| Sports shoes are, these days, a whole multi-million | | | | weeks before they become obsolete and are |
| pound industry with laboratories, institutes and | | | | replaced with a newer model. God forbid anyone |
| technologies all their own. What's wrong with the | | | | should be seen out in the old version. You'll know the |
| good old plimsoll is what I say. | | | | embarrassed individuals who are struggling to keep up |
| That first day at school, where the smell of rubber | | | | - they're the ones with their feet tucked under their |
| plimsolls permeated everything including your lunch is | | | | seats in a bid to keep their hideous footwear hidden. |
| an experience that kids these days just don't get. | | | | Styling is something that determines your place in |
| They're more concerned with whether they are | | | | sports shoe society and plimsoll manufacturers are |
| wearing the right sports shoe according to the | | | | well aware of this. Hence their different designs. You |
| fashion stakes than anything else. | | | | can have lace up or elastic fastening, black or white, |
| So, let's take a look at the modern day sports shoes | | | | large rubber strips covering the toe or a simple |
| and see how the old fashioned plimsoll compares. | | | | bumper. We have choice - what more is needed? |
| Shock absorption is an important aspect of the | | | | That's the trouble with the generation of today - too |
| modern day sports shoe, according to scientists. | | | | much choice. |
| Have these people seen the rubber bumper you get | | | | Emerging into my early puberty, this was the time |
| round the toe of a plimsoll? You can kick a chair leg | | | | when no-one would be seen dead in trainers that |
| or stub your toe on any pointy surface and this little | | | | looked like they were new. Heaven only knows the |
| rubber bumper absorbs all the shock. The plimsoll is | | | | ridicule one would receive being seen out in brilliant |
| the inspiration behind many a fairground ride. | | | | white sports shoes! Nowadays, it's all about the |
| Lightness is another aspect athletes want from a | | | | whiteness, the brighter the better. Of course, if you |
| sports shoe to make them go faster. Plimsolls are | | | | keep up with the 2.4 week scenario, dirty trainers |
| made of lightweight fabric without all the extra added | | | | are not something you will suffer with but for the |
| gizmos. Personally, I think this is mind over matter. | | | | rest of us, plimsolls are well ahead of the game with |
| Put a go faster stripe on the side and they'll think | | | | 'shoe whitener' that we can paint on, bringing |
| they can run faster, no matter how heavy the | | | | footwear back to its original condition. |
| trainer. And let's face it, just how heavy can they | | | | And now we have the 'on road' and 'off road' sports |
| get? | | | | shoes. What the hell! Do the off roaders come with |
| Stability. How about stability? I've been completely | | | | mud guards and a customised shoe horn for |
| trolleyed in these plimsolls of mine and stood upright | | | | extracting your feet from mud pools? Or the 'on |
| longer than any drunk in a modern sports shoe. It's | | | | roaders' with a licence plate and tax disc holder? |
| something to do with that amazing rubber grip on the | | | | Of course, with all manner of clothing and footwear, |
| bottom. Once on, they ain't going anywhere. Not that | | | | there are age distinctions. There comes a time when |
| easy to detach once they have that one way grip | | | | the classic black plimsoll with elastic strap across the |
| on your skin but they're stability on the feet of a self | | | | foot just has to give way to the Dunlop Greenflash |
| confessed alcoholic are beyond compare. | | | | that your dad wears. But you won't regret this - |
| Durability is something I don't understand being called | | | | comfort replaced with comfort, there is no way to |
| for in today's sports shoes. According to recent | | | | go wrong. |
| studies, trainers need to last a maximum of 2.4 | | | | |