All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Footwear News may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Updated April 23, 2024: This guide to the best Adidas Samba shoes was updated with new Samba styles, tips for fit, and insight on recent street style trends.
Sneaker trends are constantly cycling through the seasons, but we haven’t seen an “It shoe” dominate street style quite like the Adidas Samba shoes. Over the last year, the best Adidas Samba sneakers have skyrocketed in search across TikTok and retailer destinations, with fashion trendsetters and celebrities embracing the heritage soccer sneaker as a walking shoe in sporty-chic styling. It was awarded Footwear News’ 2023 Shoe of the Year, and there’s seemingly no end in sight for the trend in summer 2024.
Adidas white sneakers are street style favorites for their minimal silhouettes and versatile designs, like the trendy Stan Smith tennis shoes or cult-favorite Superstars sneakers over the years. The Samba OG, however, is not as quiet — with colorful suede overlays, contrasting Three Stripes detailing, and a rubber gum sole. Still, Sambas evoke a low-profile, high-style appeal that’s taken the streets by storm as fashion lovers gravitate towards ’90s minimalism.
Sambas function as a unisex walking shoe for men and everyday shoe for women, and have been seen on the feet of every A-list dresser, from A$AP Rocky and Rihanna to Kaia Gerber and Jacob Elordi. The list goes on and on — including Hailey Bieber, Timothée Chalamet, Jennifer Lawrence, Olivia Rodrigo, Jeremy Allen White, Austin Butler, Joe Jonas, and more. Kendall Jenner has been spotted wearing them with everything from her favorite straight-leg jeans and a sweater vest to summery maxi dresses in hot weather. Emily Ratajkowski practically spent her entire summer 2023 in Sambas, whether while walking her dog in a slip dress or running errands in comfy biker shorts, and we’ve seen her in the sneaker plenty of times this spring, too. Bella Hadid, per usual, was early to the trend, wearing them during Milan Fashion Week in 2022.
Adidas Sambas first debuted in neutral colorways, but have been designed with green, red, and blue overlays as new color trends come to the forefront. For a sneaker this hot, it’s impressive that its price caps at just $100, even across vegan and heritage designs. The best Adidas Samba shoes are constantly selling out and climbing to over-the-top price points on resale sites, so it’s important to keep close tabs on Adidas’ new releases page to jump on Samba drops — like the new platform Adidas Sambae that brings a modern twist to the vintage design.
If you’re in the market for a new holy grail everyday shoe that’ll carry you from fun in the sun to warm nights on the town, snag your pair below from Adidas ASAP while your size is still in stock.
The History of Adidas Samba Sneakers
The Adidas Samba made its debut in 1950, named after the samba music of Brazil — the host country of the World Cup that year. Sambas were originally designed as a soccer shoe for icy terrain, then evolved for indoor soccer, and later made their way off the field and onto the streets. Sambas’ innovative rubber gum sole was the first of its kind to introduce extra traction for slippery soccer fields, which would later prove useful in the ’90s for grip in the best Adidas skate shoes.
During the late ’90s and early aughts, Sambas became a style staple, often paired with trendy tracksuits and too-cool-for-school athleisure. They’ve maintained their reign through the years due to block-busting collaborations and exciting iterations, such as their two-prong design drop with Sporty & Rich, and more recent team-ups with Wales Bonner, Pharrell Williams, Hello Kitty.
How Do Adidas Sambas Fit?
Wondering if Adidas Sambas are comfortable? The short answer is yes, absolutely. Adidas Samba sneakers are designed for everyday wear with comfy gum rubber cupsoles in Samba OG and Vegan iterations, and well as plush EVA insoles embedded in the Samba Classics. The sneakers are constructed with either leather or faux leather uppers, which is a stiffer material than other uppers found in popular Adidas walking shoes, and requires a short yet easy break-in period. Because the Sambas have a narrow fit, those with wide feet will want to select a half size up — and same goes for those with foot conditions like bunions.
The Different Types of Adidas Samba Shoes
- Adidas Samba OG Shoes: The Samba OG is the classic and most common Samba silhouette on the market — we’ve seen it on celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Shay Mitchell, Morgan Stewart, and many more. These pairs are done in a leather and suede combination with a contrasting gum sole and the classic Three Stripe branding.
- Adidas Sambae Shoes: The Sambae is Adidas’ platform sneaker twist on the Samba. It features all the same smooth leather uppers with a translucent gum rubber platform sole that brings an added dose of vintage-inspired design for modern trends.
- Adidas Samba Classic Shoes: While the Samba Classic resembles the OG, it features a slew of extra details that make it unique. The Classic was created for indoor soccer use, and it boasts an extended tongue and a lightweight synthetic build with non-marking, EVA-injected soles. Some A-list fans include Olivia Wilde, Whitney Port, and Jennie Kim.
- Adidas Samba Vegan Shoes: Put some sustainability in your step with Adidas’ vegan Samba shoes. These shoes don’t look any different from the original Sambas, but they’re created with faux leather as part of Adidas’ mission to limit plastic waste.
- Adidas Samba Decon Shoes: The Samba Decon Shoe may be one of the more underrated Samba styles. This silhouette includes all the design elements shoppers love about the OG sambas; however, they have the lining and stiffeners around the heel removed. What results is a version with a collapsible heel, allowing them to be worn as slip-on sneakers.
- Adidas Samba Shoes: In May 2023, Adidas introduced a luxe iteration of the Adidas Sambas with four monochromatic silhouettes made of high-quality full-grain leather. Tonal stitching is found throughout the design, while the heel features white leather, making it a stand-out element. A semi-translucent midsole and outsole complete the elevated look.
- Adidas Samba XLG Shoes: This “supersized” version of Adidas’ heritage silhouette comes dressed in soft, premium suede. It boasts a padded tongue and EVA drop-in midsole for 360-degree comfort, and stands on an elevated platform for an extra boost of inches.
- Adidas Velosamba Cycling Shoes: The Velosamba shoe is a cycling-specific version of Adidas’ iconic Samba shoes. They’re one of the most stylish options for bike riding or indoor cycling, with the distinctive triple stripe down the side and lace-up closure. The best part? By looking at them, you would never know they’re two-bolt cleat compatible.
- Adidas Samba ADV Shoes: The Samba ADV shoes are part of Adidas’ skateboarding line called Adidas ADV, where shoes are designed alongside professional skateboarders. The Samba ADV shoes are decked out with key elements skateboarders love, like a flexible rubber outsole that grips to the board like glue and a double-layer Adituff toe to protect the feet.
- Adidas Samba Golf Shoes: The Samba golf shoe lets pros and amateurs bring style and comfort to the greens. Compared to the OG Samba, the golf iteration has extra support and comfort needed for walking 18 holes. The Adiwear spikeless outsole performs well on and off the course and mimic the original Samba design with suction cups in the forefoot.
Why Trust Footwear News
For more than 75 years, Footwear News has been the shoe authority. Our coverage spans top industry news, retail trends, head-to-toe fashion, athletic and outdoor analysis and more. Footwear News’ global network of editors has carefully curated all product selections featured using our expansive brand knowledge and thorough research to find quality, long-lasting items. Learn more about us here.
Meet the Author
Olivia Cigliano is a Commerce Writer & Producer at Footwear News and WWD where she writes shopping content on the best-rated footwear, TikTok style trends, and more. Olivia received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emerson College, and her byline can be found in publications including Elite Daily and CR Fashion Book. She updated this guide for the Adidas Samba shoes in April 2024 with up-to-date trend insight, customer fit tips, and the best new Sambas to wear for summer 2024.
