1.
by Zac Dubasik
It took 26 years for the power lacing technology found in the Nike MAG to come to fruition, but that’s not the only futuristic shoe we’ve seen over the years. Brands have been attempting to merge technology with footwear, with varying degrees of success, for decades. In honor of self-lacing sneakers becoming a reality, we’re taking a look back at 10 other shoes that were ahead of their time.
adidas Micropacer
2.
Year: 1984
Simply monitoring things like time and distance traveled may seem basic by modern standards – there are several apps that can do this for you very easily. But, in the '80s the adidas Micropacer was as high-tech as sneakers got when it came to fitness monitoring with its built-in chip.
PUMA RS Computer Shoe
4.
Year: 1986
PUMA’s RS Computer Shoe took the pedometer-like data approach from the Micropacer and built on it by allowing wearers to download info logged by these shoes to the game port on the Apple 2 computer.
PUMA Disc Runner
6.
Year: 1992
They may not have laced themselves, but the PUMA Disc Runner did introduce an innovative alternative to standard shoe laces.
Reebok Instapump Fury
8.
Year: 1994
Reebok’s Pump technology was first introduced on 1989’s Pump basketball shoe, but the Instapump Fury took things a step further by allowing users to snug their kicks up via a CO2 cartridge-powered handheld pump.
Nike Air Rift
10.
Year: 1996
Before Vibram popularized individually articulated appendages in footwear with its FiveFingers shoes, Nike had the Air Rift with it’s decoupled big toe. While it was seen as an oddity at the time, the concept took off over a decade later.
adidas KB8
12.
Year: 1997
Feet You Wear technology may be best remembered for having a cool logo, but the concept introduced the importance of natural motion long before it became trendy on more contemporary models. The technology preceded minimal innovations like Nike Free, Minimus, and others.
Nike Air Foamposite One
14.
Year: 1997
Not only was Eric Avar’s design ahead of its time, so was the price tag. It’s been 18 years since the Foamposite released, and we’re just now starting to see other sneakers hit the $180 mark with regularity.
adidas Kobe 2
16.
Year: 2001
The Kobe 2 looked like a shoe from the future, albeit a future that no one, including Kobe (who left for Nike shortly thereafter) wanted to be a part of.
adidas_1
18.
Year: 2006
The $250 adidas_1 was released as both a basketball and running model, and boasted an on-board computer that could make micro adjustments to the shoe’s cushioning.
Nike Flyknit Racer
20.
Year: 2012
The act of knitting is hardly futuristic, but applying the technique to performance footwear represents a new way of thinking about production by building up the materials seamlessly as opposed to cutting them away. It’s a philosophy the brand plans on expanding as an important piece of their future, which means Flyknit will be around for years to come.