The Reebok Pump retailed for $170 at its 1989 launch. That striking price made it one of the most expensive basketball sneakers on the market at the time.
Reebok introduced the original Pump on November 24, 1989. Unlike ordinary high-tops, it contained inflatable chambers that athletes could adjust by pressing a pump button on the tongue. The system was designed to improve the fit around the ankle, heel and instep.
The technology helped justify the premium, but the price also made the shoe a bold marketing statement. Contemporary coverage described the Pump as an unusually expensive sneaker, while Reebok invested heavily in advertising to persuade shoppers that the adjustable fit was worth the cost.
The shoe became especially famous after Dee Brown pumped his Reeboks before winning the 1991 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Later versions simplified the bladder system and became less expensive, but the original launch price remains one of the defining facts in the Pump’s history.