In 1987, Reebok dominated 70% of the sports market in the United States. While other brands at the time focused on developing new cushioning systems, Paul Litchfield and the Advanced Concepts Group (now Reebok Advanced Concepts) developed the Pump system, a stability based technology. By launching a completely innovative and highly successful product, Reebok integrated the system into all its sports shoes, also creating an identity and aesthetic strategy by placing the ball of each sport on the pump on the tongue of each shoe. Reflecting the rivalry between major brands, Reebok in its basketball line commercials provoked Nike with the slogan “Pump up and Air out.”

Due to its huge prominence, Reebok launched several models of the Pump line. The first was called “The Pump,” but its high cost of $170 made it unfeasible at the time. Among Reebok’s biggest successes are the Pump Omni Zone II and the InstaPump Fury. The first carried the Omni Zone name, which had four models, and was directly responsible for consolidating the Pump technology and making it a real success after Dee Brown of the Boston Celtics won the NBA Dunk Contest in 1991, immortalizing the shoe by “pumping” his shoes before each dunk. The second success came in the ’90s, designed by Steven Smith, a legend in the field with a vast resume of successful productions. The Reebok InstaPump Fury incorporated the brand’s main technologies at the time, such as Hexalite (impact absorption system), Grafilite (carbon plate for stability), and the Pump system. The Pump Omni Zone II was relaunched in 2021, and the InstaPump Fury returns this year in its original colorway to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

But the story doesn’t end there: the Pump system was used in various models and gave rise to other iconic shoes like the Blacktop, the Shaq Attaq, and the Victory Pump. As a classic, it is present in the lives of many sneaker enthusiasts for different reasons. You can check out some stories involving legendary Pumps from different eras and styles, such as the Atmos x Reebok Pump Omni Lite Polka Dot by Gus, the InstaPump Fury ACHM by Pedro Sanco, and the Reebok Answer X by Luis Felipe (Lula) on our website. In these interviews, we understand how this technology is present in the lives of many people, whether they use it to seek better performance in their sports or have incorporated the Pump as part of their lifestyle.