adidas Gazelle vs Samba: Breaking Down the Differences
With a catalogue as broad as , there’s going to be more than a few silhouettes that look similar. Case in point: the , released in 1949, and its little bro the , which arrived nearly 20 years later in 1966.
These two football-geared silhouettes are having a gargantuan resurgence thanks to the terrace trend. Now, a growing generation of sneakerheads are discovering the decades-old models, and some are still trying to decipher the differences between the two.
Ponder no more! It’s time to break down the differences between adidas' and .
Perfect Panelling
The and definitely boast ‘same same but different’ energy, as the pair rock uber-similar constructions. Both are slimline, low-top sneakers with roots in . But there are some subtle differences.
Take a look at the eyestay panels; where the younger Samba features a small notch, the Gazelle’s run straight across. The Gazelle has a different toe box panel – far shorter and more streamlined than its 1949 counterpart – and its midfoot is slightly bulkier, when compared top-down to its older sibling. But the most noticeable panelling difference between the Samba and Gazelle is the former's famous, reinforced suede T-toe overlay. The Samba's T-toe was originally designed to fortify the part of the shoe that received the biggest beating during indoor soccer play, protecting the suede from abrasions that come with toe-poking and general ball control.
Materials Matter
Comparing is the area in which you can really notice the differences between the Samba and Gazelle. The former almost always opts for a full leather upper with just a hint of suede on the toe box. The latter can usually be seen decked out in decadent suede with a touch of leather on the branding.
In its fully suede get-up, the Gazelle communicates a more luxurious aesthetic than the Samba; its napped surface gives the shoe a super creamy, opulent texture. Suede is also much more flexible than leather, as well as thinner and lighter – so your Gazelles will be more forgiving in the out-of-the-box-wearability category. Of course, there's another side to the coin: Gazelles are likely to degrade more quickly than the more durable Sambas. However as long as you're being a good suede parent – brushing your kicks regularly and spot cleaning carefully, and only with suede cleaner, white vinegar or rubbing alcohol – they will reward you with many happy moons of wear.
Sole Savvy
The midsole offers another distinctive hint that'll help you tell the Gazelle and Samba apart.
Aside from its obvious thickness, the Samba usually hosts a lightweight with pressure points on the outsole, making it a perfect shoe for indoor soccer. Footwear brands have been experimenting with lightweight cushioning materials since day dot, but EVA foam (or ethylene-vinyl acetate, for the eggheads) revolutionised the industry courtesy of its blend of plastic and rubber properties – making it lightweight, flexible, and shock-absorbent.
By contrast, the Gazelle presents a super durable rubber midsole – not super supple, but definitely sturdy and long-lasting – with a smooth, hexagonal outsole finish.
Big Branding
While both of these crisp creps belong to the Team Trefoil family, they still have some subtle branding differences. The Samba usually houses a smooth rectangular logo that's flush with the tongue. On the Gazelle the tongue branding is debossed, there's another logo on the heel, and the lateral branding is much larger when compared to the Samba. The major standout similarity between the two models is the side Three Stripes, which sport that serrated zig-zag edge and are (usually!) presented in a contrasting colour.
Have you heard about the Samba sizing rule that adidas say you need to know? Meanwhile, one SF writer wore the adidas Samba for a month straight in search of the perfect beater.
Bonus Round:
Do adidas Gazelles Run Big?
Rather than running big (or small!), the adidas gazelle tends to run narrow. Sneakerheads who rock a wide hoof – or find that their feet swell over the course of a day – may find the Gazelle slightly too narrow for all-day wear.