Monday, October 12, 2009

Random Shoes I Once Owned, Week 3

Anybody remember the Reebok Blacktops? Early 90s. The theory was making line of shoes durable enough to withstand playing outside on playgrounds. Nothing like bringing a little "street" to my very white existence in Port Washington, WI.


They lasted longer AND were cool: a perfect scenario for my penny-saving Mom. A win-win! Well, they didn't wear down slower...those sonsofbitches wore out faster. Talk about false advertising! They had this thick black sole which looked like asphalt, but wasn't any stronger than styrofoam. A truly terrible shoe. Seriously, I've never bought anything but Nike because of these piles of shit. Hell, Reebok specifically designs a shoe to withstand playing on the playgrounds, and they fall apart faster? Screw you, Reebok! I didn't realize so many people were hoodwinked by this fools gold until I found this 1991 article:


"Two months into its commercial life, it has sold out of many stores. By year end, Reebok expects to have delivered to retailers some 2.2 million pairs.Why the fuss over a $69 sneaker? Reebok says it's because the Blacktop, which has a tough sole and heavy leather uppers, is built especially for punishing play on urban outdoor courts."


Sorry, I can't for the life of me find a picture of the ones I had - the standard mid-tops in white. The Blacktop Pumps, 21 pounds and $60 more, are shown here:



1 comment:

  1. I had a pair of Blacktops as well. They were lo-cut black ones with I believe soem purple on them. I don't recal much about their durability, but I do recall they had some hexagon air pocket that did nothing.

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