Athletic Shoes

Oakley is trying to sell its new shoes in a difficult market. The Athletic Footwear Assn. in Florida says the number of pairs of athletic shoes purchased in the first six months of this year dropped 3.6% to 154.5 million pairs, compared to 160.2 million during the first half of last year. Total spending, however, dipped only 0.5%, because the shoes that sold were more expensive.

Many fashion fiends wouldn't think twice about shelling out nearly as much as a mortgage payment for Manolos or maxing out the charge card for Choos, but they scratch their heads when they see kids queued up around the block for athletic shoes. What could make a pair of second-hand basketball shoes be worth $6,000? The motivations really aren't that different: limited supply, huge demand, marketing mystique and an emotional attachment that transcends dollar value. That's why Los Angeles sneaker cognoscenti think a certain long-rumored, highly anticipated reissue of a sneaker that last saw store shelves nine years ago could end up as one of the most sought-after pairs of kicks this year.

Chances are your children know exactly what kind of shoes they want for school. Unless they never look at television, close their eyes when they pass a billboard, don't read magazines or newspapers and experience no peer pressure, their choices usually lean toward the high-end stuff. Shoes can be the most expensive single item on the back-to-school list, a fact that anyone over 40 finds hard to comprehend. Sneakers for $130?

In sneakerhead parlance, the term "Holy Grail" refers to a collector's ultimate wish list -- NiceKicks.com's founder and editor in chief Matt Halfhill likens it to a "bucket list" of sorts: the things you want to experience before you die. "Every sneakerhead has one," he says. "Sometimes, when they post in [online] sneaker forums, you'll see the list at the bottom with check marks next to the ones they've already gotten." The coveted sneaks aren't just the elusive ones you haven't found yet, explains Liz Sanchez, manager of the Holy Grail, the aptly named sneaker consignment boutique on Pico in downtown Los Angeles.

K-Swiss Inc., a Chatsworth-based maker of athletic shoes, reported a sharp drop in profits for the second quarter ending June 30. The company reported that earnings dropped 57% to $1.5 million, compared to $3.5 million during the same period a year earlier. Revenues dropped 18% to $29.7 million, down from $36.3 million recorded in the second quarter of 1994. For the six-month period ending June 30, profits dropped 32% to $5.5 million down from $8.1 million in 1994. Revenues dropped 11% to $72.

As much of a staple in Southern California as a convertible and suntan lotion, athletic shoes are worn by the athlete and the couch potato. Usually white, sometimes black or other colors, tops high or low, they go with shorts, jeans or kick-around slacks and are appropriate in almost any casual or semi-casual situation. Athletic shoes got their start from the guy with a blimp named after him.

Question: I'm a 49-year-old female and I'm on my feet six to eight hours a day on a hard concrete floor. (I work in retail and have been doing this for the past 15 years.) A month ago I was diagnosed as having plantar faciitis (heel pain) and I'm now waiting for the custom-made orthotics that are supposed to help me. Can you tell me what kind of athletic shoes would be good for me? Answer: Regardless of which brand you choose, there are general guidelines to follow.

L.A. Gear Inc. has been getting a real workout these days. The company that gave America the lighted sneaker is being shoved aside by stronger competitors such as Nike, the industry's powerhouse, and up-and-coming trendy brands such as Fila. Key athletic shoe retailers are dumping the brand, saying not enough people want it. Though it continues to sell L.A. Gear kids' shoes, FootAction stopped stocking the brand's flagship women's shoes six months ago and dropped L.A.

Shoppers who once thought nothing of shelling out $100 or more for fancy sneakers have pulled back sharply and are buying cheaper, simpler styles. At the highest end of the market, sales of athletic shoes costing $150 or more plunged almost 41% in the first six months of 2002, according to recent market data. And some companies that make and sell hot youth brands say their customers aren't willing to shell out $85 for a pair of shoes for skateboarding anymore.

With a flip of the wrist, Phil Vachon, a manufacturing supervisor for New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc., turns a piece of red, black and white cardboard into a box. Vachon then throws in some tissue and a pair of women's running shoes, finishing the task in no more than a few seconds. This week, New Balance will be the last major maker of athletic footwear that still assembles shoes in the U.S.

It's gotta be the shoes, right? No other basketball shoe has changed the face of business, athletics and marketing as the Air Jordan has. This month, Nike releases the 23rd edition, and it is expected to be just as venerated as its predecessors. The sleek design and link to Michael Jordan's jersey number make it a touchstone in the line.

The Beijing Olympics are less than a year away, and one of the hottest races shaping up is not among the athletes but the companies that outfit them. China is one of the largest emerging markets and a top focus for shoemakers fighting for market share. And as the 2008 Beijing Olympics approach, the intensity is reaching a new high. "The Beijing 2008 Games are set to be the greatest sporting event in modern Chinese history," said Paul Pi, head of marketing for Adidas in greater China.

Waiting in a winding line for autographs from his favorite NBA player, 15-year-old Brian Cox lifted the lid of a shoebox to show off his synthetic leather high-top sneakers with black sides and blue-and-orange soles. At a price his mother doesn't mind -- $14.98 -- he got his fourth pair of Starburys this week, a sneaker created by New York Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury.

If there's a sport, there's a shoe specifically made to help you do it better -- even if you seldom need to touch the pavement. Here are a few examples of highly functional footwear for some of the most popular off-asphalt pastimes. --- Climbing soles that grip Five-Ten Gambit: The rock-climbing shoe Spider-Man would love.

ATHLETIC footwear's come a long way from the days when runners strapped pieces of leather to the bottoms of their feet. The biggest improvements now and on the way involve new mechanisms in midsoles -- the slice of protective cushion between the shoe's upper and its outer sole -- to better absorb impact; shoes that sense the pressure you need and let you "adjust your ride"; and smart shoes that incorporate computer technology and provide feedback about your performance.

"Barefoot running shoe" is not an oxymoron. It's a shoe designed to give you the feeling -- and substantial benefits -- of running barefoot. Long used as a common foot-strengthening drill by Olympic running coaches, barefoot running forces you to make a soft landing on the forefoot (not the heel) that helps eliminate many knee and ankle injuries. But many runners -- leery of wayward pebbles and splinters -- are not quite ready to go completely barefoot.

In sneakerhead parlance, the term "Holy Grail" refers to a collector's ultimate wish list -- NiceKicks.com's founder and editor in chief Matt Halfhill likens it to a "bucket list" of sorts: the things you want to experience before you die. "Every sneakerhead has one," he says. "Sometimes, when they post in [online] sneaker forums, you'll see the list at the bottom with check marks next to the ones they've already gotten." The coveted sneaks aren't just the elusive ones you haven't found yet, explains Liz Sanchez, manager of the Holy Grail, the aptly named sneaker consignment boutique on Pico in downtown Los Angeles.

L.A. Gear Inc. to Pay $70,000 Over Mercury Shoes: The company has agreed to pay the state of Minnesota to settle charges that it failed to warn consumers that some of its lighted athletic shoes contain mercury and that throwing them in the garbage is illegal. The footwear company has also set up a nationwide toll-free number that consumers can call to obtain free mailers in which to send the sneakers back to the company for recycling.

Stepping out of a snow-white stretch Hummer, NBA star Stephon Marbury arrives in style at the spanking new Steve & Barry's University Sportswear store in Culver City. The lavish ride is somewhat out of sync with the radically affordable $14.98 Starbury One basketball shoe he's promoting, but the folks waiting in line for more than an hour to see him don't care. They're here to see the maverick N.Y. Knicks point guard. Some are even interested in the shoes.

Foot Locker Inc. shares jumped 10% on Monday, lifted by a report that private equity heavyweight Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. is the front-runner to acquire the athletic shoe chain. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts may bid for Foot Locker with private equity investor Apollo Management in the next two to three weeks at a price that could top $30 a share, Women's Wear Daily reported Monday. Buyout speculation has surrounded Foot Locker for several weeks. Foot Locker shares rose $2.48 to $27.32.