Etonic The Athlete's Foot Vintage Alpha 1 and Trans Am Sneakers Running Shoes ad from 1983

Today we’ve got a 1983 Etonic Athlete's Foot vintage ad for the Alpha 1, Fred Perry and Trans Am model sneakers. Etonic distinguished itself in the running boom era by combining medical credibility with genuine biomechanical innovation. Backed by podiatrist Dr. Rob Roy McGregor, the shoes featured a built-in one-piece “foot cradle” designed to absorb shock, reduce swollen heels, and prevent common overuse injuries. Alongside that, Etonic introduced rear-foot lacing, an early attempt to control lateral roll and limit knee strain. Together, these features positioned Etonic as one of the first brands to market running shoes not just as performance gear, but as scientifically engineered footwear built to protect athletes from injury.

Ad info is below:

"I got fit to a Tshirt at The Athlete's Food"

"And I mean in great Etonic Shoes and a FREE Etonic t, with my purchase during Etonic Week! Hey I got more than the doctor ordered at The Athlete's Foot!" The doctor is Dr. Rob Roy McGregor, designer of the fabulous built-in "foot cradle" you'll find in all Etonic shoes. It's the one-piece support created for shock-absorbing comfort; helps prevent swollen

heels and injuries that stop runners before the finish line. And Etonic's rear-foot lacing controls lateral roll and helps prevent knee injuries. Let us fill your shoe prescription exactly at The Athlete's Foot. Well fit runners and joggers right with Etonic's excellent new Alpha I or the outstanding '11-ans Am; and for you tennis players, the famous Fred Perry, Etonic's popular court favorite. Come in and try on Etonic shoes at The Athlete's Foot store* nearest you during Etonic Week, May 1-7. Make a fitting choice for comfort and performance, and walk out in style—in Etonic shoes and your free Etonic T-shirt! ryas part id pat ing stores only)

Nobody knows the athletes foot and Etonic! like The Athlete's Foot:

Fred Perry
Alpha I
Trans Am

Etonic Sports Footwear & Apparel

More than 400 stores nationwide

Etonic Bonne Bell 10K vintage running shoes ad from 1979. Ten-O-Six your face.

This ad is one of the more unusual 1970’s collabs we’ve seen - this time between Etonic and Bonne Bell for their Ten-O-Six lotion….

Ad info is below:

The Dynamic Duo.

Bonne Bell 10K Running Shoe by Etonic.

Exercise your body. Ten-O-Six your face.

If you think running does great things for your skin, add Ten-O-Six Lotion to your daily habit and get ready for a beautiful surprise. Ten-O-Six is the antiseptic deep pore cleanser that tones, firms, conditions, sloughs, revs up circulation and revitalizes your skin. Twice a day, every day. Ten-O-Six Lotion. Ok? Notice the shoe on this page? It's the Bonne Bell 10K Running Shoe. Made by Etonic, it combines beauty, function and comfort. Stick with us, we'll keep you lookin' good all the way. BONNE BELL Lakewood, Ohio 44107

Etonic KM Stabilizer 1979 vintage running shoes ad Dr. Rob Roy McGregor

Here’s a 1979 ad for the Etonic KM Stabilizer with the stabilizing system. Dr. Rob Roy McGregor was a podiatrist and pioneering sports medicine expert who designed the system.

Ad info is below:

The Stabilizer.
Introducing a unique concept in running shoe protection.

The Stabilizer starts with a totally new rear-foot design, incorporating a slightly higher, smaller top opening to better hug the foot and improve comfort and fit (particularly important for those with narrow heels). Plus a unique lacing system to adjust the rear fit firmly and precisely just like on the front of any shoe. This system can be laced on both or either side, on each foot, or laced conventionally, according to an individual's needs. The lacing helps your foot and shoe work as one, a necessity for proper control. This helps reduce lateral roll, a problem identified with many injuries.

The Stabilizer. Km-520 for men. Km-720 for women.

This new rearfoot stabilizing system was designed by Dr. Rob Roy McGregor, inventor of the highly acclaimed Etonic one piece heel and arch support. In fact, that device performs its shock-absorbing function even better in The Stabilizer as a result of the improved fit and shaping at the heel.

Without heel/arch support heels are flat.
With it they are rounded and cushioned.

The Stabilizer also lives up to its name with an improved forefoot design, featuring a leather re-enforcing bar for greater support and lateral stability at the ball of the foot.

We've combined these new stability features with the proven protection features of the Etonic/km and Street Fighter. The result is a unique new training shoe for men and women. The Stabilizer. It's a giant step in the development of Etonic/km training shoes.

Etonic/km
Running Shoes by Eaton
Charles A. Eaton Co., Brockton, MA 02403. A member of the Colgate Sports Croup of Companies.

Etonic KM-501, Street Fighter KM-505 and KM-705 vintage sneaker ad from 1980

Here's a 1980 ad from Etonic featuring the Etonic KM-501, Street Fighter KM-505 and KM-705 sneaker models. During the height of the running boom, Etonic/km positioned itself as one of the first brands to market shoes as protective equipment for the body, not just performance gear. Backed by Dr. Rob Roy McGregor’s innovative one-piece heel and arch support, the design redistributed natural foot padding to act as a built-in shock absorber, reducing the pounding runners endured over long distances. Combined with features like a flared heel for stability, a reinforced heel counter for support, and a wide toe box to prevent irritation, Etonic set itself apart by emphasizing biomechanical protection and injury prevention years before concepts like motion control or stability shoes became mainstream.

One strange fact about Etonic was that during their running shoe heyday from 1976 to 1986 they were owned by Colgate. The same minty fresh Colgate that you may have brushed your teeth with this morning. This original print advertisement is available over at our RewindRunning.com web store.

Ad info is below:

Nothing protects this equipment, quite like this equipment.

You don't have bats, racquets, clubs, gloves, nets or goal posts. For a runner, the equipment list is simple: your body and your shoes. And it's no secret that the right shoe can make a difference as to how the rest of your equipment will function.

That's why we build so much protection into Etonic/km running shoes. We start with the Dr. Rob Roy McGregor' one-piece heel/arch support.* This unique device encourages a more rounded heel, gently forcing your natural padding under the foot to provide its own cushioning. So your foot acts as a natural shock absorber, helping the rest of your body to withstand the continuous jarring inherent in long distance running.

Etonic/km also incorporates a flared heel for greater stability, a sturdy heel counter for increased support, a high, wide toe box to min-imize toe irritations and many other highly protective features. All available for men and women in our tough, lightweight Street Fighters and the highly acclaimed Km-501. Protect your body in

Etonic/km running shoes.
'Patent Pending

Etonic/km Running Shoes
Km-501 for men. Street Fighter Km-505 for men, Km-705 for women.

Charles A. Eaton Company, Brockton, MA. 02403. A member of the Colgate Sports Group of Companies.

Etonic Eclipse Racer and Trainer vintage sneakers from 1981

Today we've got a vintage ad post for the 1981 Etonic Eclipse Racer and Trainer sneakers. These both featured the advanced generation Dr. Rob Roy McGregor® foot cradle and will "help you eclipse your best racing time."

Advertisement info is below:

TOTAL ECLIPSE

Etonic Eclipse Racer
The lightweight, flexible performer to help you eclipse your best racing time. A new, anatomically designed last gives a closer fit at the heel and shank for greater rear-foot control and toe-off. Weighing just 7 oz. in size 9, the Eclipse Racer offers cool, comfortable running with our upper of breathable oximesh nylon laminated to a foam and perforated nylon tricot. A. sole made of dual rubber compound with two distinct treads provides added cushioning, durability and traction. Add the Dr. Rob Roy McGregor® foot cradle* and the Etonic rear-foot lacing system* and you've got the support, control and stability racing demands.

Without foot cradle heels are flat.

With it, they are rounded and cushioned.

Etonic Eclipse Trainer
The tough training shoe that performs like a racing flat. It's got the same first name as our racing flat because of so many of the same performance features. It's designed on the racing flat last, has the identical comfortable, lightweight upper and is remarkably light (8.3 oz. in size 9). But it's still a trainer; so we made it tougher. We've got a microcellular blown rubber sole for lightweight cushioning, and a special heel-strike insert that adds rugged durability where it's needed. The advanced generation Dr. Rob Roy McGregor® foot cradle* is designed to absorb the force of heel-strike as well as shearing and lateral forces. And the rear-foot lacing system* allows for a fit the runner can adjust to his own liking.

RW5-STAR
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Runner's World Magazine

'Patent Pending
Etonic Inc., Brockton, MA 02403. A member of the Colgate Sports Group of Companies

Etonic Allegro 1984 vintage sneaker ad featuring the "Radial Sole System"

Here's a 1984 ad for the Etonic Allegro running shoe featuring the "Radial Sole System" engineered by an Etonic biophysicist and his switchblade. 👟🗡️ The cliff notes version of this ad is that they contoured the heel to match how most runners strike the ground at an angle. Another interesting design concept along the lines of "less is more."

​Ad info is below:

Etonic may have just sliced a minute off of your time.

The New Etonic Allegro' helps you run more efficiently, which can only mean faster times and better training. 

One of our Etonic biophysicists and his knife may have changed the shape of your running forever.

After months of analyzing worn out running shoes and studying the natural motion of barefoot runners, he realized that most running shoes actually hinder the average runner's gait. So armed with the results of his research and a sharp blade, he fashioned a prototype of the Allegro—the first running shoe contoured at the heel to match the natural angle of the foot at heel strike.

Introducing the Radial Sole System.

But why a contoured heel? Because most runners strike the ground at an angle on the rear lateral quarter of their shoes. This angle of impact is determined by the radius of the subtalar joint—a complex ankle joint that allows the foot to rotate side to side. By contouring the heel to match the radius of the average subtalar joint, we created the Radial Sole System. Unlike conventional flare - or square-soled running shoes, the Allegro's revolutionary Radial Sole System allows your foot to strike the ground smoothly, which results in a more natural gait cycle. It's as if you were running barefoot.

And since your foot isn't landing on an unstable square edge or fighting an unnecessary chunk of EVA foam, you reduce the "slapping effect" often experienced with flared soles and therefore run more efficiently.

New outsole for better traction and support.

But, the Allegro's Radial Sole System is more than just a contoured heel. Its unique new outsole is a story in itself. First, the new outsole is made of tough Goodyear "Indy 500" rubber for long  wear. Then, by strategically placing multiple rows of raised rubber bars, we were able to provide exceptional traction and support without adding unnecessary thickness or weight. Where traction is needed most, in the heel, on the lateral side and in the forefoot, the bars are perpendicular to the direction of motion.

Where additional support is required, particularly in the medial arch area, the bars are positioned "with" the direction of motion. The rubber nubs on the remainder of the outsole give cushioning and omni-directional traction. A smoother gait for improved efficiency. When you first start running in the Allegro, you may have to get accustomed to the sensation of improved efficiency. After all, you've been running in conventional shoes a long time. However, you'll soon develop a smoother, more natural gait that will make a marked improvement in your training. And if the Allegro can do that for your training, just think, it could cut a minute, maybe more, off your racing times.

A money-back guarantee.

Training or racing, the Etonic Allegro will make a profound difference in your performance. We believe that so strongly, we're offering it with an unconditional money-back guarantee.* So don't waste another minute, get down to your participating dealer and try out the Allegro for yourself. 

Etonic

Winning never felt better 

See your participating dealer for details.

Etonic Eclipse 1980 vintage racing flat ad

Here's a 1980 ad for the Etonic Eclipse racing flat. The Etonic Eclipse Racing Flat marked a breakthrough in the 1980s by blending race-day speed with protective innovation. Weighing just 7 ounces in size 8, it was one of the lightest flats of its time, featuring a breathable multi-layer oxi-mesh upper for cooling comfort and a dual-compound outsole with a heel strike insert to balance cushioning, grip, and durability. Unlike most racing shoes that sacrificed support for weight, the Eclipse integrated Etonic’s rear-foot lacing system, Dr. Rob Roy McGregor’s one-piece heel/arch support, and a non-stretch lateral side bar, giving runners both stability and injury protection. This unique mix of lightweight performance and biomechanical engineering made it a standout in sneaker history.

Ad info is below:

THE ECLIPSE RACING FLAT. NOW-YOU CAN TEST THE INNER LIMITS. 

In your race against time, you want a shoe that saves you precious seconds. The new Etonic Eclipse Racing Flat is a lightweight, flexible performer that helps yqu run the race you trained for.

A mere 7 ounces in size 8, the Eclipse is streamlined in all important areas. Our breathable oxi-mesh nylon upper is larninated to a special foam and perforated nylon tricot for light, cool racing comfort. The sole is a tough, dual rulbber compourid with two different treads. It provides lightweight cushioning throughout, and has a unique heel strike insert for extra durability.

Constructed on a, new specially designed last, the Etonic Eclipse better positions the foot for competitive running and features the Etonic rear-foot lacing system to give you greater control.

Add the Dr. Rob Roy McGregor* one-piece heel and arch support* that cushions the force of heel strike, and a non-stretch Etonic side bar for lateral support, and you've got a lightweight, high-performance racing flat worthy of the name Etonic.

Interested in eclipsing your best time? It's up to you. And Eclipse.

Etonic
Sports Footwear & Apparel