In an interesting new release, adidas has brought out a tennis shoe that works on and off the court. And yes, we do mean literal tennis shoe. In a common attempt to innovatively link sports and streetwear, the new laceless adidas Stycon maintains the key attributes expected from an on-court tennis shoe while implementing familiar streetwear trends.
The design team, with help from athlete feedback, aimed to keep comfort, stability, and durability in mind with the Stycon. The main element of the shoe is its lack of shoelaces, a feature that adidas previously tested in soccer cleats. In an attempt to ditch conventionality, engineers removed the lacing system and replaced it with a sock-like technology that’s of completely different construction than the upper material of the shoe (it’s even suggested to use a shoehorn to slip into it). With the tight snugness of the inside and the high knit collar, designers created the “perfect connection between the foot and the shoe.”
On top of all that, adidas included an Adiwear rubber outsole with an Adituff toe and heel cage to build upon its durability. They also paired traditional EVA foam with its Bounce midsole for good measure and comfort. The toughness of the materials link up with past models in the adidas tennis line.
The adidas Tennis Stycon is available now and comes in men and women’s sizes and colors (grey/green for men, grey/purple for women), retailing for $140 USD.
