletic shoe he was wearing. The runner and the coach got together and came up with a new design of a lightweight comfortable shoe. The two partners went out to tracks across the Western United States and sold their product at the side of sport tracks. The partners went on to form an athletic footwear company. In the 1970s one of the partners subsequently invented a waffle sole which came about by experimental methods with rubber being poured into a kitchen waffle appliance. The waffle sole went on to become a top selling product.

1962 was the year the first scientifically tested shoe, weighing only 96 grams was designed. The next development was the design of a cushioned running shoe, followed by brush spikes being introduced in 1968. Brush spikes were intended to replace the traditional spikes used previously, though both are still used today.

Athletes were first photographed wearing running shoes at the Montreal Olympics in 1976 which increased the popularity in sales of certain manufacturing brands. This was assisted again when the Mexican Olympics was first televised. Companies saw the marketing potential in sports followers and soon commenced sponsoring athletes in return for them to advertise their own brands of footwear.

Sports shoes came onto the fashion scene in the 1980s and 1990s and as many sports footwear were sold to non-runners as they were to athletes. Since the history of running shoes many designs and models have been created and considering it all started with a concept combined with the discovery of vulcanization it has been a great invention as this product still continues to be one of the best-selling items of footwear today.

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