KangaROOS is a brand of sneakers in the United States that was launched in 1979 until the 1980s and was revived today.

What makes KangaROOS shoes unique?

KangaROOS shoes are inspired by the kangaroo, which has a pocket. As such, KangaROOS shoes also have a pocket on one side of the shoe to store loose change or keys. The pocket on each shoe has a zipper to prevent the loss of items stored in the shoe pockets.

Who was responsible for the KangaROOS shoe design?

KangaROOS shoes were designed by an American architect by the name of Bob Gamm. Gamm, being a jogging enthusiast, likes to wear clothes without pockets when he does his daily 10-kilometer run. At first, he designed the KangaROOS shoes for his own use until he launched the idea, which is well-received by the Americans, into the shoe market. In the early 1980s, he was able to sell more than 700,000 pairs of KangaROOS shoes every month.

How did the KangaROOS shoes evolve?

The original design was adopted to other footwear. An example of this is the Dynacoil, which was designed by Ray Tonkel (a former designer for Nike) and Al Gross. Dynacoil uses an energy release system that has been tested by the NASA.

By the mid ’80s, other shoe manufacturers incorporated similar designs to their shoes. In the latter part of the 1980s, however, sneakers became less popular and the KangaROOS shoes were withdrawn from the market. The brand was again launched in the later part of the 1990s, still with the trademark pockets and the unique design.

At present, KangaROOS shoes are more associated as sports lifestyle and casual footwear than sports performance shoes. The brand is now being sold in more than 60 countries around the world.

Who wears KangaROOS shoes?

People who would like to engage in athletic activities without the need to wear clothes with pockets or bring bags to contain important items are the primary users of KangaROOS shoes. Other wearers of this footwear also choose this brand because of the unique design and feel.

These athletic shoes are popular as training and running shoes. KangaROOS also has a line of footwear for baseball and football players.

Personalities who were known to wear KangaROOS Shoes include Walter Payton, William Perry, Vince Coleman, O.J. Anderson, Ozzie Smith, and Ron Darling. The Kenyan track and field athletes are also noted for wearing KangaROOS shoes.