KangaROOS Sneakers
It all started in 1979 when American architect and running enthusiast Robert 'Bob' Gamm had the idea to create a running shoe with a small compartment to hold things while running. Bob came up with the name KangaROOS because the creatures can jump 25 feet per step when running, never look back, and, of course, have a pocket. Thus, "the original shoes with pockets" was born, the Combat model releasing in 1980.
The brand quickly gained popularity in America, and Europe shortly afterwards. In the 1980s, Gamm opened a KangaROOS laboratory at the University of Illinois that was devoted to testing athletic shoes. In 1986 the brand developed ‘Dynacoil’ in collaboration with NASA engineers, a 3D woven coil fabric technology for use in sneakers.
At the end of the 80s, the company started sponsoring athletes. MLB stars like Ozzie Smith, Vince Coleman and Ron Darling came under contract with KangaROOS, and NFL legend Waltor Payton also signed with the company. Payton was famously rewarded with a brand-new Lamborghini for his dedication in supporting the KangaROOS brand.
In the 90s Rick Steiner of World Championship Wrestling was also sponsored and wore bright red knee-high KangaROOS, and in 1992, the US running team all wear KangaROOs footwear to compete in the Barcelona Olympics.
In November 1999, Waltor Payton unfortunately died of a rare liver disease. KangaROOS supported the Payton foundation in his memory, which was created to show how important organ donations are.
After a decline in popularity at the end of the 90s, the brand released small batches of classic styles like the Blaze, Skywalker and Omnicoil for their 30th anniversary in 2009, reigniting interest in the sneaker community.
Gamm passed away in 2012 after over thirty years of history with KangaROOS. He was later honoured with 91 limited edition pairs of his favourite model, the 'Blaze'.
Some famous collaborations include Jägermeister’s first ever sneaker collab on the KangaROOS Ultimate, Sneakerness’ ‘Green Bridges’ Ultimate model, and Tommy Triggah and Morprime’s team-up on ‘The Inside Job’ Racer Hybrid silhouette.
Other signature KangaROOS models include the Coil R1 and R2, the Invader, and the Ultralight.
Generally, KangaROOS sneakers do fit true to size.