It’s still the brand that Run-D.M.C. rocked in the 80’s, but man has Adidas come a long way. Sure, you can still grab a pair of shell toes, but if you’re a runner, water sports enthusiast or mountain lover, they now have you covered in style…and tech. At the 2012 Outdoor Retailers Summer Market, the Adidas booth was chock full of their latest Mountain Sports Collection jackets and shirts, as well as an impressive arsenal of footwear ready for just about any outdoor pursuit you can think of.
At the pinnacle of the outwear collection are the Terrex jackets. The Terrex Windstopper Fast Jacket is designed for alpine pursuits where 100% wind blocking is needed. The jacket features a roll-away hood and is made partly from Windstopper fabric that stretches with your movements. It had a really good feel and a great cut; I felt like the medium size had been tailored to my frame. It weighs in at just 15 oz so it’s definitely packable. There’s also the Zupalite jackets, and at 5 oz they really live up to their name. An elastic waistband, cuffs and hood ensure you won’t get snagged when getting after it. Most of the jackets are available in both mens’ and womens’ styles and have plenty of colorways to choose from.
As expected, Adidas has more shoes than you can shake a stick at. The Terrex Fast X GTX shoes are awesome: light hikers with a fast lacing system that still provide a heavy dose of stability and comfort for mountain adventures. The biggest upgrade here is the collaboration between Adidas and tire manufacturer, Continental. Traxion soles are built with Continental rubber compound and stick like glue to damn near any surface you’ll encounter. They come in both mid and low styles and are built for multi-day outings. Adidas is also on board with the water sports revolution, as evidenced by a full wall of shoes for just such activities. The Boat CC Lace combines classic three-stripe styling with some serious innovations. Drain holes on the bottom of the shoes work with the CLIMACOOL mesh uppers to keep your feet as dry as possible while playing in the water. They even have a quick-dry flip flop (the climacool Boat Flip) that features the same bottom drain ports and an EVA molded footbed…stylee!
That’s just a tiny taste of what this long time classic brand is offering up for outdoorsy folks. Yeah, it’s not just the Gazelle and Sambas you’re used to; Adidas is serious about their outdoor line of shoes and outerwear, and it really showed. You can check out the full barrage of gear over at Adidas.com; tell ’em D.M.C sent you and maybe they’ll cut you a deal.