PUMAs TOP SHOES:
The RS-Computer
Pioneering Performance
May 12, 2025Pioneering Performance
May 12, 2025What If Your Running Shoe Could Think?
It’s easy to assume that wearable tech was born with the rise of smartwatches. But in a world obsessed with metrics – long before athletes synced shoes with smartphones or tracked every step – a quiet revolution began. In 1985, and PUMA was already asking a question that would define the future of sports tech: What if your running shoe could think?
“The RS-COMPUTER was the world’s first computer-integrated running shoe — one of the true milestones in the evolution of athletic footwear.”
1985
That year, PUMA answered that question with the launch of the RS-COMPUTER Shoe, the world’s first running shoe embedded with a microcomputer. At a time when cassette tapes and floppy disks defined technology, and running shoes were little more than foam and rubber, PUMA partnered with biomechanics pioneer Dr. Peter Cavanagh to fundamentally change how athletes understood their performance.
Science in Every Step
Developed in collaboration with biomechanics pioneer Dr. Peter Cavanagh, the RS-COMPUTER shoe was a radical departure from traditional footwear. Instead of focusing solely on materials or cushioning, this shoe came hardwired – literally. A custom chip embedded in the heel measured time, distance, and calories burned, and allowed runners to compare past performance against future goals.
It was a philosophical leap in sportswear: empowering athletes through personalized insights – a direct expression of PUMA’s drive to blend innovation and design to make people feel and perform at their best.
Dr. Peter Cavanagh
Dr. Peter Cavanagh
with Paul Young
Innovation with the Athlete in Mind
PUMA always set out with a clear mission: to give athletes the tools they needed to unleash their true best. The RS-COMPUTER shoe reflects our long-standing commitment to innovation, driven not by trend, but by real insight into athlete performance and needs. We have always worked closely with athletes – listening, testing, evolving – to turn visionary concepts into real, tangible benefits.
Thus, the RS-COMPUTER’s story is closely tied to Bill Rodgers, the legendary American marathoner and PUMA ambassador. He dominated the Boston Marathon – the pinnacle of road racing – with four victories, including three consecutive wins from 1978 to 1980.
Dr. Cavanagh later analyzed one of Rodgers’ marathon-winning shoes and called it “so primitive you wonder how he didn’t get injured more.” This analysis pushed Cavanagh toward performance-based innovation — innovation that would eventually give rise to the RS-COMPUTER shoe.
Decades later, the RS-COMPUTER’s development principles still resonate in today’s data-driven running culture.
“The RS wasn’t just about data, it was about using that data to prevent injury and improve performance, goals that are just as important today as they were in 1985.”
2018
The Comeback
More than three decades later, in 2018, PUMA revisited this milestone with a limited reissue of the RS Computer Shoe. But it wasn’t just a nostalgic move – it was a strategic signal. The updated version retained the retro design but featured USB charging, Bluetooth connectivity, and an RS-COMPUTER app to track performance in real time via smartphone.
The re-launch coincided with a shift in our company direction. PUMA began laying the foundation for a full return to serious performance running, not to chase fast revenue, but to rebuild long-term credibility among athletes. The updated RS wasn’t just about honoring the past; it was a reminder of PUMA’s pioneering spirit.
2021
In 2021, we made our official return to the core running market. After years focused on lifestyle segments, we debuted newly developed running shoe models featuring our new cutting edge NITRO Foam technology – designed with elite athlete input and performance in mind. The shift marked a return to our roots – echoing the innovation of the RS-COMPUTER era – and a renewed focus on function and form.
2025
Today, our commitment to empower athletes through innovation and design stands as firm as in the 80s, when the RS-COMPUTER shoe was introduced. Building on it’s legacy, PUMA continues to provide technology to help runners understand and improve their performance.
For example, with our Project3 where we provide amateur runners with access to the same resources, tools, and technology typically reserved for professional athletes.
Or with the FAST-R3 Nitro Elite 3, where innovation and design came together to shape a new benchmark in performance running, affirm our belief that every runner – not just the pros – deserve to be seen, supported, and equipped to unleash their full potential.
Innovation is in our DNA
From Abebe Bikila defending his Olympic gold in PUMA shoes in 1964, to Bill Rodgers leading the brand’s original Running Institute in the 1980s, to today’s sub-elite marathoners training like pros – Innovation was always in our DNA.
The RS-COMPUTER shoe isn’t just a piece of history. It was ahead of its time – a digital trailblazer that dared to imagine what was possible. Nearly 40 years later, that vision remains intact.
As PUMA writes its next chapter in performance running, we do so with a clear promise:
We blend innovation and design to empower you to feel your best.
