PUMA Sky Jam

MODEL: PUMA SKY JAM
TYPE: BASKETBALL
MADE IN: CHINA
MADE ON: 09/95
ART.NO: 339460 06
FACTORY: CTL

Undeniably the most frustrating aspect of collecting vintage sneakers has to be the idea of shoe size, especially when coming across a pair as rare as these white leather PUMA Sky Jams.

These are quite literally a half size off (or less) and I’m gutted to the fullest. I’ll be the first to admit, even with my avid and addictive lust for vintage PUMA high tops (especially basketball pairs) many of the gems from their past were unknown to me until I’d stumbled upon them. It’s incredible how many fantastic silhouettes just don’t seem to be talked about or even Google-able. The PUMA Cat high top on its own is a ridiculously over-slept-on pair even retro’d more than once and still runs around basically nameless and entirely fame-less. Others that blow my mind due to their near inexistence are the PUMA Agile and PUMA Raider cuts, both unbelievable sturdy and therefore certainly still standing around in closed closets or hidden storage units across the globe, but not even graced with whispers from the sneaker community at large. Last time I checked the pulse, the only really radar-marked PUMA high tops from the olden days are the Invader Hi’s, which is insane considering how feeble this pair actual is in practice. It’s not as bad as the likes of the Pressing, Parma, or Napoli, but still it’s no where near the strength and durability that pairs such as the Sky Jam possess.

And what a sicko silhouette name too. But beyond all this sneaker smack talk and whining about who gets to be popular and who doesn’t lays a sweet little silhouette stuck in sneaker purgatory and eatmoreshoes is here to rip it back to modern day reality. The basics are a Trinomic-infused, non-marking, rubber outsole (a mark of the mid-90s era), and some nice, thick, textile lining. The leather upper is actually PU-coated, a treatment I’ve not heard of in regular use. But the midsole design is what I love the most. That jagged, geometric saw-tooth vibe on the sides pierced by the all-too-well-known formstripe really kick out a hyper vibe for this pair.

Comfort and support are equally matched to the durability, and the only flaws I’ve seen through casual to rampant wear is that the stitching from the sole unit to the toe box should’ve probably been continued down the sides of the shoe; the glue tends to age and weaken after use. I’ve not had an un-deadstock’d pair to experiment with though, so it’s possible this is the reverse artifact of kicks being kept too well stored (you know that old myth of how one should wear ‘em a couple times in order to avoid sole cracking later on down the line).

If you’re diggin’ what you see here but aren’t a white-out wearer than you should take a look at the reverse colorway pair we posted as they might fit your fancy, not only boasting the predominantly black upper but also featuring a nubuck finish as well. Either flavor, the Sky Jam is a definite treat all around that we can only hope to see PUMA re-release in years to come.

written by Dylan Cromwell

photography by errol