Here’s a vintage 1980s catalog for REI featuring some great 1980s sneakers. The shoes featured in this catalog are the Nike Pegasus Running Shoes, Nike New Internationalists, Nike Intrepid, REI Junior Winds, REI Equalizers, Adidas Oregon Trainers, Adidas Seattle, Adidas Tennis Champ, Reebok T.D., Reebok Victory G, Reebok Hurricane, New Balance 460 & W460, and Reebok Aerobic Energizers.
Here’s a 1983 vintage Consumer Reports “Penny Power” magazine featuring articles on sneaker testing kids retro runners. This article compares Nike, adidas, Sears and Kinney NBA vintage sneakers.
Article info is below:
APRIL / MAY 1983 A Consumer Reports Publication for young People
PENNY POWER
TESTING SNEAKERS
Part Three: THE TESTS
In order to pick which brands to test, Penny Power used two kinds of "experts." First, an experienced runner looked at many pairs of running shoes sold in children's sizes, and told us which ones were sturdy and well made. Second, junior-high students weeded out the "dorky-looking" pairs from a group of good quality sneakers. They liked the four models you see in the "before" picture below. These ranged in price from $14 to $25.
Before
NIKE ($25)
KINNEY'S NBA ($20)
ADIDAS ($20)
SEARS ($14)
We decided to put these sneakers through the toughest test of all—a "kid" test. The 8-to-13-year-olds you see on these pages were each fitted with two different brands. All wore both pairs through an entire summer and into the fall. One pair was worn one day, the other pair the next day, so that each pair received the same amount of wear— at camp, on the beach and in the country. Running, jumping and skidding would show up differences among the sneakers, we thought. We were wrong! When we gathered in the 20 pairs of sneakers at the end of the test, a few were slightly shabbier or a bit more worn. But, as the "after" picture shows, most came through the test in about the same condition. One reason they were still in good shape was that the testers were switching between two different pairs. Changing your sneakers every day gives them a chance to dry out between wearings, and that's good for all shoes. It's also better for your feet. The testers were asked to choose the more comfortable of the two pairs they had worn. No one brand proved to be more comfortable than the others. Some testers liked one feature (such as the Sears's thinner sole or the NBA's cushioning), some another. We then washed a few pairs of each brand to see how well they would clean up. Again, all four brands washed pretty much the same. Only the light-colored sneakers were hard to get clean. The dark suede trim faded in the wash, however. (Turn to the back cover to see the results of our sneaker spruce-up.)
After
NIKE
ADIDAS
SEARS
KINNEY'S NBA
What did The Sneaker Project teach us? Since no brand stood out in durability or over-all comfort, you should look for a well-made model that fits your particular pair of feet. While you're looking, don't ignore some of the well-made but less-famous brands. Some of our testers were firm Nike or Adidas fans until they discovered the fit and comfort of a less-expensive brand. They were surprised. Maybe you will be too!
Here’s another magazine article cover featuring a bunch of old school 1980’s running shoes including the Nike Daybreak, Brooks Super Villanova, adidas Marathon 80, Converse Arizona and more.
Info is below:
Firm footing:
Take your pick
Back row, left to right: Sport International 1818 Boston (men's training), Adidas Marathon 80 7093 (women's racing), Converse Arizona Trainer 17854 (men's training), Tiger Montreal (men's training), New Balance 620 (men's training), Etonic Street Fighter 705 (women's racing). Front row, left to right: Brooks Super Villanova (men's training), Nike Daybreak 2309 (men's training), AMBI Trailblazer (men's training), Saucony Ms. Hornet 8851 (women's training), Puma Angel II 90930H (women's training), Pony Lady Express VSD (women's training), Spalding Top Flite XL/31601 (women's training).
Here’s a classic 1982 commercial from Nike.
Today we’re back with an old 1982 vintage ad from JC Penney for the Nike Monterey II… which resembles the old Oceania a lot. The ad also mentioned the Rascal kids shoe and Lady Monterey. Credit to the copywriter of this ad who called the swoosh the Nike “comet of speed and style.” This original vintage Nike / JCP sneaker print ad is available at our web store Rewind Running.
Ad info is below:
NIKE
Ride the Nike swoosh! We’re Nike headquarters.
JCPenney is running full speed ahead with Nike' footwear for the family. Like he Rascal for children, the Men's Monterey II and the Lady Monterey. Nylon training shoes with suede leather trim, toe cap and backstay. Featuring sturdy wing toe and herringbone sole. Plus the famous Nike arch support that makes walking pleasure and running fun. Get them II when you stop in at JCPenney for the swoosh, the Nike comet of speed and style. 21.99 ea.
JCPenney
1982, J. C. Penney Company, Inc.
Today we’ve got a vintage ad from Nike for the LD-1000 sneakers which are one of our favorite models of old school Nike runners.
Ad info is below:
Announcing the first shoe made for your knees
The revolutionary new Nike LD-1000 Trainer. The first training shoe designed to improve your foot placement. Because the wider the sole, the less chance of twisting an ankle.
YOUR KNEES
More important. Nike research and development has found that the flatter your feel touch down. the better for your knees and hips. Sideways twisting. or torquing, can cause medial lateral wear in the knee, as well as other foot, leg and hip problems. Although the LD-1000 can't solve all difficulties. it can help cut the chances of wear or injury.
MORE THAN A WIDE SOLE
But there's more to the LD-1000 Trainer than lust a wide sole. II features things like pockets of closed cell synthetic plastic foam at critical points to absorb complex kinds of shock. The new angular sole flair Is designed to reduce heel lever, causing less stress on the anterior tibial muscle. And of course the other proven Nike features. Patented waffle sole to allow natural leg torque, yet absorb maximum shock. Spenco innersole and fitted ankle collar to prevent slippage. Tough nylon mesh upper.
STOP BY
No matter what kind of running you do, we'd like to help you train safely. Your Nike dealer will have a limited quantity of the new LD-1000 Trainer soon. So come in and try on something really revolutionary—the first training shoe made for your knees.
NIKE sport shoes
Keeping your feet in touch with what's new
Here’s an old school vintage ad from 1978 for the Nike Elite, LDV, Lady Waffle Trainer, Meika and Brutting EB Lydiard model sneakers. The Meika runners are Nike’s first racing flat for women.
Also…. No collect calls please. 🤣
Page 2 is a Footlocker ad and features the EB Lydiard by Brütting runners including the Universal, The Sprint, Sao Paulo and Munich.
Ad info is below:
We Take Orders
From Runners.
Meika $27.95
Nike's first racing flat for women. One-piece upper with reinforced suede and slightly flared heel. Honeycomb sole for good cushion and traction. Beveled edge, wrap-up toe and arch bandage for support. Plum/white swoosh.
Elite $33.95
First Waffle-soled, road-racing flat. Seamless one piece nylon upper allows blister-free racing. Unique moccasin construction. Electric Blue/Yellow swoosh.
L.D.V. $39.95
Nike's most durable training flat. Four ounces lighter than the L.D.-1000 on our new VECTOR last. One piece nylon mesh upper with roomy toe box. Waffle sole features wear and stabilizer "plugs" on the heel for longer wear. Less flare than the LD-1000. Gold/Blue swoosh.
New Nike Shorts $9.95
European cut nylon. Has hidden key pocket and Nike logo. Specify with or without supporter and color. Royal, Red, Gold, Green, Navy, Black, Purple. S./M./L./XL.
Nike Rain Jacket $18.95
Nylon pullover has a detachable hood front zipper and pocket. Elastic inserts at each side provide snug fit. Yellow/Blue; Red/Navy; Beige/ Brown; Silver/Blue. Sm./M./L./XL.
Lady Waffle Trainer $29.95
First Waffle training shoe for women. Ideal for racing on roads or cross country. Waffle sole provides cushion, traction and torque absorption. Cluster of heel cleats for wear durability. Sun Yellow/Light Blue swoosh.
If you can't find Nikes, clip this coupon today and mail it. We'll get your order back to you as fast as the post office can deliver it. (For shoes and bags add 52.00 ship-ping charge for first pair, and 31.00 for each additional pair: for jackets add 51.00; for shorts include 5.50 each. For air shipment. additional S1.00. Outside USA, use Money Order ONLY and add 51.00 in addi-tion to regular shipping charges.) ❑ Check or money order enclosed ❑ Send C.O.D. (Add 51.00) ❑ Please send 1978 Shoe Show Catalog.
ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT PO. Box 743, Beaverton, Oregon I (503) 641-6680 (No collect calls please)
Footlocker EB Lydiard ad info:
WITH LYDIARDS THERE'S NO CONTEST
Shoe fashions come and go. They celebrate one style this season, another the next.
But Lydiard remains the same all seasons. The winner.
Simple things do it. Real leather. Top craftsmanship. Attention to detail.
And the design by Arthur Lydiard. The man who knows everything worth knowing about running. And shoes.
Lydiard. The training's built-in.
FREE! THE LYDIARD TRAINING PROGRAM
Arthur Lydiard has recently published a training brochure that contains in brief all his major findings and theories. In it he covers the basic physiological effects of running. He explains why running, whether competitive or non-competitive, is the foundation on which to build a healthy, active life both in sports and other endeavors. And he provides practical, sensible programs for both joggers and competitive runners. There are special sections on distance training and marathon preparation. This brochure is yours free of charge when you purchase a pair of Lydiard shoes at Footlocker.
Lydiard ROAD RUNNER. 1130. Training shoe. $38.99
EB Lydiards by Brutting.
a UNIVERSAL 1154 Durable training shoe. $39.99
b THE SPRINT 1553 Racing spike. $33.99.
c SAO PAULO. 1919 Superlight racing flat. $41.99.
d MUNICH 1572 Superlight racing spike. $45.99
(not shown)
INTERVAL 1575 Distance/Cross country racing spike. $37.99
MARATHON 1977 Road racing and training shoe. $38.99.
You'll find Lydiards at your nearest Footlocker store. Or you can order them by mail at the address given in the coupon below.
Here’s an old school 1982 vintage ad from JC Penney for the Nike Monterey II, Rascal, and Lady Monterey. The Nike Monterey II looks a whole lot like the old Oceania model runners of the 70s and early 80s. This original vintage JC Penney Nike print ad is available at our web store RewindRunning.com.
Ad info is below:
Covering more ground. At JCPenney, your Nike headquarters.
Nike goes the distance when performance and selection count. And JCPenney covers more Nike ground than ever before with a fitting selection of training shoes for the whole family. Like the Lady Monterey. men's Monterey II or the Rascal for children. Nylon training shoes with suede leather trim. toe cap and backstay. Plus sturdy wing toe. herringbone sole and that famous Nike arch support for more fun on the run! Only 21.99
JCPenney
Available at JCPenney Mall Stores Only
1982. J C Penney Company. Inc
Here’s a 1981 Foot Locker vintage sneaker advertisement featuring various old school runners and mentions Adidas, Nike, Saucony, Puma, New Balance, Brooks, Etonic, Reebok, and Tiger.
The models featured below are the:
adidas TRX Trainer and Lady Orion
Nike Columbia, Yankee and Internationalist
Saucony Jazz
New Balance 430, 660 and 720
Brooks Hugger G.T.
Etonic Stabilizer
Ad info is below:
Start. Stride. Kick. Second wind. Peak. Win! Run when it counts. For your favorite big-name running shoes, walk into Foot Locker. Our athletic shoe experts can fit you in Adidas, Nike, Saucony, Puma, New Balance, Brooks, Etonic, Reebok, Tiger, and more. Because whatever your distance, we take it as seriously as you do.
Here’s an old vintage advertisement for Pedersens’s in Twin Falls, Idaho. This ad features Nike and Pro-Joggs running shoes from 1984.
Here’s a vintage running shoe write up of surveys from 1975 featuring various old school sneakers. The running shoe models in the pages below are the adidas SL 72 / SL76, Puma 9190, Asics / Onitsuka Tiger Jayhawk, Nike Boston 73 and Nike Roadrunner as well as the New Balance Interval.
The Tiger Pinto model that is referred to a couple of times below is featured on the cover of the 1977 book The Complete Book of Running by James Fixx which you can see at the amazon affiliate link here.
Page info is below:
It’s hard to attack success, and the SLs arc nothing if not successful. The runners we surveyed chose them twice as often as the nearest competitor among training shoes. (While not designed as a racing flat, the SLs still are third there in popularity.) And they rank first in overall quality, as determined in the preceding section. The well-elevated, round., well-supported heel is a popular Adidas innovation. The front of the shoe still gives some runners problems, however. They complain of cramped toes in that area (a familiar complaint about all Adidas, incidentally) and of inadequate padding underneath. We've lumped the two models-72 and 76—together here because the differences are in appearance only.
Shoe: Model Nos. 3470 (SL-72) and 3473 (SL-76). Introduced in 1970 (SL-72) and 1974 (SL-76). Available in 3.-15 (one width). Single size-nine shoe weighs 10, our. Suggested October 1975 price $29.95.
Upper: Nylon. Blue with white trim (SL-72), Green/yellow (SL-76). Rigid heel counter. Padded upper rim with extra-high achilles pad. Removable arch cushion.
Use: Worn by 16.1% of surveyed runners for training, 14,5% for racing. Drop rate (users divided by quitters) 22%.
Sole: Two layers, outer 1/4th inch, inner 1/8th inch. Good sole flexibility. Flat shank. Heel lift 7/16ths inch. Rounded at heel.
2. Puma 9190
Puma, Adidas' sometimes bitter competitor in track and field shoes, hadn't made a serious bid in the road market until fairly recently. Then Puma released the 9190—an answer to the SL-72. Though the 9190 is only half as popular among the runners we surveyed, it matches its rival point for point in all other respects. We rate it a close second in overall quality. Shoe: Model No. 9190. Introduced in 1970. Available in men's sizes 3-14 (one width). Single size-nine shoe weighs II ounces. Suggested October 1975 price about $28.
Upper: Nylon. Blue with white trim, red/white, gold/black. Rigid heel counter. Padded upper rim with extra-high achilles pad. Removable arch cushion.
Sole: Two layers, outer 1/4th inch, inner 1/8th Good flexibility at ball of foot. Flat shank. Heel lift 1/2 inch. Rounded at heel.
Use: Worn by 7.8% of surveyed runners for training. Drop rate (users divided by quitters) 15%.
By our figuring, the Jayhawk is the leader in racing flats. It trails its older brother, the Tiger Pinto, by miles in popularity. But the Jayhawk measures up better in all other categories except price ($5 more) and weight (an ounce heavier per shoe). The extra dollars and ounces give a heel counter, a supported arch and three layers of rubber under the forefoot. A recurring complaint about Jayhawk is that the top rim “bites in” at the heel.
Shoe: Model No. G-5. Introduced in 1974. Available in men's sizes 4-13 (one width). Single size-nine shoe weighs eight ounces. Suggested October 1975 price $21.95.
Upper: Nylon. Gold with blue trim. Rigid heel counter. Removable arch cushion.
Sole: Three layers, outer 1/8th inch, middle 1/16th inch, inner I /8th inch. Good flexibility at ball of foot. Flat shank. Heel lift 3/8ths inch. Rounded at heel.
Use: Worn by 6.7%of surveyed runners for racing, 1.0% for training. Drop rate (users divided by quitters) 13%.
4. Nike Boston '73
The racers love it. Only one other shoe, the Tiger Pinto, has of them in it among the runners we surveyed. We rate Boston much higher than the Pinto, largely because it has better arch support inside (built-in pad) and outside (flat shank). But we place it slightly behind the similar Tiger Jayhawk because the Boston lacks a solid heel counter and its sole material is a bit less durable. The Boston, like all Nikes, comes with a Spenco insole as standard equipment.
Shoe: Model No. 2420. Available in men's sizes 3.13 (one width). Single size-nine shoe weighs eight ounces. Suggested October 1975 price $21.95.
Upper: Nylon. Blue with white and gray trim. Minimal heel counter. Built-in arch support.
Sole: Two layers, both 1/8th inch. Good flexibility at ball of foot. Flat shank. Heel lift 3/8ths inch. Rounded at heel.
Use: Worn by 16.2% of surveyed runners for racing, 1.7% for training. Drop rate (users divided by quitters) 14%.
5. N.B. Interval 3:05
After more than a decade of relying on its old standby, the ripple sole, New Balance has switched to a more standard one—the so-called "SL" with the thick heel wedge and rounded back. And the venerable New England company has joined the swing to nylon with this new all-purpose shoe (it previously had only a racing model). The Interval looks promising enough to rate fifth in our analysis. Variable width is a big plus, as is the "flared" heel (wider at the ground than ; tithe heel counter. A minus is the "lip" around the rim which tates some people's heels.
Shoe: Introduced in 1975. Available in men's sizes 31/2AA to 15EEEE. Single size-nine shoe weighs 9'/2 ounces. Suggested October 1975 price $23.95.
Upper: Nylon. Blue with white and blue trim. Rigid heel counter. Padded upper rim. Removable arch cushion.
Sole: Two layers, outer 1/4th inch, inner 1/8th inch. Good flexibility at ball of foot. Flat shank. Heel lift 3/8ths inch. Rounded at heel.
Use: All-purpose shoe. Issued too late to be surveyed.
This one has exciting possibilities. The newly-released Road Runner stands out in nearly every category of our analysis: price (less than $20), sole make up (comparable to the Cortezes), light weight (just 8 1/2 ounces), etc. It remains to be tested by large numbers of runners. Their verdict is the critical one. But our guess is that it will at least be maintaining the number six rating a year from now. One drawback, however, be a sole which feels relatively harder than most Nikes.
Shoe: Introduced in 1975. Available in men's sizes 3-13 (one width). Single size-nine shoe weighs 8 1/2 ounces. Suggested October 1975 price $19.95.
Upper: Nylon. Green with blue and yellow trim. Rigid heel counter. Extra-high achilles pad. Removable arch cushion.
Sole: Two layers, outer 1/4th inch, inner 3/8ths inch. Fair flexibility at ball of foot. Flat shank. Heel lift 7/16th inch. Rounded at heel.
Use: All-purpose shoe. Issued too late to be surveyed.
1975 retro running shoe models featuring adidas, Puma, Tiger, Nike and New Balance
New Balance Interval and Nike Roadrunner vintage running shoe models.
This old scan is from 1981 and has some well worn distress. It looks like it survived The Great Flood. Below we have retro sneaker models from:
PONY - Targa Flex?
Etonic - Eclipse
Reebok
Vans - Serio
Osaga - KT26
New Balance - 730(?)
Saucony - Jazz?
Brookfield
Pro Wings
Pro-Specs - Marathons
Brooks
Nike
Converse
Asics Tiger
Autry - Concorde
Puma - Fast Rider
adidas
Here’s a great old distressed 1980 vintage sneaker ad for the Nike Daybreak. The Daybreak model is one of our favorite old school Nike runners and this original vintage distressed Nike advertisement is available at our RewindRunning.com web store.
Ad info is below:
THE DAWN OF THE DAYBREAK.
NIKE
Beaverton, Oregon
Here’s a great old vintage advertisement for the Nike Roadrunner model sneakers from 1977. This original vintage Nike Roadrunner print ad is available at our web store RewindRunning.com.
Ad info is below:
BUILT TO GIVE YOU BETTER MILEAGE.
We designed this shoe to come out ahead in the long run. We call it the Roadrunner because that's exactly what it's for. Long distance road running. We've given it a multi-studded sole design that's built for super traction and long wearing durability. The soles are topped off with uppers of nylon and suede that make this shoe as light as road dust. We also give you reinforced toes and heels. Cushioned mid soles. And an extended heel counter for solid support. You'll find Roadrunners at your nearest Nike dealer. Waiting to give you a long distance run for your money.
Nike
8285 S.W. Nimbus Ave., Suite 115, Beaverton, Oregon 97005. Also available in Canada through Pacific Athletic Supplies Ltd.. 2433 Beta Avenue. Burnaby. B.C. Canada V5C 5NI (604) 294.5307
