The History of Shoe Cushioning: From Ancient Sandals to Space-Age Foam

Around 4-7 million years ago one of our primate ancestors decided to push themselves up and started walking on their hind legs. About 5 steps later we’re almost certain that brave primate thought to itself, “ow, Bipedalism (walking on two legs) hurts! Someone should do something about that.” 

Only a couple of million years later, someone did! (We’re not sure if this happened quicker, but the first evidence of shoe cushioning comes from Ancient Egypt).

As long as humans have walked, we’ve looked to walk comfortably. Here’s a bit of a timeline of how we’ve done just that: 

Ancient Civilisations

Ancient Egyptians

As early as 1500 BCE used layers of woven papyrus, palm leaves, and leather in sandals to create a barrier between their feet and the harsh desert terrain. Compared to modern day innovations we’d barely call these sandals “cushioned”, but you’ve got to start somewhere right?

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Ancient Romans

While the Roman's didn’t invent roads or shoe cushioning, they took both to the next level. With roads they were the first civilisation to standardise techniques and engineering to take roads from archaic paths and tracks to a system similar to what we see today. 

These new roads meant that their people were able to travel much further distances on foot. But of course, this brought about an unexpected side effect. More steps + harder surface = REALLY sore feet. 

The Romans were an industrious bunch who loved a problem to solve. They remedied this new issue by implementing purpose driven materials like cork, wool or felt for shock absorption into their boots and sandals. For the Roman Army this was a game-changer. It meant they could travel huge distances quicker than ever before and in relative comfort.

Could you say the Roman Empire owes everything they accomplished to comfy shoes? Probably not… (but The Comfort Co might).

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The Dark Ages: Rise of the Turnshoe

The fall of the Roman Empire marked the start of a downfall for comfort in shoes that would last for centuries. This was mostly due to the increased popularity of the Turnshoe. This was a single layer of leather, stitched together inside out then “turned” the right way in order to keep the seam on the inside to increase durability. 

Turnshoes were practical for the elements, easy to make and durable. But offered little to no shock absorption or support. 

… no wonder they were called the Dark Ages. 

From here not much happened in the world of shoe cushioning until…

Early Modern Period - 17th-18th Century

This period saw the rise of the Cobbler being a more mainstream profession. As such they started experimenting with methods which could set them apart from their competition. 

One such method was adding more layers of leather to the sole, creating the stacked leather sole. The main purpose of this was to increase durability as well as provide another layer to protect people’s feet from the filth generally found on the streets. Having more natural cushioning as a side benefit was simply icing on the cake. 

Shoe Cushioning innovation from this period also included some of the first iterations of insoles! Made from felt, wool or cork these were a big step towards the contouring and padding we see in modern shoes today. 

The Industrial revolution and the rise of rubber

There are moments in this world that change everything. In 1839 a rubber obsessed man named Charles Goodyear gave the world one of these moments when he accidentally dropped a mixture of sulfur and rubber onto a hot stove. The heat from the stove caused a chemical reaction making the rubber strong and elastic. 

This process became known as vulcanisation and would change footwear forever. 

This discovery happened to coincide with the Industrial Revolution. Meaning that all of a sudden this cheap, durable and groundbreaking new material could be utilised in the soles of footwear en masse. 

The addition of rubber to shoes got shoemakers thinking about what else could be added to shoes to make them more comfortable. They started using felt and layered leather on the insoles themselves. This was first prevalent in work & military boots but soon spread to shoes everywhere. 

Quick tragic note on Charles Goodyear

He spent years trying to patent Vulcanised Rubber and years after defending the patent in court. Half of his 12 children died of poverty before adulthood and he died barely solvent. 

Eventually his family did receive some money from his patents, but it wasn't until YEARS later. 

Year's later during the Automotive Boom two brothers named their new tyre company in his honour (Goodyear Tyres). 

The 1970s Running Boom

Given the way that the world is now it’s crazy to think that it wasn’t that long ago where running was reserved to either athletes or children. Running for fitness just wasn’t a thing. In fact James Fixx, author of The Complete Book of Running and one of the pivotal figures in the 1970s running boom wrote about being stopped and questioned by police officers while jogging in the 60s because it was just so weird. 

Because of the rise of recreational running, cushioned footwear was no longer just for work or war. It was about performance and protection and the shoe industry had to keep up. 

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The Nike Waffle Trainer 

In 1974 Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman was looking for ways to do just that. He wanted to create a sole for his company’s running shoes that would provide better grip and shock absorption while remaining light weight. 

Throughout his experimentation he poured some liquid rubber onto his wife’s waffle maker which created a pattern of raised nubs that could grip the ground better than the traditional flat soles of the day. 

Nike Air

Nike did not rest on their laurels and kept looking for ways to make their shoes better and better. In 1979, they did just that with the invention of Nike Air. This started with a visible air-filled pouch embedded in the sole of their shoe, the Nike Tailwind. 

The big shift here wasn’t just better shock absorption, it was the fact it was visible. Comfort made a monumental shift and went from hidden function to visible feature and status symbol. 

1980s-90s: The Cushioning Tech Wars

Nike were first off the starting block, cementing the title they still hold today as the kings of running. But their competition wasn’t far behind. The Running tech wars had begun and big players had to innovate in order to stay relevant. 

ASICS – GEL Cushioning (1986)

ASICS introduced GEL cushioning, a silicone-based shock absorption system.

Designed to reduce impact stress, especially in the heel and forefoot, GEL became a favorite for long-distance runners.

The tech is still a hallmark of ASICS running shoes today.

Reebok – Hexalite (1990s)

Inspired by the honeycomb structure found in nature (and also the Nike Waffle Trainer…), Hexalite used a network of hexagonal cells to disperse impact.

Lighter than traditional foam, it offered durability and responsiveness without adding bulk.

Popular in both running and basketball shoes, seen in models like the Reebok Pump Omni Lite worn by Dee Brown in the 1991 NBA Dunk Contest.

Adidas – Torsion System & adiPRENE (1988-1990’s)

Torsion System: A thermoplastic bridge under the arch that allowed the forefoot and heel to move independently. This improved stability and natural foot motion.

adiPRENE: A shock-absorbing foam placed in the heel to reduce impact forces while returning energy with each step.

These innovations made Adidas a major player in performance footwear, especially for runners and basketball athletes.

New Balance – Stability & Support Focus

While competitors chased flashy innovations, New Balance prioritised biomechanics.

Introduced dual-density foam midsoles to cater to both overpronators (who roll inward) and supinators (who roll outward).

This focus on stability and fit made New Balance a go-to brand for serious runners and orthopedic support seekers.

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2000s to Present

By the time the 2000s rolled along people realised that this revolutionary shoe cushioning technology would be hugely beneficial for non-runners too! Leading the way were brands like Vionic. They were known for having introduced Arch Support in stylish shoes, but cushioning made up a huge part of their now famous Vio-Motion Support system. 

Other players were Scholl Footwear introducing dreamy soft Memory Cushion Technology in their footbeds, and Vitasole utilising Meta-Rocker technology in their walking shoes. 

Today, cushioning is engineered not just for softness, but for shock absorption, stability, energy return, and gait alignment. These days you’d be hard pressed to find ANY shoes where no kind of cushioning technology developed by these trail blazing brands has been thrown in the mix. 

The Comfort Co. knows this, and now every pair of shoes we sell has had their cushioning gone over with a fine tooth comb for maximum effectiveness.