It has been a wild year for adidas especially when it comes to their hyped-up products. For one, they ended their partnership with Kanye West after the latter proved to be a problematic person–to the point of even calling out some adidas products as Yeezy ripoffs. Now that the dust has settled–with adidas planning to sell the same designs sans Yeezy branding in the future, it seems like they had this planned all along with the adilette 22 and adiFOM Q.
While there’s still considerable demand for both products, getting your hands on one is relatively easier than getting a pair of Yeezy Slides or Foam Runners. For one, a casual trip to an adidas store can give you good chances of finding a pair of adilette 22 or adiFOM Q sitting on shelves–and you can’t expect that on practically any Yeezy product.
Several adidas store visits later, we were able to get a pair of the adilette 22 in a Yeezy-esque light gray color, and we think it might be better than the Yeezy Slide after all.
Design
Despite all the accusations that they copied the Yeezy Slide, the adilette 22 comes with its own design. The very least that it “copied” the Yeezy Slide is its chunky one-piece design; otherwise, the adilette 22 has a 3D design that gives it a sculpted look and resembles a computer glitch when viewed at a distance.
Unlike the Yeezy Slide, which had an exaggerated, serrated outsole, the adilette 22 stays true to its namesake with a flat outsole and dimple marks to provide additional traction on top of the textured surface.
Branding is very minimalist, as you only get the Trefoil logo on the heel bed and a subtle “The Brand with the Three Stripes” on the lateral side. The subtle three stripes can be seen on the strap thanks to how the 3D printing executed it. Like the Yeezy Slides, the adilette 22 is made from EVA foam, with around 25% made from plant-based content.
Comfort and size
Having used the actual OG adilette in the past, the adilette 22 is definitely softer and more comfortable than its OG brethren. They may not be as soft (not to mention squishy) as the Yeezy Slide, but the adilette 22 provides a better balance between being firm and comfortable at the same time.
When it comes to sizing, the adilette 22 has a more consistent sizing scheme than the Yeezy Slide. With the one I purchased, I went half a size down with the adilette 22 since they don’t come in half sizes (I’m normally a 10.5). As for Yeezy Slides, the sizing can vary a lot depending on the colorway–with earlier releases, you will need to go a full size up, which can be a real hassle, especially with how hard it is to find a pair.
Pricing
Unless you plan to buy through resellers, the adilette 22 has an official SRP of Php 2,700. That makes it slightly more affordable than the Yeezy Slide, which retails for Php 3,000–assuming you get your hands on one for retail.
On the resell market, the adillete 22 is not that bad: you can get one for around Php 3k, which is a breeze compared to the resell prices of Yeezy Slides that can go over Php 10k depending on the size and colorway.
Is the adilette 22 Worth it Over the Yeezy Slide?
Beyond being more accessible and having less ridiculous resell prices, the adilette 22 is better because it’s the more practical choice out there. There’s no question about the prestige of Yeezy Slides, but let’s be realistic: I don’t think people would spend a lot for comfortable slides given the current global situation right now.
No matter how many times the adilette 22 is referred to as a ripoff by Kanye West and others, we should face the fact that this–and other upcoming adidas products–is what we expect in a post-Yeezy era.
