1981 JCPenney USA Olympics sneaker advertisement

JC Penney USA Olympics sneaker advertisement from 1981

You can check out the sneakers here. 👟👀

Quick! Which one is the $30 shoe?

None of them. They're all USA Olympics". And they're all under $20. With all the style, selection and attention to detail you thought you had to pay more for. Surprised that shoes that look this great cost so little? Wait until you see how well they're made. In styles for the whole family. Only at JCPenney.

Everytime you buy USA Olympics. JCPenney contributes 50¢ to the USA Olympic Committee. Prices slightly higher in Alaska. Hawaii, Puerto Rico. At most large JCPenney stores and through the catalog.

Men's and boys' jogger, $18

Men's and boys' nylon/suede basketball style oxford, $18

Canvas basketball shoes, Men's, 15.99 Boys', 14.99

Men's, women's tennis, $16

Women's jogging shoe, $18

Men's, women's lightweight athletic oxford, $18

JCPenney, you're my kind of shoe store.

JCPenney
1981, J. C. Penney Company. Inc.

PONY 80s vintage sneaker ad featuring "The Shadow" and "Targa Flex" ​

Here's a 1981 PONY vintage sneaker advertisement featuring "The Shadow" and "Targa Flex."

Ad info is below:

PONY

THE BIG WINNER IN THE STAR WARS

RW5-STAR 

Runner's World Magazine

👟 THE SHADOW

👟 The RW 5-STAR/Highly Recommended TARGA FLEX is now available in Lady's sizes. 

Highly recommended

RW5-STAR 

Runner's World Magazine 

👟 THE TARGA FLEX. 

5 STARS OUTSIDE.

Each of these shoes has a patented super light Bar Sole designed to give you more shock absorption, more traction, a

natural flex pattern, and the added bonus of more mileage. 

5 STARS INSIDE.

Each shoe has a super light, super cushion grooved inner sole with patented energy absorption zones under the heel and along the entire length of the sole.

PONY SPORTS & LEISURE, INC.
251 Park Avenue South,
New York, N.Y. 10010.

1980s vintage ad for Rip-Offs kids sneakers

80s Rip-Offs vintage kids sneaker ad. "The only crime the is not having them!" 🤣

Ad info is below:

START YOUR OWN RIP-OFF'S GANG! 

Rip-Offs—they're sporty athletic shoes in a variety of styles and awe-some colors. Each pair comes with 4 different Velcro-backed colorful stickers that you can put on and rip off special spots on each shoe. You can choose from over 500 more stickers from the catalog that comes with each pair, so you can buy the ones you want swap them around. 

*If you don't want to cut the coupon — out, it's okay to just write the words MARVEL COMICS OFFER on your Rip-Off's mailer/order form. 

HERE'S A SUPER $2.00 SAVINGS ON YOUR FIRST RIP-OFF'S STICKER ORDER! 

Okay! I want to save $2.00 on my Rip-Off's sticker order! I have:

1. Bought a pair of Rip-Off's

2. Selected my stickers from the catalog

3. Filled out the mailer/order form

4. Taken $2 off the total price

5. Enclosed this filled out coupon with my order.' 

NAME  

AGE 

SHOE SIZE  

RIP-OFF'S The only crime the is not having them! 

RIP-OFF'S are United protected by pending United States and Foreign Patent applications
KIDS! CALL THE RIP-OFF'S SPECIAL HOT LINE FOR YOUR NEAREST RIP-OFF'S DEALER
(Monday through Friday, 9 am-5 pm, Eastern Standard Time) Limit one coupon per order.

Pro-Keds “Conquest” vintage sneaker ad from 1984

PRO-Keds “Conquest” vintage sneaker ad from 1984.

OUR SHOES ARE BETTER THAN YOUR SHOES.

The midsole is the heart of any running shoe. It helps protect you from injuries and it absorbs most of the shock. And of all the running shoes, only one comes with a midsole guarantee. The Pro-Keds Conquest.

WE DON'T CLAIM OUR MIDSOLES LAST THE LIFE OF THE SHOE. WE GUARANTEE IT.

Unlike the common EVA midsole that loses up to 75% of its resiliency after 300 miles, the Conquest's EVA/Polyisoprene midsole retains most of its shock absorbent properties for the life of the shoe. And should it ever go dead before the outsole wears out, we'll do something unheard of. We'll give you a brand new pair of Conquests with no questions asked.

And this revolutionary midsole isn't the only feature that sets the Conquest apart from all the competition. The Conquest also has an incredibly tough Indy 500® heel plug for heavy heel strikers. It has a fully molded heel counter that reduces excessive foot motion so there's less strain on the lower back, knees and Achilles tendons. And it even has a 3M ScotchLite® reflective trim that reflects car headlights up to 200 yards away.

The new Pro-Keds Conquest. It's a better running shoe than the shoe you're using now. And isn't that reason enough to switch?

PRO-KEDS. WE COME TO PLAY.
1983 Keds Corp., Div. of Stride Rile Corp., 5 Cambridge Ctr., Cambridge, MA 02142 (800-428-6575).

Colt by Brookfield 3 stripe vintage sneaker ad from 1978

Colt by Brookfield three stripe vintage sneakers.

Ad info is below:

Best run for your money

Slip into the shoe that's gonna give you a lot of kicks. Built for performance, built for comfort... but most of all, built to make you a winner.

We call it COLT, because we were too embarrassed to call it what it really is... SUPERSHOE.

It's a lightweight beauty with road-grabbing traction that lends wings to your feet. Supports them better than a rich uncle would. Cushions and protects them like a doting mother.

Go ahead, try them on (they're really not expensive). Your feet will tell you the happy truth. COLTS are runners built the American way.

For more quality, more durability and better fit. With features that prove we, too. read RW's "Ideal Guidelines.” And then, we produced a runner for you that just may make them raise their standards.

For you, we designed innersoles for maximum stability and flexibility. An extra shock absorbent ethylene-vinyl-acetate heel wedge. A padded heel and arch support. All the features you need to turn earth pounding marathons into easy sprints. COLT by Brookfield. A stylish, good old-fashioned American value by the supershoe people.

LOOK FOR COLT SHOES IN YOUR FAVORITE SPORTING GOOD DEPARTMENT
COLT SHOES, IN FULL AND HALF SIZES, WILL BE AVAILABLE AT GOLD CIRCLE, AYR-WAY AND CLARKINS STORES.

C🎯LT
BROOKFIELD ATHLETIC
SHOE COMPANY, INC.
15 MECHANIC STREET.
E. BROOKFIELD, MASS 01515

AAU Leader 1979 upside down swoosh vintage sneaker ad

AAU 1979 “Off and Running” vintage sneaker ad.

Here’s a late 70s ad for AAU shoes "Leader" sneaker featuring the AAU upside down swoosh logo..

OFF AND RUNNING.

AAU Shoes take the serious runner seriously. Our shoes — like the AAU Leader — are built to exacting technological standards. Durability, exceptional comfort, superior traction, built-in shock-proofing, integrity of support are the qualities by which AAU Shoes are measured. Try on a pair. You'll know the difference.

THE FOOTWEAR OF CHAMPIONS

Available at fine department and specialty stores everywhere.

Bauer ​Lightfoot trainer 70s vintage sneaker ad ​

Here’s another cool old pair of vintage 1970’s sneakers, this time by Bauer, a brand best know for their association with pro hockey equipment. Back in the late 70's they produced a line of awesome running shoes, including the Lightfoot.

This ad also made me wonder if it was the inspiration behind the Canadian comedy troupe Kids in the Hall sketch, Mr. Heavyfoot. If anyone knows Dave Foley please ask him for us!

Here’s the copy from the ad:

There are shoes you can run in. And now there's a shoe you can run and run and run and run in
Introducing The Lightfoot Trainer from Bauer. 

The great pleasure of running is running. It's insatiable. The more you do, the more you want to do. That's exactly why we have created our new Bauer Lightfoot Trainer and why Bauer took the Runner's World specifications and designed a training shoe to meet them. During a brisk morning run you want a shoe that doesn't feel as though you're lugging weights. Bauer's new Lightfoot Trainer is less than 325 grams (approx. 11 oz. And the nylon upper has only enough suede to provide proper support without extra weight.

The quarter-mile and indoor tracks have turns and inside running that demand above aver-age lateral strength. As you shift, there's great stress put on any shoe between its sole and upper. 

Bauer's new Lightfoot Trainer is made to meet RW's rigid specifications in lateral strength to assure you of comfortable track running. For the weekend runs, the Lightfoot had to measure up to RW's sole wear test. The sole is long-wear-ing rubber with closely grouped "nipples" to take hold of the running surface for grip and push. This is augmented by a solid, wide and com-fortable heel. On city streets, these city lights will get you home happy. Our measure here was RW's "impact re-sponse"test for both heel and forefoot."The forces under the fore-foot are, in general, larger than those under the heel. So the shoe should perform well in both of these categories" (RW, Oct. '77.) And that's exactly what we have attempted to do. 

No matter where you run, the new Bauer Lightfoot Trainer can run with you. Bauer has been cited by consumer groups for producing a high quality, high value shoe. We intend to maintain that endorsation and add yours with this new Lightfoot Trainer. This is the year North America begins to run to the Bauer beat So why not be one of the first to feel the rhythm. 

Bauer
The New Lightfoot Trainer

Rare Sako brand 1984 and 1985 vintage sneaker ads

Adding to the archive, here's a set of vintage sneaker advertisements from the 1984 & 1985 for a brand called Sako. Sako is a really rare and obscure brand that was from Redwood City, CA. The three sneakers in the '84 ads are The “Sako Super,” Lady Tri-Eva and regular Tri-Eva. The marketing strategy associated with the Sako Super sneaker was strange because they were only trying to sell sneakers to supinators. The population of supinators was comprised of only 1 out of every 5 runners. In the third ad from 1985 they made another mind boggling decision to try to take their running shoes in a business casual direction. 👟💼🤔

Ad info for all of the ads is below:

Ad text for all ads is below:

Why One Runner Out of Every Five Should Wear This Shoe

We discovered through our Runner's Workshop that 20% of all people who run are supinators, not pronators. We also discovered that there were no shoes on the market to solve this prob-lem. The big shoe companies are all building shoes for the four out of five runners who aren't supinators. If your worn running shoes look like this—you are one out of five:

...and your next pair should look like this:

THE SAKO SUPER

The new SAKO SUPER combines 4 major innovations to solve the supinators' problems by providing extra support and preventing lateral (outside) breakdown.

1. Increased torsional stability with full board-last construction.

2. Extended extra strength heel counter o both lateral and medial sides.

3. A special dual-compound midsole t ha prevents supination.

4. Patented Step-Rite outsole.

The new SAKO SUPER"' should be in yo favorite running shoe store by November 1. If not, call us, (415) 364-9928; we'll tell you where you can buy them. Or if`you get your favorite store to stock SAKO shoes your new SUPERS'' will be free.

California Footwear, Inc., 3100 Rolison Road, Redwood City, CA 94063.

SAKO
Dealer inquiries invited!

Ad 2 info:

Why Beardsley, Benoit, Decker, Durden, Rodgers, Salazar, Scott, Shorter, or Virgin hasn't yet endorsed SAKO running shoes

...and John Doughty has!

Well, for one thing, it costs a lot of money these days to get a top athlete's endorsement of your product. And anyway, we're not sure anybody would believe the endorsement until they've had the chance to try the shoes for themselves. For another thing, we think John Doughty's endorsement is at least as meaningful as that of a top star, and maybe even more so. His tibias take just as much torment, his agonies on the home stretch are just as excruciating, and his shoes wear out just as fast. Maybe faster. And because the John Doughtys of this world aren't signing up many juicy endorsement contracts-let's face it, they aren't even getting free shoes-they're probably not as well heeled (no pun intended) as the stars, and wearing out r shoes is a serious matter. So we thought it was time somebody did something for John Doughty and his "middle of the packers."

Instead of spending our cash on getting endorsements, we decided to put it into better shoes, and at a price John can afford. There are other reasons behind our ability to make super shoes for less. Our com-mitment to save you money started in 1976 with Runners Workshop, our running shoe rebuilding division. From the priceless knowledge we gained from resoling and rebuilding over 100,000 pairs of shoes, we designed and produced a better one. Every SAKO shoe is made specially to accept our resoling process. and we back our top-of-the-line models, such as Tri-Eva, with a free resole! Now John Doughty can double his mileage with SAKO. You too can get more run for your money by running down to your favorite store and trying on a pair of our new SAKO shoes. If SAKO is scarce in your area, call or write for your free color brochure. And remember, when you see elite athletes wearing our shoes. you'll know we didn't buy their endorsement, we earned it.

California Footwear, Inc. 3100 Rolison Rd., Redwood City, CA 94063. (415) 364-9928

SAKO
say "SOCKO"
Lady Tri-Eva 👟 Tri-Eva 👟
Dealer inquiries invited!

Ad 3 info:

Who says you can't wear your running shoes to work?

The boss, that's who. And though he isn't always right, he's always the boss! But now you can get around him. You can wear running shoes to work and he'll never know the difference. Because SAKO makes work shoes using running shoe technology, shoes with the glove-like fit, feather-weight, and superb comfort of your favorite running shoes, but also with the durability, support, and appearance of work shoes.

The world's most comfortable (and lightest) work shoes come in enough styles and colors to fit any job, whether you work in a supermarket or a restaurant, a post office or a factory, a hospital or a casino, whether you drive a truck, handle baggage, pound a beat, or work in the executive suite. And instead of the first thing you do when you get home at night, taking off your shoes will be the last thing you want to do.

BROWN UNION # 5035 👟 ASPEN # 5112 👟 TRANSIT # 5133 👟

PRESIDIO # 5111 👟 LIBERTY # 5119 👟 MONTEREY # 5117 👟

If your regular shoe store or your running shoe store isn't yet carrying SAKO work shoes, we apologize; we're getting the word out—and the shoes—as fast as we can. Write us and we'll contact you with the nearest SAKO dealer.

For the store nearest you call TOLL FREE (800)-FOR SAKO In California call (415) 364-9928

Dealer Inquiries Invited

SAKO
Say “Socko”
California Footwear, Inc.
3100 Rolison Road
Redwood City, CA 94063

PONY Roadrunner vintage sneaker ad from 1977

Here’s a cool old school 70s vintage sneaker ad for the PONY Roadrunner running shoe.

The PONY Roadrunner.
👟
Designed to go faster than the fastest feet!

A bold claim? Perhaps. But there isn't a running shoe made that is more scientifically tested for endurance and comfort than the Roadrunner. It's designed to help you go as fast and as far as you can...and then some! So the next time you look at a beautiful pair of PONY Roadrunners, remember you're also looking at the fastest shoes made. Check these superb features.

● Nipple outsole designed for maximum shock absorption at each step.

● Overall design insures perfect rotation of the foot —from initial contact of the outer edge of the foot through the push off on the ball.

● Designed with wide contoured heel for increased protection when foot strikes the ground.

● Super lightweight nylon upper affords unique support and protection.

Available now at fine sporting goods dealers everywhere.

PONY
A STEP AHEAD
251 Park Ave.
South New York 10010, N.Y.

Bally "The Runner" vintage sneaker ​ad from 1983

We're going to go high-end today with these Bally vintage sneakers from 1983. This old ad features "The Runner" sneaker.

Ad info is below:

the BALLY advantage:
performance plus style

The master shoemaker of Switzerland has designed active footwear that challenges the best. Bally has developed a new line of sport shoes that combines their technical know how and concern for style. Meet the Competition, the Runner and the Court. Be on a winning streak- score points for performance and style.

The Runner

A flexible lightweight running shoe that reduces muscle fatigue.

The Competition

A fine tuned tennis shoe that absorbs the shock and reduces the risk of ankle strain.

The Court

A durable indoor court shoe with special built in support features that meet the demands of the game.

BALLY OF SWITZERLAND

For brochure write Jerry, Bally Inc., One Bally Place, New Rochelle, NY 10801
The Competition and The Runner are also available in women's sizes.

Ambi "Warrior" vintage sneaker ad ​from 1979

Today we've got this old school late 70s vintage sneaker ad for the Ambi "Warrior." AMBI was a brand out of Arkansas and made some pretty cool looking kicks back in the day. Apparently these running shoes 'outranked' every other shoe of their time.

Ad info is below:

SAFETY FIRST

Safety and protection of the runner has always been Ambi's first priority, providing the runner the best possible shoe without sacrificing any injury-protection features…..So, the Runner's World test results (right) of Ambi out-ranking all the top-rated shoes for safety and protection did not surprise the folks at Ambi…..Removable, washable sockliner (by Powers) adds extra cushioned protection and comfort.

AMBI

THE AMERICAN SPIRIT

★ That's the premise on which Ambi was founded.

★ That's what recent tests sponsored by Runner's World magazine reveal.

COMPARE THE 1980 TEST RESULTS FOR YOURSELF

The AMBI "Warrior" outranked all these top-rated shoes (and others) in the listed safety and protection features:

REARFOOT IMPACT—Adidas Marathon, New Balance 620, Nike Daybreak, Autry Mach II, Converse Arizona, Pony Targa VSD, Saucony Hornet.

FOREFOOT IMPACT—Brooks Supreme Villanova, Osaga KT-26, Adidas Marathon, Etonic Stabilizer, Saucony Hornet, Brooks Silver Streak, Etonic Streetfighter.

REARFOOT CONTROL—Brooks Vantage, Autry Concorde, Nike Daybreak, Puma Fast Rider, Brooks Vantage Supreme, New Balance 620, Etonic Stabilizer.

TRACTION—Adidas Marathon, Autry Concorde, Brooks Vantage, Puma Fast Rider, Nike Daybreak, Brooks Vantage Supreme, Etonic Streetfighter, Brooks Supreme Villanova, Osaga KT-26, Brooks Silver Streak, Wilson Force 5.

AMBI, PO BOX 249, JONESBORO, AR 72401 — Phone Toll Free 800-643-0099

Sears 440 vintage running shoe ad from 1981 ​

Here's a 1981 vintage sneaker ad for the Sears 440 running shoes. The 440 was likely named for the 440-yard dash which is a quarter-mile sprint race in track and field. Between these sneakers and "The Winner" II series Sears made some pretty alright sneakers back in the day.

Ad info is below:

You can count on Sears to look at a new product from every angle

"First we tested 16 top-rated running shoes—and the bare foot," says Sears buyer. Not many companies have the luxury of starting from scratch, but Sears spent nearly two years developing The 440. Here's why:

Sears knew it took more than a good factory to make a good running shoe—one that would fit comfortably and help reduce the foot, ankle, and knee problems that runners sometimes encounter.

They went to experts: Northwestern University Medical School Center for Sports Medicine. The doctors kept a sharp eye on stress points and suggested possible ways The 440 Running Shoe could aid in helping to prevent the problems that plague runners. The buyers and Sears own lab worked closely with these nationally-known orthopedic surgeons and the manufacturer. Prototype after prototype was discarded as not good enough.

Not good enough because Sears wanted more than a shoe that would fit comfortably and minimize problems—they also wanted one that would look attractive, wear well, and sell at a fair price. They got one. The 440 Running Shoe pleased all concerned with its innovative features.

Finding a better way of doing things is virtually a policy at Sears. Each year, Sears lab tests over ten thousand products and, along with the buyers, keeps up a running dialogue with manufacturers with this aim: How can we make it better? But there is one thing Sears hasn't had to improve on in over half a century. Its famous promise: Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back

Sears
Sean Roebuck and Co. 1981

The quest for the ideal running shoe led to critical considerations like these:
1. Superb flexibility 2. Removable insole 3. Molded back part to cup heel and aid stability 4. Shoe base that absorbs shock 5. Roomy toe area to avoid discomfort.

Spalding Super Flite 1979 vintage sneaker ad with Reggie Jackson

Here's a 1979 vintage sneaker ad for the super dope Spalding Superflite running shoes. 🔥 This ad features Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, who is master of the humblebrag. This is straight from the ad.

"I don't mean to brag, but I'm one of those all-around natural athletes. Seriously, a big, strong body is tougher to get off the ground." I don't mean to brag but I'm totally awesome. haha

One other interesting note on this ad is the lower left corner of the photo with Reggie jumping says Beconta, Inc. 1979. Beconta also owned Puma around the same time.

Ad info is below:
Reggie's got a new pair of wings
Feet that feel good fly in new running shoes from Spalding

"I don't mean to brag, but I'm one of those all-around natural athletes.

"Seriously, a big, strong body is tougher to get off the ground. And although I run well for my size, a good running shoe can even help me run better. A shoe that doesn't get in the way of where my feet naturally want to move.

"The best running shoes I've ever worn are these new shoes from Spalding. (I really said this and I really mean it!) And I've got my reasons:

"One, they fit better than any of my other running shoes.

"Two, they are super comfortable—even after a good long run.

"Three, they're lighter than any of my other running shoes. I forget I have them on.

"Four, I'm tough on shoes, but these Spalding shoes can really take it.

"And last, I like the way they look because I like style. Wings on the sides. Wings for my feet. And feet that feel good fly!" —Reggie Jackson

Spalding - registered trademark of Questor Corporation.
Beconta, Inc. 1979

REI Second Wind vintage sneaker ad ​from 1979

Back in the day the lure of the 70s "Running boom" was so strong that even REI dabbled in the running shoe game. Here's a 1979 vintage sneaker ad for their "Second Wind" running shoes. That double checkmark logo looks a little bit like the old PRO-Keds logo.

Ad info is below:

GET YOUR SECOND WIND

$19.95 ppd.

👟

R.E.I. Second Wind lightweight trainer.

Excellent for hard surfaces.

Black waffle sole.

Seamless toe pocket for blister-free racing.

Outstanding arch support and shock absorption.

Nylon uppers, reinforced leather heel and toe. Offer expires 9-15-79

❑ Men's sizes: 6-12, 13. #D50-700. Color: Dark blue, Weight per pair: 9:2 oz.

❑ Women's sizes: 4-10. #D50-702. Color: Light blue. Weight per pair: 7.15.5 oz.

❑ Send me your free, fat catalog.

❑ I want to be a member. Here's my $2.

Order easy by calling toll free. 1-800-426-4840. Alaska and Hawaii call 800-426-4770. Washington State call 1-800-562-4894. 

Name

Address 

City State   Zip

REI
Recreational Equipment Inc.
Seattle-Portland-Berkeley-Los Angeles- Anchorage-Minneapolis
The Original Outdoor Co-op—Est. 1938
P.O. Box C88127, Seattle, WA 98188

Etonic KM Street Fighter 1977 vintage sneaker ad

Etonic shoe company dates way back to 1876 when Charles A. Eaton opened a shoe factory in Brockton, MA. By 1915 the brand was one of the largest shoe manufacturers and was producing shoes and boots for WW I. In 1945 they began producing golf shoes and by the 1970's they moved into high quality running shoes during the “Running Boom” era. The ad above is from 1977 and is for their "Street Fighter" sneaker.

Ad info is below:

Street Fighter

Introducing more protection for pavement pounders. Every time your foot hits the hard road you experience forces up to 3 times your body weight. So, obviously, the more forces your shoes can absorb the less you must contend with. Bring on the Street Fighter. The newest model in the Etonic/km series. We recently performed bio-mechanical research comparing the shock absorbing capacity of ours and other leading shoes. Based on the findings of that study Street Fighter was developed for top performance.

What did it? The thickened heel and ball , increased shock absorbency by 20%. Yet, because of a new sole make-up it's actually lighter.

Also, the unique Dr. Rob Roy McGregor one-piece heel and arch Etonic/km support pushes your natural padding under your foot where it will further reduce force at impact.

Plus, Street Fighter incorporates a new, more abrasion resistant outer sole for increased mileage, with the many other fine features of the Etonic/km series. Hit the road in Street Fighters. 

Etonic/km
Running Shoes by Eaton

Etonic km will be sponsoring the 1977 New York City Marathon
Charles A. Eaton Co.. Brockton. MA 02403. A member of the Colgate Sports Group of Company

Osaga KT-26 REVOLUTION vintage sneaker ad ​from 1979

Osaga KT-26 REVOLUTION vintage sneaker ad from 1979. The Osaga KT-26 is a cult classic sneaker only known to a few and are now rare collector items that sell used for upwards of $300-$1000 a pair. This original vintage magazine ad is available over at our Rewind Running web shop.

We were able to piece together a brand profile from "TonyK" on the Letsrun.com forum board who posted an excellent detailed account of Osaga’s history way back in 2009. Tony’s write up:

I somehow landed on your sight today and saw your comments about OSAGA. I was one of the first people to market OSAGA in the United States and was there from day one. Most of the comments and responses you received are a bit off target. The company was started about three months after a small company by the name of "Blue Ribbon Sports" or, as the name you may know better as "NIKE". It was started by a family shoe store retailer by the name of Bill Combs in Eugene, Oregon. Although he has passed, his stores are still there and are called "Burchs Fine Shoes". we were around Bill Bowerman several times because he was a good friend of Bill Combs. We would all go to dinner during big meets such as NCAA Cross Country championships, etc.

Almost all of the shoes had names beginning with the letter "C" as research found that those words were the easiest to remember. Names like Capra (which is the brightly colored shoes your responders are talking about), Cortina, Columbia and Cochise, which was meant to compete with the Adidas Country and was green and white as well.

The logo colors where Green and Yellow, but not because of Oregon. Once again, marketing research said those were the most pleasing colors. Osaga was the first company to put emphasis on matching warm-ups, bags, hats, shirts, etc to the shoe colors.

The original idea of the company was that the shoes would be world class running and athletic shoes but not be sold in sporting goods stores and would be made available only to family shoe stores. As you might guess this took away the opportunity to have athletes as spokespersons. Alberto Salazar is the only "major" runner to have worn the shoes and that only happed for a very short time.

Your responders are right that the technology morphed into Avia. OSAGA developed a shoe called the KT-26 which was rated the #2 running shoe in the world as rated by Runner's World magazine. Although the shoes could then be found in some Athletes Foot stores, there was no base of well known runners in sponsored by OSAGA to really maximize the potential for expansion. At that time Bill Combs was running out of money and the writing was on the wall. The company was closed and the technology of the KT-26 Cantilever sole was sold to Avia for a small amount of money.

Oddly enough, the best shoe OSAGA Ever produced was called the OSAGA 2000 which,at the time, was the lightest weight tennis shoe ever produced. It used lightweight materials that are common place today but were evolutionary at that time.

OSAGA was named after the Osage Native American Indians from Oklahoma and the tag line was "For the Human Race".

This other small excerpt on Osaga is from the book Out of Nowhere: The Inside Story of how Nike Marketed the Culture of Running by Geoff Hollister:

In three days, my staff member Peter Thompson and I were flying to Madison, Wisconsin for NCAA cross country. We immediately ran into Burch's Bill Combs of Eugene who decided if Phil Knight can do it, he could too. Burch's was the top shoe store in Eugene, and Combs started his own brand, naming it Osaga. He put money into Dellinger's scoreboard at Hayward Field, which we had turned down. Bowerman was irate at his successor's decision. Now Combs was at the NCAA meet, sponsoring a breakfast for athletes in an attempt to draw attention to his poorly built training flats.

Ouch.

Converse Thunderbolt & Equinox Arthur Lydiard vintage sneaker ad ​

Converse "The Art of Running" 1984 Arthur Lydiard Thunderbolt and Equinox vintage sneaker ad. Another popular theme of these old 80s running shoe ads is the “track coach sponsorship.” After the success of Nike and Bill Bowerman there was a long line of track coach endorsers that came out to promote different brands and lines of running shoes.

Arthur Lydiard was well known and prior to these runners with Converse he sponsored a pair of sneakers by the EB Brütting company in Germany called the Lydiard EB Brütting Road Runner. Lydiard also taught Bill Bowerman how to jog. After that he designed these Thunderbolt and Equinox shoes for Converse. Converse re-issued the Thunderbolt and these sneakers have a really cool, unique style to them.

Ad info is below:

THE ART OF RUNNING
Arthur Lydiard, the world's greatest distance coach and designer of the new Converse Lydiard Equinox and Lydiard Thunderbolt.
“As a distance coach, I don't base my running methods solely on strength. Running's a science. That's why I chose to work with Converse. Converse is dedicated to biomechanical research. And together we've developed innovative design features that provide major benefits to the serious runner. We built the new Equinox' and Thunderbolt- on my own last... a curved, contoured and balanced last...the first of its kind. Special features include the extremely lightweight, yet durable Indy 500 outsole. A removable conformal footbed. And a molded mid-sole that keeps its resilience mile after mile. We also designed the Equinox"' in widths.

The results? Shoes that fit your foot and at the same time are lightweight and flexible. Three musts for any shoe you're going a long distance on. I strongly recommend serious runners train in the new Converse Lydiard Equinox and race in the Lydiard Thunderbolt. Like I tell all my runners, being good isn't luck. It's a science. Resign yourself to that and you'll go far"

Lydiard Equinox Training

Men’s widths B, D, EE and Women’s AA, B, C.

Lydiard Thunderbolt Racing Flat

CONVERSE
Reach for the stars. Reach for Converse.
1984 Converse Inc
The Official Athletic Shoe of the 1984 Olympic Games.

Avia 1981 "New Wave" vintage sneaker ad

Avia "New Wave" 1981 vintage running shoe ad. Avia is another sneaker brand that was founded in Oregon in 1979. Avia's claim to fame is the canitlevered sole technology which is prominently featured in this ad and uses cushion to add stability and reduce shock. This original vintage Avia sneaker print ad is available at our web store RewindRunning.com.

Ad info is below:

AVIA. NEW WAVE IN RUNNING SHOES.

We are not conventional. We are AVIA. We are bio-mechanical, We are the cantilevered sole. Kinetic stability, We are the future.

We are the sole that increases stability. Reduces shock. Minimizes ankle pronation. 

We are the inventors of the cantilever design, Proven to deflect shock out, away from your foot— not up your leg. We are crafted with the finest materials. To suit the finest design.

We are AVIA. The new wave in running shoes. 

AVIA
For more information, write AVIA
Innovative by Design 7080 S.W. Fir Loop-Tigard, OR 97223

Vans Serio Ultra vintage sneaker ad from 1984

Here's a Vans Serio vintage sneaker ad from 1984 for running shoe models 53, 252 and 352. While they're normally associated with ushering in skate culture and the iconic late 70s style no. 48 Jeff Spicoli 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' checkerboard sneakers they also had a solid running shoe phase for several years back in the day.

VANS Serio ULTRA ATHLETIC FOOTWEAR Handmade ONLY in America

MODEL 352 

MODEL 252 

MODEL 53 

OUR LAST COULD MAKE YOU FIRST!

When you tie on VANS for roadwork or race date, you are assured of a lightweight, protective foot covering to go your distance. VANS hand crafted, American-made Ultra Athletic shoes are produced from the finest quality materials available. There are nineteen check points in the production of each Ultra running shoe to meet our exacting quality control standards; your exacting performance standards. And, we've taken the guesswork out of perfect fit with 12 last widths-AAAA to EEEEE-to select from in each full and half-size in MEN'S, 2 1/ 2 through 20, and WOMEN'S, 4 through 14, Ultra Running Shoe.

VANS....Making A Lasting Impression With Athletes!
-Bill Emmerton's Definitive Guide To Running"

Seen by millions on USA network is now available, by popular demand, on home video cassette. (only $39.99) Here's practical advice on how you can start, or improve, your personal training program safely and effectively. VIDEO CASSETTE AVAILABLE IN BOTH VHS AND BETA. To order a cassette make a money order payable to: ED HANSEN 1454 Seward Street Hollywood California 90028. AVM_ P.O. BOX 729 ANAHEIM, CALIF. 92805

Onitsuka Tiger 1977 Enduro vintage sneaker ad

Onitsuka Tiger 1977 Enduro 🔥 vintage sneaker ad featuring the "aggressive 'Tuf Trak' sole." In recent years Onitsuka has brought this sneaker back as the EDR 78.

Ad info is below:

The All Terrain Training Shoe... 

Across the fields...down the road. Wherever you run, the Tiger Enduro is the all terrain shoe built to take it! The aggressive "Tuf Trak" sole design utilizes 16 round and 97 cross shaped, irregularly arranged cletes for superior gripping action in sand, mud or pavement. The durable, "Tuf Trak" sole turns up at the toe, and wraps around the back of the flared heel for maximum traction and performance. The high density rubber mid-sole virtually eliminates leg shock and achilles tendon strain. The cushioned inner sole and tall molded heel collar give support and comfort for long workouts. The lightweight ENDURO features breathable nylon mesh uppers with re-enforced suede leather heel and toe. If you run in the rough, get the shoe that's built to take it. Tiger is known for its durability. Ask your sports shoe dealer for the Tiger Enduro.

Tiger SPORT SHOES