Now produced by Nike, Converse Chuck Taylors have been around for almost a century. These shoes were typically made to play basketball. But the comfort they provide has made them popular with people across all age groups.

Here are 10 reasons why you should buy a pair now.

• The history is really big on these converse. They were born out of the constant innovation required for footwear in the basketball community.
• They were the first shoes made specifically to play basketball. At a point, 80% of the converse sold were Chuck Taylor’s.
• The Chuck Taylor’s converse you are buying today is the model that was introduced in 1948. So it can be considered a collector’s item.
• Each part of the shoe is intricately designed. The sole is made of brown rubber while the front part is made of white rubber. It is meant to help the person keep their grip. They were the first non-skid shoes ever invented.
• You cannot bruise in these converse shoes. These were made to withstand basketball games. The shoe is made of canvas cotton to help move the feet easily and avoid blisters.
• The logo on the ankle serves as a padding to avoid injury to the player. Ventilation eyelets are small circular metallic rings placed on the sides of shoes. They were added to allow air to circulate inside the shoe.
• The original model was an all white converse. Later came the all black model. Blue and red lines were later added to the trim. They had toe guards, laces and the outer wrap was white. These are the classics and the first of the Converse Chuck Taylor collection.
• Converse are also available in a variety of colors styles, prints, and materials.
• The maker of these shoes went to great lengths to improve the game and popularize it all over the world.
• He changed the ball that was used in the game to a more uniform and grip-worthy design.
• They are unisex and can be worn with any casual outfit.

Converse have become so popular that they have been featured in multiple movies. Even Dennis from Dennis the Menace wore them. Records were set in basketball while athletes played wearing these Converse. They were even used in training by American soldiers in the second World War.

They have several accolades to their name and have sustained through the years simply because of their excellent design and uniqueness. There’s a pair of Chuck Taylor converse being purchased every 43 seconds. When do you plan on getting yours?