L.A. Gear has a few memorable sneakers and this is one of them. Worn by NBA great Karl Malone in 1991, this shoe looks good and was very comfy. The majority of these shoes are no longer wearable but believe me when I say, this was no ordinary LA gear sneaker. The heel lit up every time the “clear catathane bushing” had impact with the ground causing the ambient air cavity to light up. On all the pairs I’ve owned I haven’t seen this actually work (could be aging). Color placement, materials, fit, comfort, and all around looks are top notch however, there is one dark side of this shoe. You see, a Marquette University basketball player was outfitted with this shoe and one player tripped on his shoe sole as it peeled off during a televised game! Talk about bad press! To make matters worse, Nike filed suit against L.A. Gear alleging that the Catapult infringed on Nikes patented ‘spring moderator’ technology. If LA Gear were to bring these back today (with Karl Malone pushing them) I believe these would be a good look for LA Gear. Below are pictures from the DeFY. New York Photo Vault enjoy 🙂
