Quiz on Sneakers

Which brand's logo is the curved 'Swoosh' design?

• Adidas
• Nike ✓ (Correct answer)
• Puma
• Reebok

Source: A design student created the Swoosh in 1971 for a flat $35 fee, long before it became one of the world's most valuable logos.

The Adidas brand is most associated with how many stripes?

• Two
• Three ✓ (Correct answer)
• Four
• One

Source: Adidas bought the 'three stripes' from a Finnish brand called Karhu in 1951 for two bottles of whisky and some money.

Which legendary basketball sneaker line is named after Michael Jordan?

• Air Force
• Air Jordan ✓ (Correct answer)
• Air Max
• Air Zoom

Source: The NBA initially banned the first Air Jordans for breaking uniform rules, and the fines only fueled the hype.

The term 'sneakerhead' describes someone who does what?

• Designs shoe factories
• Collects sneakers ✓ (Correct answer)
• Repairs old shoes
• Runs marathons

Source: The word 'sneaker' itself comes from the quiet rubber soles that let wearers 'sneak' up silently in the 1800s.

The Converse Chuck Taylor All Star is what type of footwear?

• Running spikes
• High-top canvas shoe ✓ (Correct answer)
• Leather dress shoe
• Hiking boot

Source: Chuck Taylor was a real basketball salesman whose name has been on the ankle patch since 1932.

What cushioning technology does the Nike 'Air Max' visibly show in its sole?

• Gel pods
• An air bubble ✓ (Correct answer)
• Foam springs
• Cork layers

Source: The 1987 Air Max was the first to put the air pocket in a clear window so wearers could actually see the cushioning.

Which music artist created the 'Yeezy' sneaker line before it ended?

• Kanye West ✓ (Correct answer)
• Jay-Z
• Drake
• Travis Scott

Source: Kanye West's Yeezy line proved music stars could outsell pro athletes in the sneaker world before the Adidas partnership ended in 2022.

What stretchy fabric is the breathable upper of many modern running shoes made from?

• Knitted mesh ✓ (Correct answer)
• Leather
• Suede
• Canvas

Source: Nike's Flyknit upper is woven from a single thread, cutting waste so much it helped market the shoe as eco-friendly.

Which of these started primarily as a skateboarding shoe brand?

• Vans ✓ (Correct answer)
• New Balance
• Asics
• Saucony

Source: Vans' waffle-grip soles caught on with skaters in the 1970s because the rubber pattern stuck to the board.

What is the practice of waiting overnight to buy limited sneakers called?

• Camping ✓ (Correct answer)
• Flipping
• Lacing
• Boosting

Source: 'Camping' outside stores got so chaotic that many brands switched to phone-app raffles to pick buyers fairly.

Which brand uses the slogan 'Just Do It'?

• Under Armour
• Nike ✓ (Correct answer)
• Adidas
• Puma

Source: Nike's 1988 'Just Do It' slogan was reportedly inspired by the last words of a convicted murderer facing execution.

Which brand makes the 'Stan Smith', one of the best-selling sneakers ever?

• Reebok
• Adidas ✓ (Correct answer)
• Fila
• Puma

Source: The Stan Smith was originally named after a different French player before tennis pro Stan Smith took it over.

The Reebok 'Pump' let wearers adjust the fit using what?

• A laceless slip design
• An inflatable bladder ✓ (Correct answer)
• A dial knob
• Magnetic straps

Source: Pressing the basketball-shaped button inflated air around the ankle; it launched in 1989 and cost a then-shocking $170.

Which material gives many luxury sneakers their soft, fuzzy surface?

• Suede ✓ (Correct answer)
• Patent leather
• Nylon
• Denim

Source: Puma's 1968 Suede became a hip-hop and breakdancing icon precisely because the soft nap looked good while scuffing the floor.

The Adidas 'Superstar' is famous for which distinctive front feature?

• A shell toe ✓ (Correct answer)
• A pump button
• A velcro strap
• A clear sole

Source: Hip-hop group Run-DMC wore Superstars without laces and got the first non-athlete sneaker endorsement deal in 1986.

What number does New Balance most famously put on its shoe sides?

• A three-digit model number ✓ (Correct answer)
• The wearer's size
• A star rating
• A year

Source: New Balance models like the 990 and 574 are known by numbers, and the pricier 990 became an ironic 'dad shoe' status symbol.

Puma and Adidas were founded by two men who were what to each other?

• Brothers ✓ (Correct answer)
• Cousins
• Best friends
• Father and son

Source: The feuding Dassler brothers split their German town of Herzogenaurach so deeply that locals checked each other's shoes before talking.

Nike's original grippy outsole pattern was reportedly molded using a household what?

• Waffle iron ✓ (Correct answer)
• Cookie tray
• Ice cube mold
• Bread tin

Source: Coach Bill Bowerman poured rubber into his wife's waffle iron to create grippy lugs, founding the Nike outsole legacy in the early 1970s.

Adidas 'Boost' cushioning is made by fusing together thousands of tiny what?

• Foam pellets ✓ (Correct answer)
• Gel beads
• Cork chips
• Rubber coils

Source: Boost's energy-returning pellets were co-developed with chemical giant BASF, the same firm known for industrial plastics, not sportswear.

Before making athletic shoes, Onitsuka Tiger founder started the company to help do what?

• Sell military boots
• Keep delinquent youth fit ✓ (Correct answer)
• Equip mountain climbers
• Outfit a national team

Source: Kihachiro Onitsuka built basketball shoes in postwar Japan to give restless young people sport; the brand later became Asics.