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Adidas Retools One of Its Most Iconic Street Shoes with a Trail-Inspired Build

A founding father of streetwear toughens up with hiking-boot DNA and a pair of down-to-earth colorways.

Close-up of a sneaker with black laces, brown suede panels, dark brown leather stripe, and textured black rubber sole.Adidas
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By Jack Seemer

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The Superstar may lack the current clout of the Samba, Adizero Evo SL and even the Stan Smith. But once upon a time, it was the shoe with stripes.

First released in the late 1960s as the brand’s on-court answer to the Converse All Star, the Superstar peaked in the 1980s when hip hop groups like Run-DMC made it a founding father of streetwear.

White Adidas sneaker with a shell toe design, featuring blue and red stripes on the sides. The shoe has white laces and a blue heel tab. The Adidas logo is embossed on the insole.
The Superstar first came out in the 1960s as Adidas’s answer the Converse All Star.
Adidas

Now the Superstar looks primed for a new generation of devotees. Adidas has wasted little time in 2026 reminding the world about its so called “Original Icon,” including a new campaign starring Samual L. Jackson and Kendall Jenner.

But it’s shoes like new Adidas Superstar II MG that really prove the Superstar story is far from over.

Low-top sneaker with olive green fur-textured panels, brown leather stripes, tan suede accents, black rubber shell toe, and black sole.
The Adidas Superstar II MG preserves the geometry and rubber toe cap of the original design.
Adidas

The new silhouette preserves the Superstar’s signature “shell toe” rubber cap, ensuring the model stays true to half a century of heritage.

Close-up of a sneaker toe with black textured rubber shell, brown suede panels, dark brown leather stripes, and black laces.
The bulbous cap is sometimes called a “shell toe.”
Adidas
Low-top sneaker with black rubber shell toe, olive green fur upper, brown leather stripes, and tan suede accents.
Nubuck leather paneling replaces smooth leather on the upper.
Adidas

However, the inclusion of nubuck paneling in lieu of smooth leather brings a healthy dose retro-hiker DNA, compounded by the addition of a wraparound mudguard (hence “MG” in the name).

Pony hair adds a natural textural element, softening the shoe’s otherwise rugged build and proving that even decades-old icons have room to evolve.

Brown and olive Adidas sneaker with black sole and laces, featuring suede and textured fabric panels.
Pony hair adds a textural elements and softens the otherwise rugged build.
Adidas
Close-up of a brown suede and dark green textured sneaker with a black rubber sole and embossed Adidas logo on the heel.
The “MG” in the name stands for mudguard, which here wraps around the perimeter of the shoe.
Adidas

Availability and pricing

The Adidas Superstar II MG is currently available overseas, with a US rollout expected in the coming weeks.

It comes in two colors at launch, “Focus Olive and Preloved Brown” and “Core Black and Team Victory Red,” and carries a price tag of 130 euros (approximately $150).

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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