HI-TEC Sports was founded by Frank van Wezel in Shoeburyness, England. Frank's love for sport led him to build an innovative, lightweight and instantly comfortable squash shoe. The HI-TEC Squash Classic is still made today and has sold over 19 million pairs. HI-TEC was established in the USA with the introduction of the world's first lightweight hiking boot, the Sierra Sneaker, a sports shoe for the mountains. The HI-TEC Silver Shadow was launched in 1981 to conquer the running category; that year 23% of runners in the London Marathon wore it. The Silver Shadow quickly established itself as Britain's top-selling running shoe as there was simply no better all-purpose training shoe on the market. It was designed specifically for the 146-mile ultra-marathon races in Badwater, California, which took runners from the dust plains of Badwater to the top of Mount Whitney. By 1990, the BW Infinity achieved a major innovation milestone with the introduction of the AirBall Concept midsole. HI-TEC, in collaboration with VIBRAM, crafted the RollinGait System outsole as a regular trail running tool in 2011. The RGS system was proprietary to HI-TEC at the time and was an innovative midsole and outsole combination that supported the natural movement of the foot, thereby reducing muscle fatigue. The 2000s continued to mark a period of innovation for HI-TEC. In 2007, the brand debuted its V-LITE technology; a design so light, yet incredibly high-performing. The proprietary footwear technology went on to inspire the 2010 Cannes Lions award winning video "Liquid Mountaineering", which garnered over 15 million views on YouTube that year. V-LITE continues to be infused into HI-TEC's city outdoor footwear innovation, making city to trail living easier than ever before. After 45 years, HI-TEC remains committed to its core mission - to get the world outside. By offering unparalleled technology, city to trail versatility and made-to-last quality, HI-TEC delivers comfort anywhere.