Tag Archive | "The 50 Greatest Running Shoes of All-Time"

Reebok Insta Pump Fury Road (1994) Ranked #38

Complex’s Controversial List of The 50 Greatest Running Shoes of All-Time

Complex Magazine has published it’s list ofThe 50 Greatest Running Shoes of All-Time.’

Perhaps a better name would have been ‘The 27 Greatest Nike Shoes of All-Time and 23 Others.’

I don’t know if Nike owns Complex or if the Complex writers were simply trying to remember the 50 most popular pairs of shoes they saw their friends wearing through the halls of junior high school.

The #1 shoe on Complex’s list was the Nike Air Max 1 from 1987.

I’m no shoe snob and have only been running a decade or less so I don’t recognize most of these shoes, but in the past decade MANY really good shoes have been made that should have made this list.

  1. Nike Air Max 1 (1987)
  2. Nike Air Max 95 (1995)
  3. adidas ZX 500 (1984)
  4. Nike Air Max 90 (1990)
  5. New Balance 1300 (1984)
  6. Nike Cortez (1972)
  7. Nike Air Huarache (1991)
  8. adidas SL 72 (1972)
  9. adidas EQT Torsion Support (1991)
  10. ASICS GT II (1986)
  11. New Balance 1500 (1988)
  12. Nike Bermuda (1979)
  13. Nike Air Stab (1988)
  14. adidas ZX 8000 (1989)
  15. Nike Terra T/C (1981)
  16. ASICS Tiger X-Caliber (1982)
  17. Nike Zoom Preston (2000)
  18. ASICS Gel Lyte III (1990)
  19. Nike Air Footscape (1995)
  20. New Balance 577 (1989)
  21. Nike Zoom Talaria (1998)
  22. Saucony Jazz (1981)
  23. Nike Air Rift (1995)
  24. adidas Fire (1986)
  25. Nike Waffle Trainer (1975)
  26. adidas EQT Running Support (1992)
  27. Nike Zoom Spiridon (1997)
  28. Nike Air Huarache Light (1993)
  29. adidas APS (1986)
  30. Nike Epic (1984)
  31. Nike Zoom Citizen (1999)
  32. Nike Omega Flame (1983)
  33. Brooks Chariot (1983)
  34. Nike Cram Vendetta (1985)
  35. adidas Torsion SP (1995)
  36. New Balance 991 (1999)
  37. Nike Air Tailwind (1978)
  38. Reebok Insta Pump Fury Road (1994)
  39. Nike Air Mariah PR (1990)
  40. adidas Oregon Ultra Tech (1991)
  41. Nike Air Windrunner (1987)
  42. Nike Air Pegasus 92 (1992)
  43. Etonic Quasar (1984)
  44. Nike Free 5.0 (2004)
  45. Nike Zoom JST (1998)
  46. Reebok ZL6000 (1986)
  47. Nike Air Span (1989)
  48. Nike Lunar Racer (2008)
  49. Mizuno MZ-84 (1983)
  50. adidas ZX 930 (1988)

View Complex’s List Complete with Photos and Commentary @ Complex

Most runners agree that Nike makes horrible running shoes. I wore them for my very first marathon and could barely walk for two weeks afterwards.  I haven’t even thought twice about lacing up a pair of them since.

However, those that I know who wear Nike running shoes are usually elite runners and they are often wearing the Nike Lunar Racer.  The only shoe from the 2000’s that made this list.

Others I recognize on this list are the Nike Air Cortez (1972) which created a huge hoopla in the running community in the early 70’s, New Balance 991 (big boys wear), Nike Air Pegasus, and of course the Nike Air Max versions.

The list is laughable in the fact that a Reebok Insta Pump (#38) made the list.

What’s up with a shoe named after Mariah Carey (Nike Air Mariah PR #39) making the Top 50?  Surely that’s not really named after Butterfly Carey is it? Although, she first made it big around that time.

What is your favorite running shoe of all-time?  What do you think about this list?

Hat tip to @katierunsthis

Posted in Reviews, Running, ShoesComments (3)



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