Converse Trainers

Converse trainers are worn the world over. They were born out of the world famous brand of baseball boots designed by the Converse Rubber Shoe Company of Massachusetts.

The basic design has not changed a great deal since 1917. However, they have never really fallen out of fashion. They are very much a classic.

A Brief History of Converse Trainers

Converse trainers were originally designed with professional basketball players in mind. At the time players had trouble find shoes that afforded them enough grip. On top of that ordinary pumps or trainers did not provide them with the support they needed. In particular, ankle support. Some players took the extreme step of training in boots rather than sports shoes to lessen the chances of injury.

The Converse boot had a rubber sole and came up over the ankle, but still did not really provide that much support. When the player Charles ‘Chuck’ Taylor became involved in the design process that changed and additional ankle support was added in the form of an ankle patch. Something you still see on the modern version of the trainer. At this point around 90% of professional basketball players switched to wearing the brand. This gave the brand some street cred, but when GI started wearing them too to train in they really took off and became the fashionable street shoe they are up until this very day.

Modern Converse Trainers

The firm still sells its original design and it is still the most popular style. However, they also sell a low cut version that does not cover the ankle, which they call the low top. Most of the range still features the iconic wide white laces, however it is also now possible to buy pairs with darker, narrower laces too.

Perhaps the biggest change is that Converse trainers are now available in a range of materials. Traditionally, they are made from canvas and many of them still are. However, they are also now also available in leather. Plus, the range of colours available has been changed and is regularly tweaked to match current fashion trends.

For the best selection of Converse trainers at great prices visit the Blue Banana website.