The 25 Greatest Sneaker Innovations Of All Time

Sneaker Shown: PF Flyers

Year: 1933

Setting a new standard in sneaker comfort and support, the Posture Foundation boasted a "Magic Wedge" that transferred weight to the outside of the foot — evenly distributing said weight and reducing strain on one's legs. It was this insole technology that allowed PF Flyers to become commercially successful, as well as the tool that allowed Benny to escape the wrath of that giant mastiff in "The Sandlot."

Sneaker Shown: Nike Waffle Trainer

Year: 1974

If it wasn't for Bill Bowerman's experimentation with his wife's waffle iron, the avant-garde, grippy waffle sole of the Nike (then Blue Ribbon) Waffle Trainer would have never came to be. Without the Waffle Trainer, the explosive growth of Blue Ribbon/Nike may not have happened. Without Nike's proliferation, there may not have been a Nike Air Jordan signature line or any other Nike sneaker that we now have the pleasure of enjoying. We know, you get the gist.

Sneaker Shown: KangaROOS Combat

Year: 1979

Out running with no pockets? No problem. Architect and avid jogger Bob Gamm created a sneaker with a pouch, which stemmed out of a preference for light athletic clothes without pockets. While the pocket has been used throughout its lifetime for things other than one's keys while jogging, it's the complete originality of the ROOS' pouch that makes the sneaker an absolute classic.

Sneaker Shown: Nike Air Tailwind

Year: 1979

Possibly the most revolutionary sneaker innovation ever, aeronautical engineer M. Frank Rudy's insertion of a gas-filled polyurethane capsule into the sole of a shoe completely changed the sneaker game. Really, think about the foundation that the Nike Air Tailwind laid for things to come... Crazy.

Sneaker Shown: Avia 830

Year (Innovation): 1979

Cantilever technology centers the heel of a shoe over a concave sole such that the sole "acts as a trampoline" to soften the force of impact, add support and provide a return in energy to one's stride. In 1991, Avia successfully sued Nike for infringing on their patented Cantilever technology in the Nike Air 180, which led to Nike being forced to destroy the remaining 180s that they had in production. Good to know.

Sneaker Shown: Converse Weapon

Year: 1985

Touted as the most technologically advanced support system and protector from injuries, the Y-Bar (introduced with the Maverick in 1985) allowed forceful players to retain stability while jumping and rebounding without restricting movement on fast breaks and quick cuts. With their heel locked in by the Y-Bar, both Larry Bird and Magic Johnson made Converse their weapon of choice.

Sneaker Shown: asics GEL Freaks

Year: 1987

For nearly as long as there have been running shoes, there have been designers trying to figure out how to make them lighter. One of the first methods companies used was to replace some of the dense midsole foam with something else. Nike used Air, asics turned to Gel. What started in the Freaks jogging shoe would eventually become their signature technology.

Sneaker Shown: Nike Air Max I

Year: 1987

Think about how bold Tinker Hatfield was when he decided to expose "the guts" of Nike's Air technology to replicate the visible innards of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France. In what was one of the most significant steps in Nike's evolution of Air, Nike's Air Max unit — in all of its transparent glory — has allowed for many further advanced innovations, such as a full-length 360 Air Unit and everything in between.

Sneaker Shown: adidas ZX 8000

Year: 1988

Not to be overlooked, adidas' revolutionary Torsion technology allows for supreme stability in the midsole of the sneaker. So that there isn't too much stress on the heel of the foot, the Torsion system in effect supports the midfoot while the forefoot undergoes linear and lateral movement. Imagine if we had Torsion technology to deal with life's ills? Oh yeah, that's what friends are for!

Sneaker Shown: Reebok Pump

Year: 1989

By pumping the shoe, one was able to control the air pressure of their sneaker for a custom fit and, thus, achieve an overall more comfortable and stable shoe. Paul Litchfield and Design Continuum's innovation wound up being more popular for its price than its function, as a lot of expensive sneakers never made it into a game. Placebo effect or not, pumping sneakers allowed middle schoolers everywhere to channel their inner Dee Brown on a seven-foot portable basketball hoop. Later, "Insta Pump" replaced the actual handpump with a CO2 cartridge.

Sneaker Shown: Reebok Preacher

Year (Innovation): 1990

Taking inspiration from the notion that the honeycomb is one of the strongest yet lightest shapes found in nature, Reebok modified that honeycomb structure for athletic performance and created its Hexalite technology. By spreading shock over a larger area than EVA or polyurethane, Hexalite tech allows for superior cushioning without taking on added weight. By the looks of it, Shaq's Preacher "Ice" got a hefty dose of Hexalite.

Sneaker Shown: Converse Aero Jam

Year: 1993

Wait, what? There's a responsive, seemingly radioactive fluid in my sneaker that may or may not automatically transition to the area of my foot when needed for running and jumping and, a 6-7 Grandmama wears them? Gimmick or not, REACT Juice is probably one of the coolest-sounding sneaker innovations of all-time and Grandmama is the epitome of marketing genius. How could the Aero Jam not have been commercially successful?

Sneaker Shown: Nike Zoom Air Flight 95

Year: 1995

A low-profile, responsive system, Nike's Zoom Air technology is of their most ambiguous innovations. Consisting of a network of thread, plastic and pressurized gas, Zoom Air takes the stress exerted by its wearer, absorbs it and refracts that same stress — all in the blink of an eye such that the Zoom insert retains its shape, allowing for its aforementioned responsive performance. Though Nike's Air Max is more recognizable, Zoom Air has nonetheless stood its ground as one of Nike's greatest innovations.

Sneaker Shown: Adidas EQT Elevation

Year: 1996

Quite logically, adidas figured that since your foot is not flat, the sole of your sneaker should correspondingly not be flat, either. Keeping this in mind throughout the design process, adidas began constructing shoes so that they consisted of the natural curves, dips and overall contours of a human foot. This "back to basics" approach allowed for increased stability, flexibility and torsionability, which was most notably worn by a young rook named Kobe Bryant.

Sneaker Shown: Reebok Answer I

Year: 1997

Anybody who has ever worn the Answer I, or any other Reebok shoe with DMX tech, knows of its testament to comfort. DMX consisted of movable air pockets built in between the midsole and outsole of the shoe, which absorbed the energy exerted by the impact of one's foot to a surface by transferring cushioned air to the point where the shoe contacted the ground. Thus, air would essentially flow from heel to toe and back again as you walked the streets or ran the court. If there was ever a question as to the strength of the Iverson signature line, DMX cushioning was surely the answer.

Sneaker Shown: Nike Air Foamposite One

Year: 1997

In terms of technology, the Nike Foamposite One was truly ahead of its time. With a polyurethane-based molded upper void of seams and any other indication of human manufacture, the Foamposite is extremely durable, lightweight and has a propensity to mold to the shape of your foot over time. Imagine the look on Penny's face when designer Eric Avar first presented this silhouette. Had to be priceless.

Sneaker Shown: Converse All Star He:01

Year: 1999

Why would Nike ever use Air? It's so heavy, right? Well, that's the idea Converse attempted to build on when it introduced its Helium cushioning, which not only boasted superior comfort but also a lighter overall shoe due to the inert gas' lower atomic weight. Though Helium may be the second lightest periodic element, sales and the He:01 proved that Nike Air plays second fiddle to no one.

Sneaker Shown: Nike Shox BB4

Year: 2000

Inspired by the springy indoor running track at Harvard University, Nike's Shox not only absorb impact while running, but also claim to spring back and add more power to one's stride. The "Boings" certainly seemed legit when Nike gave Vince Carter a pair for the 2000 Olympic games and he literally made a seven-footer look like Muggsy Bogues. As legend goes, the next day VC sent Nike a letter saying "Thanks for the shoes. They really work." Well, apparently!

Sneaker Shown: Nike Free Run 2

Year: 2005

After Nike representatives discovered that there were track athletes training barefoot, Nike developed Free technology, which allows the muscles in the foot to gain strength due to the sole's superior flexibility. Ranging from 0 (barefoot) to 10 (maximum cushioning), shoes such as the Free Run 2 are certainly here to stay.

Sneaker Shown: Nike Air Max 2009

Year: 2009

If you were thinking about complaining about the price tag on a pair of Nikes, let this marinate: Nike's Flywire technology is composed of an ultra-light, thread-like polymer named Vectran, which is also used by NASA to make spacesuits. Basically, the same material that we lace-up and hit the pavement with is also used to walk on the moon. $160 isn't that bad, right?

Sneaker Shown: Nike Lunar Rejuven8 Mid

Year: 2010

After studying images of astronauts delicately bounding on the surface of the moon "as if on marshmallows," Nike sought to develop a top-flight cushioning technology to replicate that very weightlessness. The soft and light Lunarlon foam is embedded in a firmer Phylon foam, which creates a dual-density construction that allows for the distribution of the force of impact over a larger surface area across the foot without sacrificing any stability. This inevitably leads us to ponder when and where we can buy a Lunarlon mattress?

Sneaker Shown: Reebok Zig Pulse

Year: 2011

Marketed as an "energy drink for your feet," Reebok's Zig technology was designed to absorb the impact as your heel strikes the ground and transfer that energy to propel you forward, all while reducing overall energy consumption by up to 20 percent in your key leg muscles. So wait, what if someone were to wear the Zig Pulse while actually drinking an energy drink? Is your body even doing any of the work during a workout then?

Sneaker Shown: Nike Hyperfuse 2011 Supreme

Year: 2011

A composite of three materials — a synthetic material acting as a supportive base, with mesh for lightweight breathability and TPU film as a top skin — Hyperfuse without a doubt allows for benefits in performance that simply cannot be achieved by premium, supple leathers that we know and love. Strong, light and breathable, Hyperfuse provides a futuristic aesthetic that has essentially become a mainstay in Nike's performance footwear.

Sneaker Shown: Nike Zoom Kobe VII

Year: 2011

The crux of "The Kobe System," and most basketball sneakers today, seems to be versatility and adaptation to different styles of play. The Kobe VII comes with two inserts — Attack Fast, which is made for lightweight responsiveness, and Attack Strong, which comes equipped with a full-length ankle cuff for support and power. As with survival in the wild, adaptation is the key to success on the court.

Sneaker Shown: Air Jordan 2012

Year: 2012

Move over Kobe System and Air Jordan 2011 — because the Jordan 2012 not only has two different style arrangements, but six! As the most technologically advanced Jordan sneaker to date, the 2012 takes clues from both of the aforementioned sneakers and includes both swappable modular insoles and removable support booties. With a comfort level and style for every player, the Jordan 2012 is basically the Egg McMuffin of basketball sneakers.