A Brief History of the Most Iconic Sneaker Technologies Ever Made

Since the early 1900s, sneaker brands have pushed it to the limit when it comes to sneaker tech. Whether it’s advancement in cushioning, upper manufacturing or inventive lace locking systems, each brand has experimented in a myriad of ways, trying to capture the imagination of consumers who are often looking for something new and different.

That's why we've compiled a list of some of the most iconic technologies ever made and developed, and we're looking back at the history behind them all. Stay locked in to The Sole Supplier for more history and knowledge. The more we know, the more we appreciate what we have.

Converse were first to introduce the vulcanization process for outsoles in the early 1900s on the Converse All-Star. It’s a process in which rubber in its natural form is heated, causing the compounds of the material to join, creating a stronger and more durable, but also flexible, outsole. Seems basic when we think of it now, but it was a gamechanger at the time considering that soles of other sneakers were cracking in the winter or melting in the summer.

The next major move for Converse was React Juice, most notably incorporated in the Cons Aero Jam and Aero Jet which were signature shoes of NBA great Larry Johnson. React was simply a yellow juice installed in “bladders“ which sat in the heel counter and midsole. Although it may have initially seemed quite gimmicky, it did provide greater ankle support and cushioning; “If Granny moves this way, Juice reacts that way” Converse would claim in their iconic string of '90s adverts, with Johnson dressed as his “Grandmama“.

On to Nike, and I feel this section wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t begin with Bill Bowerman’s ‘aha’ moment in the early 1970s that led to him creating the Nike Waffle Trainer.

Bowerman, who was a University of Oregon track and field coach at the time, was having breakfast with his wife, and as he was removing waffles from the waffle iron, it clicked; the track at Oregon had just updated from crushed cinder to an artificial material and Bowerman was looking for improved traction on the new surface. He ran off and poured some urethane directly into the waffle iron and voila, the Waffle Trainer was born. No one could’ve imagined such a simple adaptation could have such a big impact on the sneaker world.

The next step for Nike was, of course, Air. Originally pitched to adidas who laughed off the concept as too gimmicky, Marion Franklin Rudy, an ex-NASA Aerospace Engineer, then took the idea to Phil Knight at Nike. Although initially sceptical, Knight eventually backed the idea, almost solely (pardon the pun) because adidas had turned it down. Needless to say, a decision that turned out pretty well for all parties concerned. To go from fairly simplistic cushioning to incorporating air bags within the midsole was a maverick move for Nike, and one that paid off tremendously. This has since taken many forms in the cushioning of Nike sneakers, where it would be changed into Zoom Air and double-cushioning, and then included with the likes of Lunarlon and React support as well. Nike also evolved from leather uppers to lightweight and flexible materials such as Flyknit, creating a completely new look for every day sneakers.

Finally for Nike, perhaps the second biggest leap technology-wise for the company came in the form of the self-lacing Nike Mags. Nike designer Tinker Hatfield was tasked with designing a pair of sneakers for Back to the Future Part II that would ‘provide a glimpse into the future’. Never one to miss a marketing opportunity, they not only lit up ‘Nike’ across the top strap, they also bore the Nike swoosh along the lateral side for all to see.

First sight of these were in the film, released in 1989, but it wasn’t until 2008 that Nike actually filed for a patent on self-lacing shoes, and it was another eight years before they released 89 pairs of the self-lacing iconic sneaker. They have since released the Nike BB, a basketball sneaker with the auto-lacing system, accompanied by an app, and charging pads for the sneakers. It definitely doesn’t look as good as the Mag of course, but then again, what does?

Jordan Brand, over the years, has brought an incredible variety of sneaker tech into the game. Although it began with the Air unit being present in some models from the Air Jordan 3 onwards, it wasn’t until the Air Jordan 9 that they upgraded the sole to a phylon midsole for added comfort and cushioning.

Since then, they have pushed the boat out quite a bit, with ankle straps on the Air Jordan 8, a carbon fibre shank for the Air Jordan 11, Zoom Air in the Air Jordan 12 and they then moved on to include mesh and Kevlar fibre in future models. They’ve used an independent podular system for cushioning on the Air Jordan 20, and even a draw-string lacing system on the Air Jordan 33. Since the beginning, Jordan Brand have continuously upped their game, just like their namesake.

When we think of Reebok sneaker tech, The Pump comes straight to mind… or is that showing my age? Anyway, before The Pump graced those enormous Reebok tongues, Reebok had the ERS, Energy Return System in 1988. Cylinders in the midsole that provided a higher energy return than the usual EVA midsoles.

Soon after the ERS came Hexalite; in my opinion, one of the coolest looking additions to an outsole in a long time. The Hexalite cushioning system not only provided improved shock absorption, but also looked incredible as the design was based on honeycomb. The Hexalite areas of the sneaker were then visible, whether it be on the outsole for the Omni Zone 2s, or the lateral midsole of the Questions.

Then came Reebok’s most famous tech advancement, The Pump. Although initial sight of the feature may have led you to believe it made you jump higher, a la Dee Brown pumping up his sneakers during the 1991 NBA Dunk Comp, it actually only improved the fit of the sneaker, but, it did that really well.

Reebok finally added DMX absorption to the mix. A feature that provided air in the midsole that ran through to various pods improving cushioning and responsiveness. It wasn’t a feature used on many models, but the models it was used on were sleek, such as the DMX Run 10.

Around the same time Reebok released Hexalite, PUMA unveiled their Trinomic cushioning. Utilising the same hexagonal shape as Hexalite, Trinomic consisted of clear cells that provided cushioning, flexibility and stability – something the Trinomic logo encapsulates. Used in two of my all-time favourite models, the R698 and Puma Disc, I’ve been able to test out the functionality myself, and boy, are they comfy.

Not only did the Disc come with Trinomic cushioning, it also came with… well… a disc. With PUMA being the first brand to create a lace-less shoe (the velcro strapped Brush Shoe in 1968), they were ahead of the game as far as distinctive lacing systems went, and the PUMA Disc can definitely be counted as a landmark sneaker, as it was also the first of its kind. You would simply turn the disc on the tongue to tighten or loosen the fit. Simple as that. Genius. And in 1991, it helped PUMA stand out in a competitive market. This was of course helped along by Linford Christie wearing them on the podium after he clinched Olympic gold a year later in Barcelona.

2016, PUMA create the Autodisc - similar to the auto-lacing Nike BB, except with the computer in the tongue, rather than the midsole, for more flexibility. Three years later, they introduced the PUMA Fi (Fit Intelligence); similar to the Autodisc, but the fit could be adjusted on the sneaker itself as well as the app. A far cry from the humble beginnings of the Brush Shoe.

Finally, adidas. In 1985, they created the adidas APS (Anti-Pronation and Shock absorption system); where you could harden or soften the cushioning in the midsole with the twist of a yellow key. Ground-breaking at the time, I’m hoping this is something that can be resurrected for modern running shoes… perhaps minus the key.

Jump to 2013, and in comes a real game-changer; Boost. Created by expanding TPU particles to form closed cells around pockets of air (don’t worry, I don’t really understand that part either); Boost put adidas at the forefront of running again, and fast. It has five main benefits. That’s quite a few considering the singular benefits of a lot of other sneaker tech on the market. Boost provides comfort, it’s designed to withstand a wide range of temperatures, it’s durable, flexible, and finally, and most importantly, it provides substantial energy return. All of these components, working in harmony, have created pioneering tech that will be around for a long, long time. Oh, and Kanye West is a fan.

APS, Boost, and into the future… well Futurecraft to be exact. adidas’ Futurecraft 4D was created in 2017, and its midsole is made using ‘Digital Light Synthesis’ as adidas calls it. Liquid is printed in 3D to create a lattice-like midsole, and adidas can tailor this to the individual needs of an athlete. If this is something that can be streamlined and delivered for the mass market, and still provide a high level of performance, it will be an incredible triumph in sneaker tech, minimising supply chains and creating a more sustainable process, without compromise. With the aim of making individualisation mainstream, the Futurecraft 4D might be the catalyst that changes how we shop for sneakers altogether.

Sure, you may have read up to here and be saying "Did he forget about adidas Torsion? ASICS GEL? Saucony Grid? What about those Nikes with the pump that were the size of spaceboots?" Nope. I didn’t forget about any of them… especially the Nike Air Pressure! They all deserve their piece, and they’ll get it.