Shoe innovations can happen in laboratories or in the front rooms of fans. But often, it”™s the buyer who determines which designs merit the most research and marketing.

From straightforward sneakers to modern personalizations that make hip hop hearts beat faster, there are countless shoes that lead to today”™s sneaker technology. Here are a few of the past designs that lead current shoes to their nirvana.

1. Asics Gel Technology

MODEL: Gel Kinsei 2

PRICE: $54

FEATURE: Lighter

One of the pioneers of creative ingenuity where soles were concerned, these shoes are truly innovative. An amazing design for a generation of joggers with aching knees, these shoes took pressure off of joints.

2. PF Flyer

MODEL: Magic Wedge

PRICE: $49

FEATURE: Weight Balanced

The innovative PF Flyer taught designers how to transfer weight to the outside of the foot, which reduced strain on the ball of the feet, while also reducing leg strain. This innovation was coupled with a cool style, making it popular with kids and young adults.

3. Nike Zoom Air Technology

MODEL: Air Flight 95

PRICE: $180

FEATURE: Refracts Stress

To understand how a shoe like this is engineered would take a degree. In layman”™s terms, the shoe refracts stress and responds with equal but opposite pressure, lending perfect balance to the wearer. This innovation is ambiguous, but thoroughly genius.

4. KangaROOS

MODEL: Magnolia Lux

PRICE: $40

FEATURE: Side Pocket

An adorable idea which stemmed from the cute KangaROO name, the pouch put KangaROOS on the map. Young ladies especially loved the pouched-kicks, but they were popular with everyone in an era where a quarter-carrying pouch would earn one pay phone call home.

5. Nike Hyperfuse Technology

MODEL: 2011 Supreme

PRICE:$105

FEATURE: Fancy & Functional

Three materials are married into one sleek exterior, creating a shoe as powerful and balanced as a symphony. Supple leather adds perfection to panache, which wearers sport casually to college, or professionally on the courts.

6. Reebok Pump-Ups

MODEL: Omni Lite New York Knicks

PRICE:$149

FEATURE: Pump Up Technology

Â The Pumps put a struggling Reebok on the map in a time when Nike was the only household name. In 1989 these shoes put competitors on edge, and put Dee Brown ahead of the rest in the 1991 NBA All Star Dunk Contest.

7. Nike Air

MODEL: Tailwind

PRICE: $90

FEATURE: Bounce in the Step

A revolution of aeronautical engineering by Monsieur Frank Rudy, the Nike Air Tailwind truly gave the wearer a bounce in his or her step. The polyurethane pockets of air in the soles reacted with heavy steps, giving the wearer a sense of “˜lift-off”™ to the hoops or hoods of choice.

8. Avia Cantilever Technology

MODEL: 830

PRICE: $45

FEATURE: Trampoline Bounce

Best known as the shoe that sued Nike and won, this patented design caused Nike Air to destroy their 180 line, which infringed on Avia”™s rights. Sadly, the Avia lacked the sleek design of the Nike Air 180, so the revolutionary “trampoline bounce” engineering was a waste.

9. Air Jordan Interchangeable

MODEL:Anthacite

PRICE: $85

FEATURE: Personalized Soles & Booties

A sexy shoe on its own, this design beats the rest because of its versatility. The owner is able to change out the soles or booties, creating unique and original combinations. Its advanced engineering is the result of decades of collaboration, which puts the Kobe System firmly in the past.

CONCLUSION

From simple upgrades like a bouncy step, to modern flair like interchangeable soles, sneakers have come a long way in the last few decades. While vintage kicks may still have style, they don”™t hold a candle to the creative ingenuity of today”™s shoes.

SOURCES:

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