The definition and history of basketball shoes

The definition of basketball shoes. Basketball shoes are SNEAKER. At the same time, sneaker enthusiasts are integrated into the word SNEAKER, giving SNEAKER a broader definition.

Basketball is a demanding sport. In order to meet its requirements, a pair of basketball shoes needs to have good durability, support, stability, flexibility and good elasticity. Shock absorption. The constant starts, stops, jumps, and rapid left and right movements in basketball mean that you must put the characteristics of the shoes first when choosing basketball shoes. In addition, your personal playing style is also a very important factor, and you can choose the different types of basketball shoes you need based on this.

The formation of the history of basketball shoes

Inspired by the current SNEAKER world, the earliest SNEAKER brand was CONVERSE, founded in 1908.

Its century-old historical heritage has a place in American history.

The integration of sports shoes into life is a sudden change in the development of SNEAKER. This link includes CONVERSE’s ALL STAR, NIKE’s AIR FORCE 1, ADIDAS’ SUPER STAR, etc. These sports shoes have transformed themselves into The monotonous mechanization of sports gradually leads to comfort, leisure and fashion, truly establishing a culture belonging to SNEAKER.

What pushed SNEAKER culture to the extreme was the 1985 AIR JORDAN series of basketball shoes. The AIR JORDAN series belongs to NIKE and is a series tailor-made for MICHEAL JORDAN, who is known as the god of basketball. As JORDAN entered the NBA and became popular, the AIR JORDAN series of basketball shoes were also loved by the public, and SNEAKER's culture also appreciated to the extreme.

Domestic SNEAKER culture started relatively late. Since foreign brands such as NIKE and ADIDAS did not begin to pour into the domestic market until the late 1980s, and domestic consumption levels were limited, domestic SNEAKER only began to take off in the 1990s. improvement.

The history of the development of basketball shoes

Rubber-soled shoes are a fairly recent invention rooted in the Industrial Revolution. After the invention of new vulcanized rubber materials and new production lines, manufacturing shoes was different. It was done by hand by shoemakers as before, but could be produced more efficiently and cheaper.

Many brands of rubber-soled shoes were born in the early 20th century, but it was not until Hollywood made rubber-soled shoes fashionable that rubber-soled shoes became fashionable. Only then did sole shoes become the mainstream for athletes. Hollywood twice chose rubber-soled shoes for fashion wear, once in the 1930s and again in the 1950s, when the teen idol James Dean wore jeans, a T-shirt and rubber-soled shoes. Still. Since then, these cheap and durable shoes have become part of the formal attire of teenagers around the world. The following timeline sets out the technical and cultural history of rubber-soled shoes.

1800'S The first pair of rubber-soled shoes were born, called plimsolls.

In 1892, Goodyear, a rubber shoe company that was a branch of the American Rubber Company, began to produce cloth and rubber shoes under different brands, and finally only left The best Keds.

In 1908, Marquis M. Converse founded the Converse shoe company, which brought revolutionary changes to the basketball game for more than half a century, and Converse became an American symbol.

Keds were the first mass-marketed athletic shoes in 1917. The shoes were later called sneakers by Nelson McKinney, an advertising agent for N.W. Ayer & Son, because the rubber soles did not swell on any surface. Sound.

(Annotation: sneak means sneaky, +er equals a silent item)

In 1917, Converse released the world's first pair of true basketball shoes, the Converse All Star.

In 1920, Adi Deisler, the founder of Adidas, started making training shoes by hand when there was no electricity in his mother's bathroom.

1923 The All Star gave way to the Chuck Taylor All Star, a staple for basketball players, teenagers and social rebels for more than 50 years. Also known as Chucks, Cons, and Connies, these shoes have now sold more than 744 million pairs in 144 countries .

In 1924, Adidas and Rudolf Dassler registered Gebr der Dassler Schuhfabrik in Herzogenaurach, Germany, with the assistance of 50 relatives and friends.

In 1931, Adidas produced their The first pair of tennis shoes.

In 1935, Converse adopted Jack Purcell as its spokesperson. Converse became a basic product of early Hollywood and bad boys. Jack Purcell, the badminton/tennis champion in the 1930s, although has long become history, Converse The reputation continues to spread.

In 1948, Rudolf Dassler founded Puma Schuhfabrik and released PUMA Atom, which was PUMA's first football shoe worn by players of the West German national football team.

< p> 1950's Rubber-soled shoes became a favorite among teenagers and a symbol of social rebellion. Students around the world wore these cheap and easily available shoes. In the United States, cheerleaders on the sports field wore sweaters, short skirts, and ankle socks. , plus canvas-covered rubber shoes (you can also say Keds). This fashion was really promoted after the release of James Dean's movie stills wearing jeans and white rubber-soled shoes.

By 20 By mid-century, with the infusion of new technology, rubber-soled shoes became a more widespread cultural phenomenon. Legendary athletes, such as Joe Namath and Steve Prefontaine, were as famous for their sneakers as for their personal achievements. However, the first major sneaker line came from Chicago Bulls basketball player, Mike Jordan. Jordan Series, to

As of today (note: 2006), 19 Air Jordans have been released, Jordan XX will be released soon, and countless Team Jordan styles

In 1962, Phil Knight, an athlete at the University of Oregon, and Coach Bill Bowerman founded Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS) in partnership to supply low-cost, high-tech sports shoes.

In 1968, BRS began to promote new designs and technologies and changed the company name to Nike. Nike is named after the Greek goddess of victory.

In 1968, PUMA was the first sports shoe manufacturer to use Velcro straps.

In 1969 (American Football) Four Shooting guard Joe Namath, wearing PUMA shoes, led the New York Jets to victory in Super Bowl III.

In 1971, Nike purchased the shoes from an art design student for $35[ Hook-shaped] trademark.

In 1972, Bill Bowerman poured rubber into his wife's waffle iron to create the well-known sole pattern of Nike's waffle track shoes. Track shoes had the ideal waffle pattern, raised heel, springy midsole, and nylon upper. Nike promoted the market by claiming that four of the top seven finishers in the 1972 Olympic Trials wore Nike shoes.

In 1973, the track athlete and American record holder became the first major athlete to wear Nike running shoes.

In 1974, Nike released the Waffle Training Shoe, with the famous Bill Ball Mann's waffle outsole.

In 1974, Converse released the Converse One Star series, which represented the lifestyle of Indie (short for Individual) athletes; the lives, sports and images of individual athletes are driven by creativity , a mixture of imagination and self-expression. Today, these shoes are still popular in surfing and skate circles.

In 1979, Nike created the first Nike Air outsole. The revolutionary Nike Air Cushion elasticity was born. Nike also released their first pair of running shoes with Nike Air Cushion patent, which was the Nike Tailwind

In 1981, Blue Ribbon Sports merged with Nike to form Nike Co., Ltd.

In 1982, Nike released the first set of Air Force One shoes. This durable shoe was available in low-top, mid-top and high-top styles. For twenty years, Air Force 1 has been based on the original design. There are only a few changes, but it is still a legend in the shoe industry. Countless color combinations are still popular, but the all-white AF1 is still the most popular.

1985 Chicago Bulls recruit, Mike Jordan, Signed a Nike sports shoe and apparel contract. Nike released the first Air Jordan.

The late 20th century and the early 21st century were all about celebrity endorsements and limited edition releases. Nike's Jordan The brand released retro versions of the Air Jordan, and also continued to release new models. Bill Bowerman, the father of Nike, died in December 1999, but Nike continued to go strong and released a revolutionary elastic system called Nike Shox. Reebok for Strengthen sales, collaborate with some musicians for the first time, and create their phonological series.

In 1987, the first Nike Air Max was released, giving athletes a real Nike air-cushioned shoe. Nike also released The first air-cushion comprehensive training shoe, one with enough elasticity for aerobic dance and indoor court sports.

In 1989, PUMA released the Trinomic sports shoe system.

In 1991, PUMA Introduced its high-tech disc system sneakers.

In 1996, PUMA introduced its CELL (honeycomb) technology, which was the first foam-free midsole.

In 1998, Bauer Nike Hockey established,

Committed to producing high-quality hockey shoes for players.

In 1999, basketball star Vince Carter was the NBA Rookie of the Year.

In 1999, Bill Ball, one of the founders of Nike Mann died in December.

In 2000, after Tiger Woods switched to Nike golf balls and won three majors that year, Nike golf supplies sold out.

2001 Nike Introducing Nike Shox, the most advanced support technology. The foundation of the Shox system is rows of specially manufactured foam that provide superior impact absorption, resulting in revolutionary footwear designs.

< p> In 2002 Nike purchased Converse, a long-standing footwear manufacturer.

In 2003, Converse released classic sneakers such as the Chuck Taylor All Star and the Jack Purcell. These versions were popular among those who wanted A welcome return to the era of pure sports.

In 2004 Reebok released several versions of the fairly common G unit from the Phonology series; the Phonology series was an unprecedented collaboration between music and footwear.< /p>

In 2005, the Jordan brand celebrated its 20th anniversary and released the Jordan XX version. In the same year, Germany's Adidas acquired its rival Reebok in an attempt to compete with the number one Nike.

In 2008 Jordan The brand launches Air Jordan XXIII, the last generation of Jordan basketball shoes. In other words, this is the last generation of Air Jordan basketball shoes.

[Edit this paragraph] The selection and function of basketball shoes

< p> Basketball is a demanding sport. In order to meet its requirements, a pair of basketball shoes needs to have good durability, support, stability, flexibility and good shock absorption. The constant starts, stops, jumps, and rapid left and right movements in basketball mean that you must put the characteristics of the shoes first when choosing basketball shoes. In addition, your personal playing style is also a very important factor, and you can choose the different types of basketball shoes you need based on this.

Distinction and selection of basketball shoes

1. What type of athlete are you:

Powerful offensive type

Running in a wide range Dynamic type

Fast running type

2. Shoe structure:

Upper

Midsole

Outsole

3. Men's or women's shoes

4. Foot size

Player type

Strong offensive type< /p>

The basketball shoes used by these players must have strong enough shock absorption and stability. Therefore, you can wear a pair of heavier shoes to ensure these two requirements.

Wide-range running players

Such athletes need a pair of basketball shoes that can properly protect their ankles and have a certain shock-absorbing effect. There are many choices for such shoes, generally All relatively light.

Fast running type

First of all, the shoes are required to be very light, and they also require certain ankle protection, shock absorption and flexibility. Low-cut shoes are often the best choice.

The structure of basketball shoes

It is important to understand the structure of basketball shoes and its characteristics for you to buy a suitable pair of basketball shoes.

Upper

The upper is the soft part of the shoe that makes your feet feel comfortable and safe while playing ball.

Upper

When choosing a pair of basketball shoes, the first step is to know which upper type of sneaker will be more comfortable for you to wear, whether it is high-top, medium-top, or short. Sneakers?

High-top sports shoes

About 70% of athletes choose these high-top sports shoes because they can provide you with the best ankle support.

Powerful offensive athletes and wide-range running athletes also tend to require more stability in this type of shoe.

Mid-top

If some athletes are good at speed and feel that high-top shoes are very restrictive, then mid-top shoes that reach the ankle are the best choice.

Low-top shoes

In regular competitions, only about 10% of athletes wear low-top shoes.

This kind of shoe is relatively light, but it does not have as good an ankle protection effect as high-top shoes.

Materials

Gone are the days of all-leather uppers, replaced by lightweight hybrid uppers.

This upper is usually made from a combination of strong, durable leather and breathable, flexible man-made mesh.

This high-tech man-made mesh upper is more durable than leather and is generally popular for its stronger durability among ultra-light materials.

Foot-holding structure

A good foot-holding structure will make your sneakers more secure when you suddenly start or stop during exercise, and when you run frequently and turn around quickly. , not easy to loosen.

Shoelaces

In order to enhance the stability of the shoe, shoelaces are also a factor worth considering.

Many manufacturers will also continue to design and introduce new shoelace structures in order to increase the stability of shoes.

A good lacing structure can find a suitable comfort level, not too loose or too tight, and can be more stable and hold your feet during exercise.

Use straps to further secure

Some shoes feature a strap wrapped around the upper part of the arch of the foot to increase stability and protect the ankle. Prevent ankle sprains.

Zippers

In basketball sneakers, using zipper structures to protect the feet is a fairly new option, and they are often covered under some protective material.

Tear-away buckle

This is a good choice for children who cannot tie shoelaces yet. This kind of tear-away buckle is not too tiring to tie, but Nor does it provide good support.

Midsole

The midsole is the softer layer of material between the upper and the outsole that has a certain shock-absorbing effect.

It is generally considered to be the most important part of basketball shoes, because the materials and structures it uses can affect different levels of cushioning and shock absorption, thereby affecting the athlete's bounce.

Shock-absorbing material

The midsole material is generally made of EVA, compressed EVA, PU or a mixture of these materials.

Many different brands of basketball sneakers have their own dedicated shock-absorbing technology.

EVA or compressed EVA is lighter but not very stable and durable. In addition, compressed EVA may be more durable.

PU

is a more compact and durable shock-absorbing material. It can increase the stability of the shoe, but it is also heavier.

Special shock-absorbing technology

means adding a certain degree of shock-absorbing material to the heel and forefoot of basketball shoes without increasing its weight.

Braking and Stability

Some basketball shoes use some hard, immovable material in the center of the shoe or inside the shoe to reduce the rotation of the foot in the shoe.

Higher-density shock-absorbing materials will gradually be used on the inner part of the shoe to increase the stability of the shoe, but if the midsole is too thick, it will often have a negative effect on stability.

So look for a pair of basketball shoes with a suitable midsole thickness to ensure your shock absorption and stability.

The outsole

is a rubber sole.

The outsole of a good pair of basketball shoes needs to be flat enough and appropriately wide to protect the ankle from spraining.

The arrow tail-shaped outsole is the most common type. This outsole can remain more stable during rapid starts and emergency stops.

Most basketball shoes are designed for indoor sports. If you often play outdoor activities, you should look for a pair of more durable soles.

Some shoes are specially designed for people who play basketball outdoors, and are characterized by thicker outsoles.

Men's Basketball Shoes vs. Women's Basketball Shoes

Most women should not buy men's basketball shoes. Because men's basketball shoe lasts are larger than women's shoes, oftentimes, men's basketball shoes are too wide for women and do not provide good stability.

Shoe size

Shoe size is the key to determining whether a pair of shoes is comfortable. Don't guess your current foot size based on the size of shoes you wore before, because foot size can change at any time. In order to buy a pair of shoes that fit perfectly, you must determine your foot size before buying.

Maintenance of basketball shoes

The maintenance of basketball shoes has two purposes: one is performance maintenance, and the other is appearance maintenance. Performance maintenance methods mainly focus on the correct preservation of shoes, while appearance maintenance mainly reflects on the scientific cleaning of shoes, and sometimes the two are integrated.

In terms of preservation methods, since there are many types of raw materials for making basketball shoes, for example, the materials used in a pair of basketball shoes are likely to include leather, cloth, nylon, non-lon, non-marking rubber, etc. The resulting production process is more complicated, and there are more places for glue to stick together. It is these materials that guarantee the performance of a pair of shoes. Maintaining performance depends on proper handling of a pair of shoes so that the materials mentioned above do not age. Therefore, the following points should be paid attention to in the correct method of saving and writing.

First, the shoes should be placed in a relatively dry and ventilated place to avoid direct sunlight, because a humid environment will cause corrosion of the shoe body, and exposure to sunlight will cause deterioration and discoloration of part of the shoe material. . However, the place where the shoes are placed should not be too dry, as this may cause cracks in the leather. Because a humid environment will cause corrosion of the shoe body, and exposure to sunlight will cause some of the material of the shoe to deteriorate and change color. Second, when storing shoes, soft paper balls should be stuffed inside the shoes. The main purpose of this is that the paper balls can absorb the residual moisture inside the shoes and keep them dry, and it is also helpful to maintain the shape of the shoes. As for "breaking down" after use. Third, it is particularly important to mention that for collection-type preservation, it is best to buy some shrink film and completely wrap a pair of shoes like in a shoe store, so as to maximize the isolation of the shoes from the air and prevent them from being exposed for a long time. The air inside continuously oxidizes the shoes. For example, Nike's visible air cushions such as Max Air or the outsoles of Jordan 11 and 16 will slowly turn yellow in a few years. It is a better choice to use shrink film to maintain the original color.

In terms of cleaning. There should be different methods for different materials. You can spray a little collar detergent on the outer soles and sides of the shoes that are not made of dragon material. After more than ten seconds, gently scrub with a soft-bristled toothbrush. However, the scrubbing time should not be too long. After brushing, you should use warm or cold water in time. Wash away the foam to minimize the time for chemicals to corrode your shoes. After cleaning, you should immediately wipe off the remaining water with a dry rag. If the air cushion is visible in the cleaned shoes, wipe off the water around the air cushion first after the above process is completed to avoid glue that decomposes after being exposed to water for a long time. Chemical changes occur that cause the glue to open. If possible, use a toothpick to remove the small stones caught in the sole texture during walking, because foreign objects caught for a long time will deform the sole texture, which will affect the braking performance of the shoe to a certain extent. The cleaning method of the shoe upper depends on the main material of the shoe upper. The basic cleaning method is to use a rag with a little water, and then gently wipe it on the upper, and pay attention to whether the stolen goods on the upper are "flaws". If the upper is cracked, skip it. If you continue to rub the injured area, the wound will become dirtier and the crack will become larger. If the upper is similar to Nike's foamposite, the PU material used by Adidas in the Kobe series, or patent leather, just wipe it with a damp cloth. It is a material that is easier to clean. Note that some parts are made of another kind of artificial leather similar to suede, such as the dark inner part of the and1 taichi mid and the black upper of the air Jordan 7. When cleaning, be sure to pay attention to the wetness of the rag. Generally When it comes to cleaning this kind of shoe upper, using a cloth that is too wet will make the stains worse.

However, the above methods will not work for cloth-covered shoes, such as part of the upper of the Nike Air Garnett III. It can be said that there is basically no way to clean this kind of upper. In addition, if possible, the shoelaces should be removed from the shoes for a period of time and cleaned intensively, which will have a better finishing touch on the appearance of the shoes after cleaning.

Finally, when it comes to wearing shoes, try to avoid using them in abnormal environments, that is, reduce the number of times they are used on asphalt roads with high temperatures in rainy days, snowy days, and sun exposure. When normal wear and tear is unavoidable, the frequency of shoe replacement should be increased to allow the shoes to have a rest period after being used, and try to return to a relatively "healthy" state before the next use. Once the shoes are dirty, they should be cleaned as soon as possible to avoid deterioration of the upper caused by stains staying on the shoes for a long time. Moreover, if the shoes are not cleaned for a long time, it will increase the difficulty of cleaning.

In short, maintaining basketball shoes is a process that requires careful attention.