A riotous, 720-page celebration of sneakers and sporting legends, as told through the medium of vintage print advertising

More than a decade in the making, Soled Out is the definitive – and only – collection of sneaker advertisements from the footwear industry’s golden age. Lovingly written and compiled by Simon ‘Woody’ Wood, founder of the legendary Sneaker Freaker magazine, this colossal volume combines nearly 900 vintage images with a punchy narrative full of insider stories and historical revelations.

Featuring superstar athletes and cultural icons such as Andre Agassi, Paula Abdul, Bo Jackson, Bugs Bunny, Michael Jordan, MC Hammer, and Shaquille O’Neal, every page is laced with classic sneaker models, unforgettable graphics, and outrageous trash talk. Sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery ahead as Soled Out powers through a 720-page marathon celebration of the rubber, leather, and mesh we wear on our feet.

About the author:

Sneaker Freaker was established in 2002 by Simon ‘Woody’ Wood as the first and only international footwear magazine. With a monthly audience reach of 10 million, it documents every collaboration, custom design, limited edition, and retro reissue in exacting detail. Based in Melbourne, Woody is recognized worldwide for his encyclopedic knowledge, inimitable writing style, and steadfast role as an authentic ambassador for all things sneakers.

Every Sneaker Story Worth Telling! A 15-year anthology of cult magazine Sneaker Freaker

The first and only publication of its kind, Sneaker Freaker has been at the forefront of the global sneaker scene for nearly two decades. With over 650 redesigned pages, fresh photography, insane historical detail, and otaku-level minutiae, this monster anthology combines the magazine’s finest and content created exclusively for TASCHEN into one seriously epic celebration of sneakers.

Back in 2002, Simon “Woody” Wood was dreaming up schemes to get free sneakers. Two weeks later, he was the proud owner of Sneaker Freaker and his life was never the same.

From its early roots as a punk-style fanzine to today’s super-slick print and online operations, the fiercely independent publication has documented every collab, custom, limited edition, retro reissue, Quickstrike, Hyperstrike, and Tier Zero sneaker released over the last 15 years.

Woody’s original premise that Sneaker Freaker would be “funny and serious, meaningful and pointless at the same time” has certainly been vindicated in The Ultimate Sneaker Book. With more than 650 pages jam-packed with insider knowledge and his own irreverent observations, the insane historical detail and otaku-level minutiae is beyond obsessive.

Traversing 100 years of history, each chapter paints a rollicking picture of the sneaker industry’s evolution. Air Max, Air Force, Adi Dassler, Converse, Kanye, Dapper Dan, Dee Brown, Michael Jordan, and Yeezy — along with obscure treasures like Troop, Airwalk, and Vision Street Wear — are all exhaustively documented.

This is a definitive source of knowledge. This is… The Ultimate Sneaker Book!

About the Author:

Simon “Woody” Wood is the founder and editor of Sneaker Freaker magazine. In little more than a decade, the Australian created a unique global brand at the fore of the sneaker industry, publishing in over 50 countries. Sneaker Freaker are headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

Every Sneaker Story Worth Telling! A 15-year anthology of cult magazine Sneaker Freaker

The first and only publication of its kind, Sneaker Freaker has been at the forefront of the global sneaker scene for nearly two decades. With over 650 redesigned pages, fresh photography, insane historical detail, and otaku-level minutiae, this monster anthology combines the magazine’s finest and content created exclusively for TASCHEN into one seriously epic celebration of sneakers.

Back in 2002, Simon “Woody” Wood was dreaming up schemes to get free sneakers. Two weeks later, he was the proud owner of Sneaker Freaker and his life was never the same.

From its early roots as a punk-style fanzine to today’s super-slick print and online operations, the fiercely independent publication has documented every collab, custom, limited edition, retro reissue, Quickstrike, Hyperstrike, and Tier Zero sneaker released over the last 15 years.

Woody’s original premise that Sneaker Freaker would be “funny and serious, meaningful and pointless at the same time” has certainly been vindicated in The Ultimate Sneaker Book. With more than 650 pages jam-packed with insider knowledge and his own irreverent observations, the insane historical detail and otaku-level minutiae is beyond obsessive.

Traversing 100 years of history, each chapter paints a rollicking picture of the sneaker industry’s evolution. Air Max, Air Force, Adi Dassler, Converse, Kanye, Dapper Dan, Dee Brown, Michael Jordan, and Yeezy — along with obscure treasures like Troop, Airwalk, and Vision Street Wear — are all exhaustively documented.

This is a definitive source of knowledge. This is… The Ultimate Sneaker Book!

About the Author:

Simon “Woody” Wood is the founder and editor of Sneaker Freaker magazine. In little more than a decade, the Australian created a unique global brand at the fore of the sneaker industry, publishing in over 50 countries. Sneaker Freaker are headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.