ABOUT SOLE OF ATHLETES

Two countries. One obsession with footwear.

We are James Harrison, in the USA, and Daniel Mullings, in the UK. We run Sole of Athletes ourselves. We travel, look closely, research, and bring you the footwear stories that are worth your time.

Read our guides

OUR STORY

How a search for tennis shoes became Sole of Athletes

Footwear can make a huge difference for athletes, from the tennis courts of New York to the boxing rings of London. It is not only about passion. It is also about the support that comes from the sole.

The idea began when James was looking for shoes to improve his tennis game. He visited several local sports stores in the USA and kept coming up “empty-footed”. So he started writing about obscure sports shoes, and bringing together the retailers that sell them.

Then Daniel, a British sneaker fan, joined from the UK. Now the story has two sides of the Atlantic. We still cover footwear for sports that ordinary shops overlook. We would not tell a badminton player or a fencer to settle for general footwear, and we will not do it here.

Think of us as a virtual athletic shoe mall. If we do not stock an item, we link you to a retailer we can vouch for.

HOW WE WORK

We travel, we look, we research

USA, UK and [PLACES]

We travel

James reports from the USA and travels around the world. Daniel walks London, trainer spotting, to see where people actually buy trainers in Italy

Facts before opinions

We research

We check the facts before a story goes live. If we cannot confirm a claim, we leave it out. We only recommend a product we can explain fairly, and we say when a deal is not worth it.

From rubber soles to today

Sneakers and tech

Technology has shaped sneakers from the start. The name is linked to the quiet rubber sole, a new material that let wearers move without a sound. Today we look at how cushioning, materials and design change the way a shoe performs. Daniel has also. built 360 tours for the site.

Sport, street and scene

Styles

Every sport and every scene has its own look. Sneakers have been part of hip hop and rock and roll culture since the 1970s, and collectors chase limited releases. We follow the niche styles too to keep you uptodate.

SAME SHOE, TWO WORDS

Trainers in the UK. Sneakers in the USA.

British English

Trainers (UK)

In Britain the word is trainers. They were made for sport and are now worn everywhere. Daniel spots them on the streets of London.

American English

Sneakers (USA)

In America the word is sneakers. It is linked to the quiet rubber sole, which let a wearer move without noise. A Boston newspaper used the word in 1887, for what boys called tennis shoes.

Around the world

Other names

Other places have their own words. People say runners in Australia, Canada, Scotland and Ireland, and takkies in South Africa. We use trainers and sneakers on this site because we write for readers in the UK and the USA.

THE TEAM

The two of us

Founder, USA

James Harrison

A tennis lover who kept finding himself “empty-footed” in local American sports stores. That search became Sole of Athletes. He travels worldwide to bring you what is happening on his side of the Atlantic.

Developer, UK

Daniel Mullings

A British sneaker fan and the site's developer. He walks London, spotting trainers, to bring you what is happening there. He is also the director of a Tech company which he will be bringing tothe site

Illustrations of James and Daniel.

FROM THE ROAD