Since YEEZY is one of the most popular sneakers out there, adidas is not afraid to introduce new colorways or models, even if it means offering some unexpected combinations. The newest addition to the lineup is the 380. An interesting chunky silhouette, with a perforated Primeknit upper glued to a thick semi-translucent sole, absolutely full of boost. I mean it, you definitely get what you pay for.
As I wasn’t necessarily a fan of the resell market reality for 380 Alien or Mist colorways, I decided to wait for one that would be less hyped i.e. cheaper and easier to get. Finally, the Blue Oat released.
My first impression after opening the box was slight confusion. Were the colors really supposed to be mixed that way? They kind of looked better in pictures and had tempted me with the bright blue panel, which turned out a bit disappointing in person. Yet, I still decided to give them a try. The rope laces are of high quality, so you can get the shoe to fit you nice and tight. The Primeknit upper is quite thin yet, stiff at the same time. It holds your feet well and is breathable, so it should be good for those spring and summer days.
When you try the sneakers on, they feel comfortable. There’s a thick layer of boost, giving you that softness and cushioning. The shoe is wide and very stable – basically like 350 V2s, which I actually grabbed and compared them to right away.
There is one problem though – the sizing. I’ve heard many people say you need to go 0.5 size up and I can see why – 380s have a very thick heel padding. When you put that together, with the fact that the back part of the shoe seems to be a bit higher than the rest, you get feet sliding to the front.
I’m usually a men’s size 8.5 and decided to buy my true size. While the length of the insole is perfect – as soon as I start walking, my feet move to the front, which hurts quite bad. Had I taken a pair 0.5 size bigger, that wouldn’t have happened to such an extent. The shoes should definitely get better as you wear them and the cushioning will get flatter, but the first days may be challenging. I’m not really going to take that chance, so I will stick to my 350s.
To me, 380 is a shoe that has lots of potential and I can definitely see some people pulling off nice outfits with them, especially with the popping blue panel. However, there is too much happening on this shoe for me and it’s definitely not the level of comfort I’m used to. Their close kin, the 350, wins for me.
I’m curious to know though, which one would you choose? A popular, classic 350 or a new 380 exploding with boost and fancy colorways?
