Consumer
Reports Magazine (and its predecessor "Consumers Union Reports" Magazine)
has been reviewing products since 1936. In their March 1968 issue, they reviewed
kids' sneakers... some of which are pictured here. Nearly 600 sneakers went
through kid-wear testing in 1967: each pair for seven weeks or until they fell
apart. This was back in the day when sneaker makers could design for "multiple years per style,"
not "multiple styles per year" like they do now. While these sneakers are long
gone (along with most of their manufacturers), those of us who are old enough
can remember if we had any of these when we grew up...
All these shoes had tapered toes and soles that were treaded by a calender roll in the manufacturing process.
Consumer Reports torture-tested eleven models, sorted by price/style:
PRICE | STYLE NAME | Colors (in addition to white) | SELLER/MANUFACTURER | REVIEW COMMENTS |
$2.88 | Penneys Classics | 2 | JC Penney | |
$2.88 | Sears Jeepers | 4 | Sears | RATED "A BEST BUY" |
$2.88 | Wards Skips | 2 | Montgomery Wards | RATED "A BEST BUY" |
$2.98 | Converse Playlite | 3 | Converse Rubber Company | |
$2.99 | Randy Taper Toe | 2 | Randolph Manufacturing Company | |
$3.00 | Dobie's | 3 | Endicott Johnson Corporation | |
$3.99 | Randy Pedic | 3 | Randolph Manufacturing Company | Foxing weaker than most |
$5.45 | Keds Champion | 5 | US Rubber Company | |
$5.50 | P-F Bayshore | 5 | BF Goodrich Footwear Company | |
$5.50 | Red Ball Jets Crown Point | 5 | Mishawaka Rubber Company | |
$5.95 | Grips Beachton | 3 | Beacon Falls Rubber Footwear |
The same models, sorted by wear-test results (from best to worst):
OVERALL | SOLES | UPPERS |
Sears Jeepers | Red Ball Jets Crown Point | Sears Jeepers |
Keds Champion | Keds Champion | P-F Bayshore |
Wards Skips | Sears Jeepers | Wards Skips |
P-F Bayshore | P-F Bayshore | Keds Champion |
Red Ball Jets Crown Point | Converse Playlite | Randy Taper Toe |
Grips Beachton | Grips Beachton | Grips Beachton |
Randy Taper Toe | Wards Skips | Randy Pedic |
Dobie's | Randy Pedic | Red Ball Jets Crown Point |
Converse Playlite | Dobie's | Dobie's |
Randy Pedic | Randy Taper Toe | Converse Playlite |
Penneys Classics | Penneys Classics | Penneys Classics |
The review stated that the variance in quality was considerably less for the girls' sneakers as compared to the boys' sneakers.
Consumer Reports torture-tested twelve models, all of them white high-tops. They did comment that the corresponding low-tops were extremely similar in material, construction, and workmanship. All tested models had a molded tread with a sculptured pattern and rubber ankle patches (they commented they fell off of several samples, no particular brand was called out by name). All models were available in the classic four styles: white high-top, black high-top, white low-top, and black low-top. Consumer Reports torture-tested these models, here sorted by price/style:
PRICE | STYLE NAME | SELLER/MANUFACTURER | REVIEW COMMENTS |
$3.77 | Penneys | JC Penney | Toe bumper frequently looked ratty |
$3.88 | Sears Jeepers | Sears | Mock (non-functional) instep reinforcement |
$3.88 | Wards Skips | Montgomery Wards | Eyelet bands not as sturdy as most; Mock (non-functional) instep reinforcement |
$3.95 | Keds Gladiator Bal | US Rubber Company | Inside heel lining wore out faster than most; Tended to propagate cracks across the sole; Tendency for the back seam (above the heel) to fail |
$4.00 | Dobie's Basketball | Endicott Johnson Corporation | Durable toe bumper; Foxing failed frequently; Lacing eyelets fell out more frequently than all others; Looked considerably worse after the torture-test, on average; Vent eyelets fell out more frequently than average |
$4.88 | Sears Jeepers | Sears | |
$5.95 | Converse Sportking | Converse Rubber Company | Mock (non-functional) instep reinforcement |
$5.99 | Randy Pedic Basketball Shoe | Randolph Manufacturing Company | Low-top: "Randy Pedic Low-Cut"; Mock (non-functional) instep reinforcement; Tendency for the back seam (above the heel) to fail; Vent eyelets fell out more frequently than average |
$6.00 | Red Ball Jets | Mishawaka Rubber Company | Sole frequently broke along the depressions in the molding; Vent eyelets fell out more frequently than average |
$6.50 | P-F Center | BF Goodrich Footwear Company | Eyelet bands not as sturdy as most; Low-top: "P-F Sandlot" |
$6.95 | Grips Griptred | Beacon Falls Rubber Footwear | Toe bumper frequently looked ratty |
$6.95 | Keds Big Leaguer | US Rubber Company |
The same models, sorted by wear-test results (from best to worst):
OVERALL | SOLES | UPPERS |
Grips Griptred | Grips Griptred | Grips Griptred |
Sears Jeepers ($4.88) | Keds Big Leaguer | Sears Jeepers ($4.88) |
Keds Big Leaguer | P-F Center | Red Ball Jets |
P-F Center | Dobie's | Wards Skips |
Wards Skips | Wards Skips | Keds Gladiator |
Sears Jeepers ($3.88) | Sears Jeepers ($4.88) | Randy Pedic |
Red Ball Jets | Randy Pedic | Sears Jeepers ($3.88) |
Penneys | Sears Jeepers ($3.88) | Keds Big Leaguer |
Keds Gladiator | Penneys | P-F Center |
Dobie's | Keds Gladiator | Penneys |
Randy Pedic | Converse Sportking | Converse Sportking |
Converse Sportking | Red Ball Jets | Dobie's |
Charlie wonders: How would Chucks (one of the few sneakers from that day that is still made) have fared in comparison to these models? Note that the four highest-rated models overall either had the highest list prices ($6.50 or $6.95) or they were the $4.88 Sears Jeepers (made by Converse for Sears). Apparently, given the low-performing Sportking, the 1968 Converse factory could turn out products at many price-quality points.
Back to the top of Charlie's Sneaker Pages!
Last Updated: 18 February 2017
Click here to send E-mail to Charlie.
Charlie's Sneaker Pages copyright 1995-2024 by Charles L. Perrin.
READERS PLEASE NOTE: Names of athletic shoe manufacturers, shoe styles, and technologies may be trademarked by the manufacturers. Charlie's Sneaker Pages uses these names solely to describe the shoes with the same familiar nomenclature used by the manufacturer and recognized by the reader.