Posted in April 2010 …

Apr 18 2010
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Kicks

My Sneaker History | Strap Heavy

Even after his playing years, Michael Jordan is still as big an endorser as anyone else out there. Sad to say, I’ve never owned any of his sneakers (Even the retro releases are too damn expensive). This post isn’t about any of his shoes though.  It’s about the next two pairs of basketball sneaks I ever owned which didn’t have to rely on His Airness’ stamp of approval.

Nike Air Raid

For some reason, I can’t find any resource online about my Nike Air Raids (but they do exist). I got them as a gift when I was in 6th grade.

Now that I’m looking at them after more than 10 years, the overall design feels like it was inspired by er.. tires. You’ve got those “Air Raid” prints on the velcro straps, and the soles were obviously made for the outdoor basketball. It would have made a world of difference if the name of the shoe wasn’t printed on the straps as well. The thing I hate about not only these, but all velcro based shoes in general, is that those straps tend to curl up after prolonged usage. These shoes gave way after using them for baseball AND soccer. Not a smart way to prolong basketball shoe life eh? If I had the same shoes today (but without the velcro prints), I’d sure wear them again.

Here’s Spike Lee and Tim Hardaway showing them shoes off.

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Apr 10 2010
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Kicks

My Sneaker History | Too Much Air

My next pair of shoes was given to me by my aunt who lived in New York. She had asked my dad for a list of things they could possibly get for us on Christmas, so these Force 180′s were what I asked for. The funny thing about it is that I didn’t really expect she would get them for me, but lo and behold, I woke up one morning with a pair from my Aunt Luisa.

What attracted me to this shoe was that it had two chambers where air could be pumped into (yes, seriously). You could pump air into the cushions near the midsole to provide better fit, or you could also move the switch and direct air into the ankle part of the shoe. Isn’t that cool or what? One thing you’ll notice though, is that the shoe looked heavy — and yeah, it sure was.

Nike Air Force 180

Truth be told, I don’t even recall whatever happened to them. But yeah, aside from the Nike Air Pressure, the Nike Air Force 180 is probably one of the most technologically advanced shoes of its time. Do I consider the shoe a novelty as well like my Reebok Pumps? Well, yeah. Take one look at the basketball shoes that are out in the market and you won’t see anything like this. I think the next wave of basketball shoes after the Force 180 had started to put a premium on weight and comfort.

Regardless, this is still one heck of a release.

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Apr 05 2010
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Kicks

My Sneaker History | Pump it Up

It was in the summer of 1992 when my parents allowed me to tag along with my older brother and sister to the US. When I learned that my VISA was approved, I wasn’t excited about seeing King Kong in Universal studios, nor the prospect of finally meeting Mickey Mouse. I was excited about getting a pair of Reebok Pumps.

Reebok “Twilight Zone” Pumps

What 5th grade kid could have resisted being able to squeeze a ball on his basketball shoe’s tongue, and feel the shoe gently hug his feet before he takes the basketball court. Did it make me jump higher? No. Did it make the shoe more comfortable than the usual basketball shoe? No. But it sure made me feel better about myself at the time. LOL.

I didn’t write about this because of how it changed the way I played. I wrote about this because I still remember the way I treated those things before I slept at night. After careful inspection, I would return each shoe in the box it came in, and placed them beside my pillow before I slept. They were the very first things I looked for when I woke up in the morning too. Pathetic isn’t it? So is this commercial.

Those Reebok Pumps were comfortable, but they did not last very long. In less than 6 months, part of the sole had already given way, and the leather was already starting to peel. Just goes to show novelty doesn’t always mean longevity.

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Apr 02 2010
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Kicks

My Sneaker History | The Beginning

I became a basketball fan in 1st grade. It was at the height of the “Black Superman” era. That’s what they called Billy Ray Bates when he was still going up against the likes of Bobby Parks and the latter’s San Miguel basketball team. It was also the same year the first Nike Air Max came out. And so my love for shoes began.

The first ever Nike Air Max

The revolutionary shoe wasn’t even admired because it provided better cushioning or boosted performance. It was coveted because it looked cool. Unfortunately, it also symbolized something I couldn’t have. The thing was just too darn expensive.

No worries though, people weren’t too brand conscious when it came to shoes in the 80′s. Back then, “local” brands such as Grosby and All American were already well patronized (I can’t believe there is no trace of these two online). But these two weren’t as cool as the Alvin Patrimonio endorsed local sneaker brand Kaypee.

After thinking about it this morning, I just realized that every rubber shoe I’ve ever owned had its own story. The ones I can remember are definitely worthy of some online space.

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