Reebok is a footwear and sportswear brand with its roots in Bolton, Lancashire, England. In 1895, Joseph William Foster, then only 14, began designing spiked running shoes in his room, above his father's candy shop. The business later became J.W. Foster and Sons. The Reebok name itself has been used since 1958, when two of the founder's grandsons, Jeff and Joe Foster, formed a companion company. In the 1980s Reebok took off with its aerobic and tennis shoes, then moved into running and basketball. Its headquarters is now in Boston, United States, and the brand is owned by Authentic Brands Group. For buyers of secondhand shoes, this long history means there are many generations of designs and logos to recognize.
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Reebok's story begins with Joseph William Foster in Bolton. After starting out with spiked running shoes in 1895, he set up his own business in 1900, then joined his sons and used the name J.W. Foster and Sons. His small factory was called Olympic Works. His running shoes were worn by British athletes, and became well known after the 100 meter Olympic champion Harold Abrahams wore them in Paris in 1924. In 1958, his grandsons Jeff and Joe Foster formed a companion company named Reebok. They found the name in a dictionary that Joe had won as a child in a running race. Reebok is the Afrikaans word for a kind of African antelope, the grey rhebok.
The turning point came in 1979, when the American businessman Paul Fireman saw Reebok at the NSGA trade show in Chicago and took the license to distribute it in the United States. In 1982 Reebok released the Freestyle, the first athletic shoe designed specifically for women. Fireman bought the British parent company in 1984, and a year later Reebok was listed on the New York stock exchange as an American company. In 1986 the British flag logo was replaced by the vector logo. In the late 1980s Step Reebok arrived together with Gin Miller, and in 1989 the Pump technology appeared.
Reebok's ownership then changed hands. Adidas bought it in 2005, and Authentic Brands Group took over in 2022. In between, the Nano was launched in 2011 as the first shoe designed specifically for CrossFit. From 2013, the red delta logo replaced the vector logo on the fitness line. In 2020 Reebok collaborated with Maison Margiela, and in January 2026 the Classics line was relaunched.
- Freestyle: an aerobic shoe released in 1982, described as the first athletic shoe designed for women.
- Club C: also known as the Revenge Plus, a tennis shoe that helped build Reebok's name on the professional court.
- Newport Classic: a tennis shoe made popular by Boris Becker and John McEnroe.
- Pump: a technology that debuted in 1989 and was worn by more than 100 professional athletes in 1992.
- Nano: the first shoe designed specifically for CrossFit, released in 2011 and now past more than a dozen versions.
What we check before listing
The first thing we look at is the condition of the sole. On older shoes, the midsole foam can yellow, harden, or turn brittle, and the sole glue can come loose at the toe or the heel. We also check the logo and the tongue label as clues to the era of production: the British flag logo was used until 1986, the vector logo after that, and the delta logo began to appear around 2013. We compare the size label, the stitching, and the insole condition against the left and right shoe of the pair. For Pump models, we test whether the pump mechanism still works. All of this is what we routinely observe, and it is not a guarantee of authenticity.
Caring for it
Clean the shoes with a soft brush and a damp cloth, and do not soak them or put them in a washing machine. Dry them in a shaded, breezy spot, away from direct sunlight and heat sources, because these can damage the glue and the sole foam. Store them with paper filler in a dry place so they keep their shape. Old shoes that have not been worn for a long time should be worn casually first, because the sole may be brittle.
FAQ
Is Reebok from England or America?
Its roots are in Bolton, England. J.W. Foster and Sons was founded in 1895, and the Reebok brand was formed there in 1958. Since 1985 Reebok has been an American company, and its headquarters is now in Boston.
What does the British flag logo on old Reebok shoes mean?
The logo was used from 1958 to 1986 to show the company's British origins. After that it was replaced by the vector logo, and from 2013 some lines use the delta logo. The logo can help estimate the age of a shoe.
Where does the name Reebok come from?
Jeff and Joe Foster found it in a dictionary that Joe had once won in a running race. Reebok is the Afrikaans word for the grey rhebok, a kind of African antelope.
Does a yellowed or brittle sole mean the shoes are not worth buying?
Not always, but it needs to be checked. Yellowing is usually only a matter of looks. A sole that has turned brittle or crumbles easily risks breaking while worn, so we state the condition as it is.
References
Facts summarised and rewritten from the sources above (CC BY-SA licence).