Even the most impassioned trend forecasters couldn’t have predicted the popularity of the Adidas Samba would have such legs.
First worn by German footballers in the 1950s, the style as we know it today was originally launched in 1972 — bringing to market such innovations as coloured outsoles, protective heel padding, and the now-iconic low-slung vamp.
Traditionally a staple among English football hooligans (and derivations of their look à la blokecore), the Samba has proved remarkably resilient in fashion circles.
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According to StockX, it’s now Adidas’ second best-selling design in the US just behind the Stan Smith: an impressive outcome for a shoe that, up until four years ago, felt largely perfunctory.
A stream of consistently well-choreographed special editions, with fashion players ranging from Sporty & Rich to Wales Bonner, has bought the Samba further airtime in the zeitgeist. But after two years of extreme visibility, we think 2024 presents a prime opportunity for change. Well… sort of.
If your priority is a low-profile shoe fabricated in premium materials, with presence aplenty on and off the pitch, this curated edit of Adidas Samba alternatives will provide the perfect fit.
Adidas Handball Spezial WM
DETAILS
- Special edition
- Leather uppers/suede overlay
- Black, silver, & carbon colour
- Rubber outsole
Keeping things “in the family” isn’t a bad way to begin our conversation about the best Samba alternatives; and though the Adidas Handball is technically a different silhouette, there are lots of apparent similarities with the brand’s most trendy low-top sneaker.
Part of the premium Adidas ‘Spezial’ sublabel, this contemporary iteration of the Handball is constructed with nubuck uppers — in a clean, monochrome colour palette save for the brand’s stamped gold trefoil.
Like the Samba, the Handball takes a range of styling cues from the traditional German Army Trainer and, for that reason, is a silhouette that’s proven incredibly easy to wear. Beneath denim or a wide-leg chino, it lends subtlety; whereas in shorts, the colourway’s white heel pad makes for a vivid talking point.
ASICS Skyhand OG
DETAILS
- Leather & suede panelling
- FLYTEFOAM™ cushioning
- Cilantro/grapefruit colour
- Gum outsole
Precisely the sort of niche, vintage-inspired footwear that the fashion press are fans of, the ‘Skyhand’ OG is Japanese label ASICS’ own interpretation of the quintessential handball shoe.
Coming around 40 years after the debut of the original Samba, the Skyhand nonetheless feels like a blast from the past. With our culture’s current penchant for all things 90s, that’s a very good thing.
Visually, the shoe fully embraces a retro aesthetic with a perforated toe-box, nubby gum sole, and the signature ASICS stripes in raised leather panelling. Within the sole unit, ASICS has hidden loads of innovation: the midsole is kitted with the company’s proprietary ‘Flytefoam’ cushioning, while flexible EVA polymers ensure superior shock absorption underfoot.
Nike Field General 82
DETAILS
- Mesh & leather uppers
- Calf suede overlay
- White Gum/Yellow Summit colour
- Pebbled sole
First introduced — as the name suggests — in 1982, this low-slung silhouette from The Swoosh was originally developed for wear by NFL “Field Generals” (AKA quarterbacks).
Since then, the Field General 82 has been worn by some of American football’s star players (Archie Manning being one notable example) but, as retro low-tops come back into vogue, it’s also finding favour with decidedly less athletic individuals.
Like many of the other best Adidas Samba alternatives, the Field General’s original design has remained largely unchanged over the decades. The once-revolutionary hybrid of leather and ballistic mesh looks as good now as it did during the MTV era, while the nubby gum sole gives you Superbowl-worthy traction — even if you’re just doubling back to your favourite sandwich shop.
Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 SD
DETAILS
- Leather uppers
- AMPLIFOAM™ cushioning
- Yellow/Black colourway
- X-40 Ortholite inner sole
Few footwear brands have managed to build a successful, decades-long legacy out of a single product: of which, Onitsuka Tiger is most definitely one.
Named after ASICS founder Kihachiro Onitsuka, Onitsuka Tiger’s hero design — the ‘Mexico 66’ — can also be described as its most iterative. Marrying the groundbreaking performance of the 1961 ‘Limber-Up’ trainer, with a range of aesthetic flourishes now considered synonymous with the brand, the Mexico trainer’s legacy is continued in 2024 through the premium ‘SD’ range.
Far and away the most well-built Samba alternative to grace our list, this Kill Bill-approved 66 SD embodies the notion that superlative construction cannot exist without comfort.
Metal eyelets provide an extra-robust lacing system; while multiple layers of cushioning, including ASICS’ powerful AMPLIFOAM™ midsole, mean that these stylish sneakers also have running potential.
Maison Margiela ‘Replica’ Sneakers
DETAILS
- Logo patch tongue
- Double-stitched heel tab
- Silver birch colourway
- Treaded gum sole
Once an insider favourite with a cult-like fanbase amongst fashion obsessives, Margiela’s ‘Replica’ is that rare example of a sneaker so famous it now overshadows its predecessor.
Loosely based upon the 70s-era German Army Trainer (or “GAT” among sneakerheads), these low-tops are an improbably luxe alternative to the archetypal indoor training shoe. Beyond the uppers in premium suede and calfskin leather, even this sneaker’s heel counter is double-stitched.
Whereas Margiela’s most famous Replica colourways tend to feature a vamp and/or eyelets in contrasting material, this example keeps everything minimal with a buffed, uniformly bluish grey hue that works well even alongside dress pants.
New Balance RC42
DETAILS
- Synthetic uppers
- Overstitched N logo
- Granite with white colourway
- Gum sole
A style which began to ping on sneakerheads’ radars after it was teased by Japanese designer Junya Watanabe in 2023, the RC42 follows in the tradition of other similarly futureproof releases from New Balance with an overarching design language that is clean, classic, and versatile.
Cut from a similar cloth to Nike’s Cortez, the RC42 eschews groundbreaking performance or a niche, activity-led aesthetic in favour of workaday wearability. Accordingly, the uppers are decorated in a swath of granite-grey suede while the only explicit branding is the classic ‘N’ logo — stitched across each shoe’s sidewall.
No matter whether you’re a fashion nerd, cubicle farmer, or merely someone in need of a decent minimalist sneaker, this is a design that has been calibrated to offer a little something to everybody. And that’s sort of the point.
If you’ve enjoyed this footwear-centric guide to Adidas Samba alternatives, consider checking out some of our other style stories. Here are a few recommendations to get you started:
