adidas Hardcourt Review

When the adidas Hardcourt low top dropped earlier this year along with the recent hi tops I knew it was time to get a pair and review its latest looks. In the last decade, adidas have remained ever faithful to the styles that originally caused them to gain their worldwide success, and as well as keeping classic silhouettes on shelves, they have made new models to recapture the same look. A perfect example of this is the Adidas Hardcourt, a sneaker created in the early 2010’s as part of the Originals line, that is inspired by 80’s basketball shoes like the Forum or Top Ten. When the brand released its new series for this style in 2019 I knew it was time to get a couple of pairs and review its features.

Back to school season always had some new Hardcourts hitting the shelves and 2019 was not different. Months later a low top version in white and black was released, a rare take on such a popular hi top sneaker. The hi top version is what made this style a hit but with its over the top graphics and silhouette it’s almost an exclusive for youngsters who like to wear the oversized tongue over their jeans and have the classic trefoil logo on full display. The low version falls more in the area that the adidas Superstar, the Samba or Stan Smith have been dominating for years.

I got the hi version of the adidas Hardcourt in white, red and black with a trefoil pattern and oversized logo on the outsole. For this edition of the shoe adidas took the branding to another level, giving it an even more bolder look than before. Out of the box the shoe shines, not only because of the contrasts of the colors and graphics but also of the mix of patent synthetic and real leather used for the upper. For a hi top the sneaker is quite lightweight (only 14 oz for a size 11.5) with the low version weighing only an 1 oz less. This shows how much effort adidas put in making these as light as possible since the heavy padded ankle area from the hi top only weights about 1 oz. The leather used seems to be sturdy yet thin, with the overlays stitched together the classic way. What I came to find out during this adidas Hardcourt  review is that the oversized tongue is not sewn to the sides just as the original version which may make it move annoyingly to the sides. But since most would wear this over their jeans the problem is solved by tying the laces just behind the tongue rather than the front. The brand added some ridges in the heel area for the new versions of this shoe, which makes it easier to pull off the shoe with your other foot but also gives it another cool design element.

The sole of the shoe is constructed out of a simple rubber, that fits the look of the shoe very well, but doesn’t quite live up to the cushioning standards of today’s shoes. The sole is thin and the cushioning comes pretty much from the OrthoLite insole. In the 80’s, the era that influenced this shoe, nearly every adidas model would have been made of rubber, but since then the brand has come out with more advanced technology’s like the Bounce and Boost, that are much more preferable under feet, as well as a lot lighter. Saying this many adidas Originals classic sneakers, such as the Superstars or the Stan Smith’s, have a similar cushioning set-up and are still enjoyed by millions, so it is by no means a deal-breaker. The outsole is flat which makes it fit for every day wear but also may appeal to skateboarders.

A very interesting part of the sole is the rubber Trefoil logo that protrudes from it. This is a touch that adidas added for this version of the shoe, a move away from the classic Hardcourt sole, still used on most recent releases.  The sole seems durable as the rubber is very slow to break down and holds up well in any weather.

All in all, to conclude the adidas Hardcourt review, they are a very stylish shoe that work as a fresh alternative to some of the more common classic sneakers on the market. If you’re not into the bombastic loos of this hi top version with oversizes tongue the low top is a nice alternative. It will be interesting to see how well this low top version will do on the market in the coming years. Both are great for casual wear with a sporty look and they come in various colorways, both for youngsters and adults.