Reebok Ex-O-Fit 500
From Solepedia.com - Online Sneaker Encyclopedia
Reebok Ex-O-Fit 500 is a men's athletic shoe model manufactured by Reebok and designed for fitness use. The shoe was introduced in the mid 1980s and is still in production.
Contents |
Shoe Description
The Ex-O-Fit's has always been produced in low-top Oxford-style and hi-top versions usually made of all leather material. Much of the Ex-O-Fit's styling comes from the Freestyle. As an example, the original low-top Ex-O-Fit Oxford had the same yellow gum sole, the same tread pattern on the sole, and the same overall look. The only difference was that the Ex-O-Fit Oxford had dark blue terry cloth interior and dark blue Reebok lettering to give it more of a masculine appearance. On the other hand, the hi-top had more differences compared to its Freestyle counterpart. The following chart compares and contrasts the two models:
| Original Ex-O-Fit 500 | Freestyle |
|---|---|
| One Velcro strap | Two Velcro straps |
| Two rows of ankle support padding | Three rows of ankle support padding |
| Ankle support padding slants slightly from the toe to the heel | Ankle support padding dips and rises towards the heel |
| "Reebok" brand name on shoe's rear | No brand name on shoe's rear |
| "Honeycomb" sole pattern | "Honeycomb" sole pattern |
| Brand name with British Union Jack flag | Brand name with British Union Jack flag |
| Ventilation holes go left to right across the top/front of the shoe | Ventilation holes are in a circular pattern on the top/front of the shoe |
Over the years, the Ex-O-Fit were offered in white, black, gray, red, yellow, blue, brown, orange, and green colors.
Versions
As mentioned early, the original Ex-O-Fits closely resembled the Freestyle in the beginning models but that soon changed by the late-1980's. The "honeycomb" sole was replaced with a deeper tread pattern for traction and the distinctive yellow gum sole disappeared on the low-top models. Instead, the low-top soles had the same color as the overall shoe. Even the ubiquitous cloth brand name British Union Jack flag changed to a plain plastic brand name on the hi-top models. By the early 1990's, hi-top was completely restyled again with new tread pattern and more reinforcement in the front of the shoe. As a result, this design was more durable to male fitness, more distinctive, and far more masculine compared to the Freestyle. Although the new design came with plastic brand name on the beginning models, Reebok soon brought back the classic cloth brand name with the British Union Jack flag. This Ex-O-Fit design continued to be a hit with the public and is still in production today. Over the years, the hi-top version was more popular with consumers over the low-top Oxford.
Other Ex-O-Fit versions were released over the years including an all canvas model. In the mid-1990's, there were hiking boots and work boot versions when these style of boots were popular. Around 2002, Reebok introduced a completely redesigned and updated Ex-O-Fit called the "Exertion." None of these recent versions caught on with consumers and were soon discontinued.
Athletic Use
The Ex-O-Fit became a popular athletic shoe for fitness as they were used for weightlifting, aerobic exercise, walking, bicycling, volleyball, and cross-training. Like the Freestyle, men were impressed with the Ex-O-Fit's styling, comfort, and support the shoe provided for working out especially with the hi-top version. Even motorcyclists liked the hi-top version for its "boot-like" ankle protection while riding.
Fashion Use
Outside the gym, the Ex-O-Fit quickly hit the streets as popular casual wear especially after Mick Jagger prominently wore white hi-tops in the 1985 Dancing in the Street video. Men were soon wearing them with jeans, shorts, sweat pants, and slacks. To highlight the shoe even further, a late 1980's fad was to roll-up or "peg" the pant legs above the shoe.
In the workplace, the black Ex-O-Fits were common with uniforms because of the comfort, support, and conservative styling.
Competition, Decline, and Following
The Ex-O-Fits saw new competition from the likes of LA Gear, and Nike. By the mid-1990s, the Ex-O-Fit sales began to decline as fashion trends changed. Hi-top athletic shoes were out of style and consumers were choosing high-tech shoes. In the casual shoe market, consumers opted for non-athletic, "brown shoes" while fashion conscious teens opted for new styles from Adidas and Nike. Sales continued to decline further to the point Ex-O-Fits became rare to find in retail stores. Today, the Ex-O-Fit is still available on the Internet and has a following with dedicated consumers.
