Early NASA Sneaker ID

[deshuck]

Trying to find some way to identify the shoes worn by NASA astronauts in their flight suits in the 1960s (Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo era).

I was initially piqued by this photo of John Glenn after his orbital Mercury flight in 1962, but there's not enough detail to make a clear ID.


That led me down a rabbit hole of a bunch of other NASA galleries (available here: https://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/index.html) for other pictures of the shoes:



The best I can find is this picture from Apollo 9, which I think is the same shoe:

I think it's a PF Flyers make based on the ridged toe bumper and the fact that their parent company BF Goodrich made the spacesuits for Mercury. But that toe cutaway in the Apollo 9 pic looks a lot like a Keds.

But I can't say definitively and it's driving me up the walls. I also wouldn't be surprised if they had something totally custom made that you couldn't ID on sight. Anyone have any better ideas than me?

 

[Johncn]

Old post, I know, but on this day in 1962, John Glenn launched and became the first American to orbit the earth....and I stumbled into this looking to identify the sneakers in that great NASA photo. Someone else may in the future, so.....I think that the Keds commemorative Friendship 7 capsule ring would indicate a relationship existed. ;-)

From 2012 Hake's auction:

"Silvered brass showing realistic space capsule such as John Glenn's Friendship 7 which completed the first orbital flight in 1962. Capsule has company initial "K" and side band has serial number "K1210240." NM displaying Mint. Also see Friendship 7 ring #602."

Hake's - "U.S. KEDS" SNEAKER COMPANY EARLY SPACE EXPLORATION RING.

"U.S. KEDS" SNEAKER COMPANY EARLY SPACE EXPLORATION RING.

www.hakes.com

 

[joberg]

Yep, same as the Nostromo crew shoes

 

[MattgomeryBurns]

Yeah that silhouette is instantly recognizable as PF Flyers. I've gone down the rabbit hole on these for The Sandlot.

 

[tankgrrl]

FWIW, PF made those sneakers and the Gemini II boots. History of P.F. Flyers