The PUMA CA Pro Classic Gives A Nod To The Original California Trainer From 1982

The PUMA CA Pro Classic trainer is an archive inspired court shoe which features all the hallmarks of the original 1980s tennis silhouette.

PUMA's dominance on the elite tennis courts during the 1980s was just as big as any of the other major sportswear brands. Even though PUMA's founder had already passed in 1974, the one-upmanship mentality of the German sportswear brand had reached new heights by the early 1980s. As a new era in performance footwear had started PUMA were at the very forefront of innovation and technology across various sports. When it came to tennis, just like any other sport, it was all about getting the right athlete endorsements and for PUMA it didn't really get much better than Guillermo Vilas. The Argentinian tennis legend championed a new era of tennis athletes that were powerful & muscular. With that came a new demand for a trainer that could keep up with the high-octane performance of the Grand Slam courts. The PUMA California not only marked the next generation of court shoes for the German sportswear brand, it also pushed the boundaries of what was physically possible for a trainer at the time. Giving a nod to the original California trainer from the early 1980s, the PUMA CA Pro Classic trainer now arrives at 80s Casual Classics. Above: The PUMA CA Pro Classic trainer in white/green now available from 80s Casual Classics. PUMA's own words about the California from their 1981 catalogue said, 'Universal training shoe for indoor and outdoor use made of air-permeable net nylon material. Perforated forepart made out out nubuck". The California name, unlike a lot of PUMA & adidas styles at the time which were named after towns and cities etc actually referred to the California Technique, which is a specific way of making shoes. The whole shoe consisted of only two parts, the upper part and the sole, which is splashed on to the upper part. The California's unique production method and the fact the sole contained two degrees of hardness with the part that hit the ground first being the softer part, made it one of the greatest tennis trainers of the early 1980s. Oozing Casual panache the California trainer also marked the start of the exclusive PUMA Vilas line and was closely followed by the G. Vilas 2 Core trainer in 1983. Above: The PUMA CA Pro Classic trainer in white/green now available from 80s Casual Classics. The PUMA CA Pro Classic trainer now arrives at its spiritual home with design inspiration from the early 80s court classic. Featuring leather & synthetic uppers with perforations to the toe vamp just like the OG design, the CA Pro Classic is full of retro kerb appeal. Other highlights include PUMA's classic formstrip to the sidewalls, a padded ankle collar and a moulded midsole for all day comfort. Shop the very latest PUMA releases from 80s Casual Classics now via the links.