Charlie's Sneaker FAQ and Glossary - I

This FAQ and Glossary defines a number of terms used in regards to athletic shoes,  Charlie, or sneakers.

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Incubus

In medieval mythology, an evil spirit that violates women while they sleep. Unfortunately, Reebok used this name for a running shoe in 1997. Later, they recalled them. The name "Incubus" was only on the box, so they were able to re-issue the shoe with another name. I (Charlie) never heard what the other name was.

 

IMPAX

An athletic shoe cushioning technology introduced by Nike. They look like Nike took the plastic "dough" left over from punching out Shox columns and turned it on its side.
 

 

Inert gas

At least four manufacturers use an inert gas of some type in their cushioning systems:

• And 1 uses an unidentified (probably inert) gas in their Harmonix cushioning system.
• Converse introduced their first style with helium cushioning in November 1999.
• Nike AIR is also a (more or less) inert gas; one source (and US Patent 4340626) indicates that it is the "greenhouse gas" sulfur hexafluoride. However, Nike has since been issued US Patent 5042176, which describes system enhancements that allow the use of nitrogen.
• Ryka has, in the past, introduced athletic shoes with nitrogen cushioning.

 

Insole

The portion of the shoe sole upon which the foot or sock rests while in use. Also known as the sockliner. See the color-coded sneaker for an illustration.

 

International Manufacturing

GENERAL RULE: To exclude a certain undesired country from your sneaker purchases, one will need to search on a "box by box" basis. The major manufacturers all source from a number of countries. There are some rules from the United States Federal Trade Commission that define terms used to describe products partly or totally made in the United States:

• A product with 70% or more domestic content qualifies for a "Made in the United States" designation.
• A product with less than 70% domestic content, but some United States assembly, may legally be labeled "Made in the United States from domestic and imported materials."

Given the above descriptive terms, the following applies:

1. Converse:
   • The canvas "Chuck Taylor" All Star and Jack Purcell models were made in the United States through March 2001.
   • Only Vintage One Star models were made in the United States.
2. New Balance is a proverbial can of worms:
   • Some of their models (example: the 999) qualify as made in the United States.
   • Other of their models (example: the 712) qualify as "made in the United States from domestic and imported materials."
   • Still other of their models (example: the 620) are imported.
3. Nike, though associated with foreign production, comes in for some remarks here:
   • The Nike Air components are made in Missouri at Nike IHM; Nike keeps the production in-house.
   • Nike's Cole-Haan division is reportedly the largest shoemaker in the state of Maine.
4. Sometimes, production of a familiar shoe transitions from one country to another. I (Charlie) have even seen a manufacturer make different sizes of one style in three different nations. WATCH THOSE BOXES!

Certain athletic shoe manufacturers (including ASICS and Nike) have recently taken to a bizarre labeling practice. They label the country of origin for the cardboard box (the United States) and separately label the origin of the shoes inside!

International Size Cross-Reference

Look here for the international size cross-reference tables for infants, children, women, and men.

 

Internet

An advanced technology that allows one to visit the Web sites of athletic shoe companies and generally waste time even more effectively than television. Look here for Web browser information.

 

IV

A medical procedure used to treat the sickest and the healthiest. As to the healthiest: Even the healthiest runners can end out with getting an IV if they try to run until they drop! Sometimes called a "drip" but that's not necessarily the case if they're treating a severely dehydrated individual. (Been there, done that.)

 

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Last Updated: 18 April 2012 11:32

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Charlie's Sneaker Pages copyright 1995-2012 by Charles L. Perrin.

READERS PLEASE NOTE: Names of athletic shoe manufacturers, shoe styles, and technologies may be trademarked by the manufacturers. Charlie's Sneaker Pages uses these names solely to describe the shoes with the same familiar nomenclature used by the manufacturer and recognized by the reader.