Established in Philadelphia in 1914 by Morris Goldenberg, Brooks has been manufacturing athletic shoes since they first developed “fashionable bathing shoes” in 1917. “The Hustlers”, baseball cleats, followed in 1920; and their patented football shoe technology was all the rage in the ‘30s.
In 1975, Brooks became one of the first shoe manufacturers to utilize Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) in their shoes’ midsoles, an innovation that is now the standard in athletic footwear. The company’s longstanding specialty in athletic shoe manufacture, coupled with the input of Villanova University grad and famed distance runner Marty Liquori, culminated in 1976 with the creation of Brooks’ first high-performance running shoe, the Villanova.
The Vantage, perhaps the company’s most famous shoe, came out one year later to the delight of professional and amateur runners. This shoe won the Five Star Award from Runner’s World several years running and set the precedent for Brooks’ future technological innovations, such as the Diagonal Rollbar in 1982, the Kinetic Wedge in 1986, the HydroFlow in 1989, Podular technology in 1995, and the Substance 257 in 1999. Brooks also came out with the most widely used running shoe utilizing motion control technology, the Beast, in 1992. The Beast subsequently won the Gold Metal for Motion Control on its tenth anniversary in the fall review issue of Running Network.
The Vantage and the Beast continue to be sold under the Brooks name, along with a myriad of other shoe designs for both men and women. Brooks running shoes are divided, within each gender, into the following categories: Stability, Cushion, Motion Control, All Season, Speed, and Walking. The shoes in each category are designed to address these specific needs. For example, the Beast is sold under the Motion Control line and has been hailed as one of the best-designed shoes in terms of motion control for over a decade. The Vantage, updated to incorporate improved technology, is sold under the Stability line. In all, there are about two dozen styles of Brooks running shoes to choose from, a version of each model conveniently available to each gender.
In addition to Brooks running shoes, you can also purchase seasonal and everyday/basic running apparel and accessories from the company. This merchandise includes shirts, pants, shorts, outerwear, hats, gloves, and many other items. Brooks also manufactures team gear, both for competition and for training purposes, catering to every type, speed, and distance of running imaginable. These and other Brooks products are available at an athletic footwear or apparel store near you or at the company web site, located at brooksrunning.com. The Web site also features a Sports Medicine section with tips on beneficial training techniques and injury prevention, a list of upcoming Brooks-sponsored or Brooks-affiliated running events spanning Europe and the Americas, and an informational newsletter – the Loop – e-mailed to you at your convenience.
You may also find Brooks merchandise through other Web sites, both for sporting goods stores and for discounted, previously owned, or surplus athletic footwear. Brooks running shoes, apparel, and accessories are also available worldwide.
By Rachel Campbell