Brooks Vantage, Vanguard and Victor 1970s vintage sneakers ad

Here’s another old school ad for Brooks 1970s Vantage, Vanguard and Victor running shoes.

Ad info is below:

Brooks Announces

NEW VARUS WEDGE and SOFT SUPPORT SYSTEM
SCIENTIFICALLY DESIGNED TRAINING SHOES FOR THE SERIOUS RUNNER.

Brooks has developed through extensive research. the VARUS WEDGE and the exclusive SOFT SUPPORT SYSTEM w/HEEL CUP. Simply stated. these remarkable innovations provide for greater stability. increased heel and foot protection. plus greater running efficiency while decreasing muscle and tendon fatigue. 'Mg

THE VARUS WEDGE is a mid-sole wedge 1/8" thicker at the inner portion of the shoe The VARUS WEDGE offers benefits throughout the various stages of running as follows

Heel Contact or Foot Strike
Normally, initial contact with the ground is made on the outer border of the heel, hence stress is concentrated on a very small surface area causing unusual heel wear and increased shock. The VARUS WEDGE permits greater surface area of contact, distributes im-pact shock more evenly resulting in uni-form heel wear and decreased heel strike shock.

Full Foot Contact
When the entire foot is on the ground the VARUS WEDGE is thicker under the medialongitudinal arch (inner arch) hence giving support to this area. This increased support lessens abnormal pronation of the foot as the arch flat-tens, thereby making the foot a stronger, more efficient structure.

Toe-Off
Since the VARUS WEDGE at mid-stance decreases abnormal pronation, a more stable toe-off occurs.

EXCLUSIVE SOFT SUPPORT SYSTEM w/HEEL CUP by BROOKS

Research has shown that the shoe must grasp the heel at the counter area if it is to provide support and help control abnormal pronation. The Brooks Soft Support System w/Heel Cup is designed to seat the heel in the shoe for in-creased comfort and better control. The support also cushions the metatarsal heads at toe off and fills in the gap to help prevent Morton’s foot syndrome. Compression forms the SORT SUPPORT SYSTEM and a continued positive comfortable fit is insured.

These new models feature the VARUS WEDGE and SOFT SUPPORT SYSTEM WHEEL CUP

VANTAGE-430 Air cooling, nylon mesh upper, leather toe and heel, long wearing Racing Stud soles.

VANGUARD-435 Air cooling, nylon mesh upper, leather toe and heel, long wearing, natural ZigZag sole.

VICTOR-425 High-tenacity nylon upper, long wearing, Octopus suction sole.

Available at your authorized BROOKS dealer

'Patent Pending

BROOKS
America's Great Athletic Shoes
Shoe Manufacturing Company, Inc. • Hanover, PA 17331

Vintage kids sneaker comparison chart

Here's a comparison chart of highly rated kids trainers from 1981 featuring Adidas TRX, Autry Mach Ill, Brooks Kid Supreme, Hyde (Saucony) Jr. Hornet, Kid Power USA Sonic Track, Osaga Marathon, Puma Little Cat, Stride Rite Super-Z and Super-Z II. Adidas busted out the velour on those TRX.

​Info is below:

Manufacturers of children's running shoes have made tremendous strides in the last couple of years. These shoes are now, for the most part, small-scale images of their adult counterparts. 

Children's Training Shoes 

Manufacturer & Model Price Weight Special Features 

Adidas TRX Kid $22.95 140.8 g

Nylon upper w/velour parts; has ankle pad, padded heel collar and rigid heel-cup counter; foamed PVC insole. Heel width: 65 mm. Net heel lift: 9 mm. Thickness under ball of foot: 12 mm. Toe-box height: 18 mm. 

Autry Mach Ill $19.95 130 g

Nylon upper w/suede leather reinforce-ment; has ankle pad, padded heel collar and semi-rigid heel-cup counter; sponge rubber insole. Heel width: 62 mm. Net heel lift: 11 mm. Thickness under ball of foot: 15 mm. 

Brooks Kid Supreme $21.95 149.5 g

Nylon pak cloth upper w/blue suede trim; has ankle pad, padded heel collar and rigid heel-cup counter; terry-to-foam insole. Heel width: 64 mm. Net heel lift: 9 mm. Thickness under ball of foot: 10 mm. Toe-box height: 16 mm. 

Hyde (Saucony) Jr. Hornet $21.95 202.1 g

Nylon oxford cloth upper combined to foam and tricot; rigid heel-cup counter; fi-berboard insole. Heel width: 59 mm. Net heel lift: 14 mm. Thickness under ball of foot: 11 mm. Toe-box height: 15 mm. 

Kid Power USA Sonic Track $23.95—Yth. $24.95—Boys' 175.5 g

Nylon mesh upper w/suede; has ankle pad, padded heel collar and rigid heel-cup counter; insole is of 2-way stretch nylon over neoprene. Heel width: 61 mm. Net heel lift: 5 mm. Thickness under ball of foot: 11 mm. Toe-box height: 17 mm. 

Osaga Marathon $29.95 160.1 g

Nylon upper w/suede leather; has ankle pad, padded heel collar and rigid heel-cup counter; insole is 2-way stretch nylon over neoprene sponge. Heel width: 62 mm. Net heel lift: 16 mm. Thickness under ball of foot: 7 mm. Toe-box height: 26 mm. 

Puma Little Cat $19.95 186 g

Nylon upper w/suede leather; has ankle pad, padded heel collar and rigid heel-cup counter; texon fiber insole. Heel width: 64 mm. Net heel lift: 8 mm. Thickness under ball of foot: 10 mm. Toe-box height: 17 mm. 

Stride Rite Super-Z $24 166.8 g

Super-Z II $28 173.7 g 

Super-Z has 420 Denier nylon upper; Super-Z II has nylon mesh upper; both have ankle pad, padded heel collar and rigid heel-cup counter; both have Texon 507 3-iron in-sole. Heel width: (Super-Z) 60 mm; (Super-Z II) 60 mm. Net heel lift: (Super-Z) 15 mm; (Super-Z II) 14 mm. Thickness under ball of foot: (Super-Z) 11 mm; (Super-Z II) 10 mm. Toe-box height: (Super-Z) 21 mm; (Super-Z II) 22 mm.