The Matchbreak Super by adidas Skateboarding

The adidas Matchbreak Super is the first new skate shoe silhouette to drop from the spring 2020 collection and features a retrospective approach to the shoes styling alongside modern design techniques.

Heritage design from the adidas shoe archive

Aesthetically this shoe looks like it was dug out of the archives of the 70’s, but surprisingly, this is an all new design for 2020 that draws on adidas’ rich heritage whilst creating its own form from subtle details such as a little extra padding in the tough for a fuller shape and higher foxing around the vulcanised sole that serves two purposes. The first is to give the shoe a low-profile look and the second is plain old durability. More rubber and more depth to the application of the tape means extended durability when compared to regular vulcanise sole unit designs. Adidas themselves state that they are “the highest ever quality vulcanised footwear ever produced” by the brand, which is one hell of a claim, which they fully stand behind.

A shoe with a modern and progressive fit

The fit is designed so that your fit sits low in the shoe, which has two benefits. The first is to give stability, the lower the foot sits the less roll can be applied to the ankle, this is great, if as I have, you experience repeated sprained ankles. While they can never claim to prevent injury, anyone who has experience this will appreciate the why these shoes feel. The second plus from this design is to give increased board feel. This is hard to achieve without contravening impact protection provided by the shoes sock liner. In fact there is a fine balance to be met so that you feel enough of your board but maintain that support with enough cushioning on the heel and other impact points. The adidas Matchbreak Super seems to manage this well and while it does not have the thickest sock liner in the market it works well.

The upper is a fairly simple affair which is exactly what you would expect from a shoe with such a retro look, but it is by no means boring. The one piece two serves an important function, in that it reduces stitching blowouts in key areas, while wrapping around onto the quarter panels. The heel quarter uses canvas materials to give a nice balance against the suede of the toe and is finished with a gold foil adidas trefoil logo on the lateral side.

In summary, this is a skate shoe that is likely to satisfy the most discerning skateboarder and with so many options available, the Matchbreak Super certainly stands out as a staff favourite, recommended for anyone who wants a great all-round skateboard shoe with a classic adidas style.