Puma RS-Computer

RS-Computer. © Puma.

Puma is reissuing a limited edition of its RS-Computer running shoe, originally released in 1986. These shoes, which wouldn’t look out of place in an episode of Stranger Things, had a strange protrusion on the heel of the right shoe that housed an electronic pedometer recording the number of steps and time spent exercising. Two buttons made it possible to test the operation and to dump the memory (black “On-Test” and red “Reset”). Between the buttons, a cover concealed a 4-pin connector. A 4/16 pin cable connected the shoe to the best microcomputers at the time (Apple IIe, Commodore 64/128, IBM PC). Software on the computer then calculated the distance and calories from the recorded data. Of course, the reissue of RS-Computer is getting a technological update (we’re pretty sure that your computer doesn’t have the appropriate 16-pin I/O port). The new version includes an accelerometer, LED indicators, a USB port for charging and Bluetooth to connect the wireless shoe to your phone. The application will have a retro look to evoke the original monochrome software. The price has not been announced.

⇨ Circuit Breaker, “Puma is rereleasing its classic 1986 RS-Computer running shoe.”