Saucony Sneakers: Running, Racing, and More

When you ask runners what their favorite shoes are, chances are many of them will answer with Saucony sneakers. Saucony has been one of the most popular shoe manufacturers ever since the first factory was opened on the high banks of the Saucony Creek in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, in 1898. After being purchased by Hyde Athletic Industries in the late 1960s, the company’s popularity catapulted, becoming Hyde Athletic Industries’ most popular brand.
Here are some fun facts about Saucony Sneakers:

• Saucony shoeboxes used to have the phrase “sock a knee” printed on them. This was due to the hard-to-pronounce nature of the brand name.
• In addition to regular running shoes, the company is known for their popular racing shoes, including track spikes, cross country flats, and shoes made for specific track and field events.
• Novelist Sue Grafton often includes references to Saucony sneakers in her books. In fact, the character Kinsey Millhone, featured in Grafton’s Alphabet Series, is a big fan of Saucony.
• Saucony is owned by the Stride Rite Corporation, who also makes Keds, Sperry Top-Sider, and other popular shoes.
• Its instantly recognizable logo is a representation of the Saucony Creek, and the three circles represent the boulders lining the creek bed.

If you’d like to learn more about Saucony sneakers, check out our selection at SneakerKing.com!

American Roots of New Balance Shoes

New Balance shoes are one of the preeminent brands of running shoes. With their attention to detail and constant technological updates, New Balance consistently releases some of the most exciting and state-of-the-art running shoes. Recently, New Balance released their Fresh Foam 980 running shoes. Using the latest in lightweight foam technology, the Fresh Foam 980 has been hailed as one of the most comfortable and lightweight running shoes ever. Did you know this company was actually started in America over one hundred years ago? Here is a little bit of the surprising history of New Balance.

New Balance was founded in 1906 as the New Balance Arch Support Company in Boston, Massachusetts. Originally intended to manufacture flexible arch supports, the company soon grew to create the world’s first running shoe made with a ripple sole. This shoe, called the Trackster, was adopted by many Boston-area colleges and helped boost New Balance popularity. Although this popularity waned, the running boom of the 1970s, coupled with an aggressive campaign by new owner Jim Davis, helped bring New Balance up to being the dominant force in running shoes it is today.

One of the things that distinguish New Balance from other brands is their dedication to domestic production. With 6 factories in the United States, about 25% of all New Balance shoes are manufactured in America. In addition to running shoes, in 2013 New Balance launched a skateboarding shoe brand called New Balance Numeric.

Check out our full line of New Balance shoes today at SneakerKing.com!