Athletic Propulsion Labs will officially start shipping its patent-pending “instant vertical” shoe, the Concept 1, in the coming weeks. If you’ve read both of our exclusive Part 1 and Part 2 interviews on APL but still want to know a little more behind the company and its $300 shoes, you’ve come to the right place. Continue reading for a Top 5 list of things you didn’t know about Athletic Propulsion Labs.

1. – Athletic Propulsion Labs co-founders Adam and Ryan Goldston count a major industry backer in their corner – their father Mark Goldston. Holding key positions within the footwear industry such as Chief Marketing Officer at Reebok in the 1980′s, President and Chief Operating Officer at L.A. Gear in the 1990′s, and an official advisor to Converse in the mid-1990′s, Mark Goldston has personally had a big industry influence during its major growth years. Mark is an advisor to APL and is named an inventor on 13 separate U.S. product patents for inflatable fit/pump shoes, lighted shoes, energy return systems, and spring systems.

2. – Footwear industry veterans Chris Walsh and Steve Brown advise and assist Athletic Propulsion Labs and carry between them more than 50 years of athletic footwear industry experience from the likes of Nike, adidas, Reebok and L.A. Gear. Brown held the title of Managing Director at Reebok for nearly two decades. Walsh established and drove Nike’s first manufacturing operations in Asia in the 1970′s, was a key driver in the Reebok Pump manufacturing initiatives in the 1980′s, and was the Chief Operating Officer at L.A. Gear in the 1990′s.

3. – APL footwear is produced by the Pou Chen Group – the world’s largest athletic footwear manufacturer churning out over 250 million shoes per year for Nike, adidas, Reebok, New Balance, PUMA, Asics, Timberland, and more. Pou Chen was founded in 1969 and is publicly traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

4. – Tuan Le designed APL’s debut Concept 1 sneaker and has been involved in the footwear industry for over 25 years. Le sketches and finalizes all of his designs by hand with no computer or digital assistance throughout the entire process. He is known as the “Zen Master of Footwear Design” and was behind the original conception of the AND1 Tai Chi.

5. – If you still don’t know yet, the Athletic Propulsion Labs Concept 1 shoe is the first footwear product offering an instant vertical boost to the athlete. No training or preparation involved. The shoe comes built with a patent pending device in the forefoot known as “Load ‘N Launch” which propels the wearer higher upon direct compression and engagement. Learn more about APL’s Concept 1 shoe in our exclusive in-depth interviews: Athletic Propulsion Labs Founders Part 1 | Part 2
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Athletic Propulsion Labs debut shoe, the Concept 1, is available now at http://APLbasketball.com