PUMA give the classic late 70s running silhouette a subtle update with the Easy Rider Mix trainer, switching up the OG mesh uppers.
It would be fair to say that PUMA has been experiencing a bit of a revival of late. From the re-launch of classic Suede silhouettes like the Palermo last year, and more recently the Speed Cat, the trainer world has found a re-kindled love for the "big cat" logo sportswear brand & all its feline footwear styles. As much as the modern day trainer trends can dictate what's popping and what's not, here at 80s Casual Classics we've been flying the PUMA flag for some time. Retro runners from the archives like the PUMA Easy Rider have become part of the 80s DNA, capturing all the magic of the late 1970s running trainer boom. An era that also gave us the likes of the Nike Waffle, the adidas SL72, the Brooks Vantage, the New Balance 320 & the Diadora Cross 70 to name a few, as the top sportswear brands battled it out to create the greatest running shoe that would rival its competition. For March 2025 PUMA give the classic late 70s silhouette a subtle update with the introduction of the Easy Rider Mix trainer.
Above: The PUMA Easy Rider Mix trainer in white/Clyde royal now available from 80s Casual Classics.
The original design of the Easy Rider was all about the stress points, the support & preventing shoe related injuries. PUMA even drafted in Dr. Ronald Riggs, a long distance running coach from San Jose State as their chief technical consultant. With vigorous testing on a range of athletes, the designers went "all out" with weight to miles equations of long distance runners with uppers that were focused on support, stability and flexibility. The innovative sole unit also featured shock absorbing rubber studs to minimise the overall stress put on the ankles & the heel. First introduced in 1977, the Easy Rider would set the benchmark for other "big cat" classics moving in the 1980s like the Joy Rider, the Whirlwind, the Rockette, the Sky Rider & the Fast Rider to name a few. Tapping into the whole running boom of the era & marketed with the tagline 'You've earned your stripe' the Easy Rider is "easily" up there as one of the greatest running trainers from the 1970s. 
Above: The PUMA Easy Rider Mix trainer in white/Clyde royal now available from 80s Casual Classics. Switching up the traditional mesh uppers for leather, the Easy Rider Mix trainer puts an updated spin on the late 70s runner. Featuring suede overlays with the famous T-toe detailing to the front as well as the iconic shock absorbing rubber stud sole. Other highlights include an EVA midsole, PUMA formstrip branding in Clyde royal to the sidewalls as well as Easy Rider branding in gold foiling to the lateral sides. Shop the very latest PUMA trainer releases now at 80s Casual Classics via the links.
