Reebok revives Pump shoe in shift toward technology

The new shoe inflates itself automatically.
BOSTON (AP) -- Hoping to build on the success of a shoe that generated big sales but also was ridiculed when it was introduced 15 years ago, Reebok Inc. has rolled out a next-generation high-tech sneaker with a name that takes a cue from computer software launches: the Pump 2.0.
The shoe features an air chamber that molds itself to the shape of the wearer's foot. But unlike its Pump predecessor, the new shoe inflates itself automatically after you put it on and take a few steps.
Industry analysts say the Pump 2.0, which retails for $100, and recent high-tech offerings from Nike Inc. and other rivals reflect a shift toward performance shoes and away from relatively inexpensive retro sneakers that are throwbacks to bold 1970s designs.
Nike's success
Beaverton, Ore.-based Nike has recently enjoyed success with its high-end Shox line shoes, which feature cushioning technology that the industry giant spent years developing.
The original version introduced in November 1989 was inflated with the press of a pump button on the shoe's tongue. The new Chinese-produced 2.0 silently inflates itself after you slip into it and take about five steps.
A pump actuator in the heel is compressed with each step until an air bladder molds itself around the foot. A valve on the upper heel prevents inflation greater than 5 pounds per square inch -- the optimal pressure point for a custom fit, according to the shoe's designers. The valve can be pressed to release air and loosen the shoe.
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