Our Favourite BOOST-Free adidas Silhouettes

A.R. Trainer
Retro-inspired silhouettes continue to be all the rage, and the A.R. Trainer from adidas is one of our favourites. Introduced just this past January, the kicks take cues from the tennis silhouettes that triumphed on grass, clay and concrete on the way to Grand Slam titles back in the 80s. Supple leather construction, lightweight EVA midsoles, and OrthoLite sock liners make the design perfect for the streets, while a variety of slick colourways perfectly throw back to the shoe’s OG inspiration. We’re particularly fond of the ‘Linen Green’ and ‘Ice Mint’ colourways, both of which can be picked up now via Sneakerhub.

S.C. Premiere
Essentially a more modern juxtaposition to the A.R. Trainer, the S.C. Premiere co-headlined the ThreeStripes’ 2019 line-up. Like its counterpart, the S.C. takes cues from the tennis silhouettes of the 1980s and reimagines them with a decidedly modern edge. While leather and nubuck handle the construction ofthe old school upper, the slightly exaggerated sole brings some aggression the S.C.’s way. Slick blackand white colourways don’t hurt, either.

Yung-1
The Yung-1 may be the very best of adi’s modern day retro-inspired offerings. A nod to the 90s Falcon Dorf, the Yung-1 is the perfect dad-style shoe for contemporary sneakerheads. Heavily layered mesh and nubuck uppers recall the trainers of decades past, while the inclusion of adi’s own Torsion system injects the kicks with a bit of tech-savvy archival heritage. Best of all, adidas have hooked up the Yung-1 with a seemingly endless string of awesome colourways, whether you’re looking for something understated like ‘Running White’ or the more neck-breaking ‘Hi-Res Orange’.

Yung-96
Think of the Yung-96 as the Yung-1’s simplified, Torsion-free younger sibling. Yet another nod to the chunky dad-approved trainers of the 90s, the Yung-96 goes all-in on the layered look, mixing breathable mesh with a combination of suede and nubuck. The EVA-cushioned kicks even come with a slightly wider fit than your typical 21st century silhouette as a nod to the dominant shapes of yesteryear.

Sobakov
adidas may have recently added BOOST to the fold, but we’re still partial to the original version of the Sobakov. The silhouette’s sculpted outsole and wavy herringbone traction patterns have been defining features from the get-go, while the unique Three Stripes branding recalls that of the beloved Predator boots–specifically 2000’s David Beckham–approved Predator Precision. The stretchy asymmetrical upper also recalls the boots, as do colourways like this Core Black/Off White/Raw Amber execution.

Kamanda
The Kamanda is one of the few silhouettes around that can hold its own alongside the Sobakov. Introducedby adidas around the same time as its Predator-inspired counterpart, the Kamada traces its roots back to the 80s, and is based on an unreleased adi prototype from 1989–one that took the OG outsole tread from the classic Samba and employed it as an all-over texture. That archival inspiration is coupled with a soccer boot–like shape, nubuck construction, an oversized woven tongue, and an exaggerated heel culled straight from the Sobakov.