Kanye's Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 Is Worth the Hype

By Jake Woolf

It’s been months since Adidas’s site was hit by a hurricane of teenagers looking to get their hands on the Yeezy Boost 750, and now the second installment of Mr. West’s much-hyped collaboration is in the chamber, ready to be launched into the cultural stratosphere this weekend. Dubbed the Adidas Originals Yeezy Boost 350, this time around Yeezus has blessed us with a low-top, lightweight runner that’s much more subtle (and much less sweaty) than in its suede high-top big brother.

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The unlined upper is made of a sort of distorted leopard print version of Adidas signature Primeknit fabric, with a subtle seam through the center of the toe box. The heel counter has additional support in the way of a sturdy, smooth suede, which is good news if you’re a fan of not getting rug burn as you walk through town. There’s also a fabric loop at the heel that allows for easy in-and-out access to your new favorite kicks (its red thread is the shoe’s only venture away from black and white). The thick bungee cord-like laces clash against the patterned upper, but in a way that makes for a stylish near-optical illusion.

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But where these shoes are really poised to take centerstage in your sneaker rotation is in Adidas’s game-changing Boost technology featured in the sole. While the Yeezy’s may not be as plush a ride as the Ultra Boost, the ridged sole on the Yeezy is thin enough to allow the cushiness of technology shine. All in all, when you combine the attention-grabbing upper sitting atop a cloud-like sole with the Yeezy name, it’s no wonder these are one of the most deservedly hyped-up kicks of the year.

$200, available Saturday, June 27 at adidas.com/kanye and the Adidas Confirmed app, as well as select retailers across the United States.

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Photos: Matt Martin