PUMA Gold Fit 80

• MODEL: PUMA GOLD FIT 80
• MADE IN: WEST GERMANY

The PUMA Gold Fit is a brightly colored vintage running shoe produced in West Germany and released decades ago to combat the mostly white and black trainers seen in production during the 1970′s and 1980′s from Rudolf’s competitors. The yellow leather and black suede upper sits proudly bonded atop a textured gum midsole well endowed with diamond traction pattern. Black and mustard yellow suede patches splice the vibrant colorway apart in the iconic PUMA side stripes, white cat branded heel patch, and protective toe box layering.

Finer details include the logo and branding above the model name, both written prominently in black lettering above the outer wall side stripes. Soft black laces weave across the thin yellow tongue printed with five rings and a pyramid shape below the text “Förderer der Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe” (which loosely translates to mean “Patrons of the German Foundation (of) Sport-Help”). The shoes were originally sold with a white and green tag that further explains the tongue markings, bearing the text “Mit dem Kauf diesen Artikels leisten Sie einen Beitrag für die Deutsche Sporthilfe” (basically meaning “By buying these shoes you’re supporting the German Sport-Help”).

This “Deutsche Sporthilfe” version of the trainer was not the only Gold Fit 80 released, as some were produced with the more usual, PUMA branding embossed tongue, and even simply Gold Fit’s – minus the 80 name upgrade – were released as well, these often bearing a much lighter model printing above the outer side stripe and sometimes a green, black, and white logo printed on the tongue in a rectangle.

written by Dylan Cromwell

photography by errol