Trainer Man

Even though he’s no longer based in the UK, Trainer Man took the trip over to meet with us in our underground sneaker archive to discuss his passion, his collection, and the highly popular website he’s built to share his knowledge. Mostly known for terrace classics and vintage deadstock treasures, Trainer Man’s taste is quite particular, based on nostalgia for the golden years of high quality builds, simple and clean designs, and premium materials. But before we blab on too much, let’s give the microphone over the man himself and see what’s running circles in his head.

To start, while your site, shoeclassics, gives us a great impression of your personality and passion, it tells no details of your life. Can you share some of your background with us?

I’m originally from Liverpool, UK. I grew up as a kid in the great era of the early 80s. There have been many books or articles about this important time in regards to the trainer culture. This is back when there was little exporting done, so trainers stayed somewhat in the region they were made.

Right, making them more rare back then in general. And what are you doing now for work? Do you have a family?

I’m married with a young son, and I work in the Telecommunications field.

As a side project, your site brings up an interesting topic: what exactly is it that makes a shoe a ‘classic’?

This is probably a personal thing, but I think most vintage adidas fans agree on certain models being classics. A classic takes you back to a time when you may have owned them, or they represent a time in your life from years ago. I personally love the original Trimm Trabs, Grand Slam, Jogger, SL 80, and Forest Hills. To me, they’re classics. They represent a time in my childhood, and to this day I remember an older lad wearing a pair of Forest Hills at school in the early 80s. There were kids standing around him admiring them.

Is it just you working on your website, or do you have a team?

[Trainer Man laughs]

No team, just me! It’s rudimentary at best, but I’m no web designer. I decided to do it nearly ten years ago now, and I knew nothing at the time. I have a life, work, kid, so it’s not something I can spend lots of time on.

That’s a lot for one person! Kudos for keeping it alive all these years. And with ‘shoeclassics’ going strong for almost a decade, there must be some story behind it… can you tell us how it began?

Well, I had all these shoes and I thought, “I know, I’ll put them on the web”. Not to sell, just to show pictures of. I did a bit of research and chose a domain name. I wanted other domains, but they were already taken. I would have loved ‘classicshoes.com’, but to no avail. The search engines get me the traffic, if you type in certain phrases I’m in there somewhere. I get emails everyday from people all over the world.

Now this must be exciting: hearing from people who are essentially the same as you, obsessed or in love with or otherwise greatly moved by age-old trainers. Was this the plan? Or what was the original goal for the site, and do you feel you’ve reached this by now?

No real goal, to be honest. I don’t update it as much as I would like to, but that’s because I don’t have the time.

Family over trainers, eh? Regarding goals; how would you describe your trainer hunting, in general?

I used to buy everything in sight, but I don’t anymore. There are very few models I would go out of my way for. At one point or another, many great models have come my way. I’ve made some connections around the world, usually little second hand type stores that I found by accident. I got a brand new pair of blue suede Athen from a second hand store in Holland. They were gorgeous. Regarding money, I think we’ve all over paid and underpaid.

True, true. Sometimes, as collectors, while amassing our grails we get lucky, but other times we’re simply desperate! As far as your collection, how has this changed over the years?

My collection has become more particular. As I said earlier, I used to buy a lot. Know, it’s few and far between, and it has to be something spectacular.

Sure thing, ‘quality over quantity’ isn’t just a saying, after all. But while we’re on numbers: how many pairs do you own, and how would you describe what you wear on a regular basis?

This is a funny question, but I don’t wear trainers a lot. In fact, I dress in suits, ties, and dress shoes. I’m as picky with my dress clothes as I am with my trainers. Now and again I wear a pair of trainers, but not often. I don’t live in the UK anymore, but I was over here in the summer and I picked up a pair of Montreal for the hell of it. Great shoe! I walked into a second hand shop in Liverpool and saw a pair of adidas Valencia, and while the old me would have bought them, they were not my size so I left them. Regarding quantity, I really don’t have an exact number. There are probably fifty pairs that I could pull out and wear (Keglers, Borg Elite, Forest Hills, Grand Slam, numerous other adidas, some PUMA and other brands too), and several hundred in boxes that I don’t wear at all.

Decent numbers though that certainly took years to collect. And wow, that bit about your daily style comes as a totally surprise to us! It’s quite humorous imagining a trainer collector such as yourself all decked out in ‘professional’ business gear or formal attire. Overall, it sounds as though you keep the best of things wrapped in their tissue, true collector style…

Right, the vast majority of my shoes are unworn and boxed. My website displays many of my models, but not all. I like them in the box; some people wear, some don’t. I have plenty of ‘to wear’ models, but I don’t have a need to wear all of them.

On the subject of your plentiful models, we’d love to talk more specifically about certain pairs. For example, we’re curious about your Achill…

The Achill, what a lovely shoe! My pair are made of the most gorgeous blue suede. Probably a 70s model, still boxed and a real treasure of mine. I know they’ve been reissued recently, but they’re not a patch on these. I don’t want to get into a conversation regarding the quality of today’s shoes, but some models are a disgrace in shape and quality. I got these from a friend who reluctantly let them go. He has supplied me with some real gems over the years.

Friends like those are the best! Those Broadway II’s our a lesser seen model as well, do you know if they’re a successor to an original Broadway model?

Actually, I don’t know much about this model. They were made in the USA, and I picked them up in a store that had the promise of being an Aladdin’s cave, but turned out to be only so-so. Looks like a basic, elementary running and jogging shoe. Made in the 80s.

Speaking of shoes made on other continents, do you know anything about the Continental you can share?

I actually owned a pair of the Continental in ’85. I have a picture of myself wearing a Springsteen T-shirt and the Continental, as I had just been to see him play in Leeds. This somewhat signals the end of an era for me. More of the shoes I was familiar with started to disappear and adidas started venturing off in models I didn’t like. I’m not a huge fan of their runner models of the late period in the 80s.

What about the highly classic Hawaii?

Another model that takes me back in time. There were some great shoes that were similar, but the colours changed, like the Jogger, Samoa, and Rhodes. I have a pair in a child’s size for my son. Just a basic looking suede model, but an icon amongst fans.

That’s the difference for the regular Joe and wide-eyed collector: simple or basic doesn’t always mean plain. Onto something a bit different, the Indoor Court isn’t one discussed so often, how would you describe this shoe and its history?

adidas made a bunch of great looking indoor shoes. The pair I have are from the early 80s and still boxed. It has been reissued over the years, and I think I have a pair in leather. The shape was pretty good on the reissue. Not really a model many would regard as a classic, and I’ve seen them frequently for sale on the web.

Fair enough, they’re a bit more obscure, you might say. Back to super classics, what are your thoughts on the Trimm Star?

I prefer the Trimm Master, to be honest with you, but I had the opportunity to acquire a pair, and went for it. I don’t remember this model growing up, but I know some love it. Honestly not one of my fav’s. I know they’re set for a reissue soon, but from what I’ve seen only “hmmm” comes to mind.

Yes, unfortunately adidas Originals have only brought the skepticism upon themselves. How about your feelings for the Varsity?

I love the Varsity model. I’ve seen it in a few other colours over the years. I think my pair are Yugoslavian-made. They’re a vibrant red suede. I picked them up relatively cheap years ago. You don’t see many of them around. It’s a real stocky, well-built shoe.

All of these vintage models aside, how do you feel about re-releases and retros in general?

Most are cheap imitations of their original. The shape, materials, and general quality are questionable. Some models I have been happy with are the blue Indoor Gazelle, TRX, Montreal, and I’ve seen the odd pair of Superstar 80s that are nice. Some of the releases a few years ago, the Tom Okker reissue (under a new name) and a few other tennis type models were a shame. They were too bulbous, and that shiny leather is debatable. I owned a pair of Handball Spezial in ’81, and the models reissued today are a criminal offense in regards to the original. How hard is it to have a nicer suede and part translucent sole. We can send men to the moon, so it’s not that hard. Oh yes, it’s about cost; the cheaper made, the better.

Right, I think a lot of true collectors all feel the same way when it comes to reissues and remakes. What about entirely new (modern) models? Are there any that you like or would be proud to have in your collection?

Not really. I picked up some of the recent TRX and Montreal reissues, but that’s about it.

Keepin’ it true OG, that’s the spirit! You probably get tons and tons of inquiries for purchases, and we know shoeclassics doesn’t sell anything directly on the site, but what about 80scasualclassics? Is this your site also?

No, and I’m not affiliated with them in anyway. I spoke with the owner and threw up some info for him.

Fair enough, bit of brotherly love doesn’t hurt. So, to wrap things up: why adidas, in general?

They remind me of my youth, that’s it. I remember in the early 2000s when I saw the reissue Grand Slam, it set me alight again. As has been stated by others, it was a time in your life when the highlight of your day or week or month would be to buy a pair of new trainers that very few others were likely to own. adidas global distribution thirty years ago hardly existed, so the odds of running into someone with the same model was not as high. You know the way a certain song reminds you of a certain time, well, trainers can have the same effect. I remember the original Wade Smith store in Liverpool, it was the stuff of dreams for a kid, I don’t want a Battle Star Galactica toy, I want a pair of adidas Suisse.

Some serious golden moments the three stripes bring back to you. Pure nostalgia. If they’d listen, what would you want to see adidas do next?

Invite me in for a chat, and do everything that I say. I have often thought about a ‘one to one’ series for adidas. Original (or as close to original as possible) models, with a higher premium of course. Made in Germany using better quality materials, lasts, etc. They could be limited or not. If they were good enough, sign me up. I look at it from a taste perspective, not a business one. I know they have to make money, but some of the stuff produced belongs in the trash, and the designers who make them need to invite me for a coffee and hob nob. Now that would be a conversation.

We truly hope they’re reading this and take heed. Lastly, what’s better, trainers or sex?

[Trainer Man winks]

Both, with a pair of Forest Hills on.

[both laugh]

Thanks for hangin’ out with us Trainer Man, it’s been an absolute pleasure. We tip our hats to you for another solid decade of shoeclassics and wish you good luck with your future hunts.

written by Dylan Cromwell

photos contributed by Trainer Man