crooked tongues magazine News Features

The MA-1 jacket influence runs deep through the Pump line this season, as the muted nylon outer and bold lining that's perfect for visibility in the event of an emergency is an inspiration again — this time on a pair of Reebok Omni Lites. We've seen UNDFTD put it on a Jordan IV and Poorman and New Balance put it on a 576. While the current weather doesn't necessitate a coat, outerwear fetishism seems to be matching the footwear side of things in 2010. Where the gaze was once directed to the feet, now it's toward the torso to admire whatever costly purchase is flavour-of-the-month in the serious outdoorsy brand stakes. We'd like to think that's why the shoes matching classic jacket makeups is popular, but the reality is that orange and green or orange and black just works as a glorious contrast that's instantly appealing.

The Pump Omni Lite's had every concept under the sun hurled its way, but this one is a keeper. The quilted nylon toebox and quality leather is good, keeping the midsole white and making that curved plastic lacestay tonal works to ensure this looks and feels like premium product, which in fairness, is what you should expect from any shoe from any brand. The contrast orange collar stitching shows tactical restraint too. We would complain that there's a focus on third-gen Pump pieces like this over the ERS/Pump glory of 1990, but with an Omni Lite (the sequel of which, the Pump Omni Lite II is effectively a 3/4 variation of the Omni Lite, and the shoe Dee Brown achieved slam dunk immortality in) retro on its way, presumably built on the same sole unit as the mighty Twilight Zone, even post-anniversary celebrations, it's still a very good time to be a Reebok Pump fan. These are both available right here in the Crooked Tongues store...

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