First Impression: adidas Top Ten 2000

With the reintroduction of the adidas Crazy 8, adidas has made available another classic performance silhouette that once featured their Feet You Wear outsole. Will the Top Ten 2000 perform just as good as the aforementioned model? Only one way to find out…

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Traction – Full length herringbone is used and encompasses most of the rubber outsole. Independent pods are in place for stability – used to be Feet You Wear – and this ensures that with every step you are not only covered in the traction department but also offers the wearer a natural fit & feel similar to their PureMotion outsole. While the pattern is thick & flat, the rubber is pretty soft and pliable so this could be an interesting experience.

I have never used a shoe that featured Feet You Wear and while these are most likely modified a bit from the original – the Feet Your Wear was designed and created by an independent designer who no longer allowed adidas to use his design – its close enough from what I can remember seeing back in the day. As far as how it feels… it’s hard to explain, it’s different to say the least. You can feel each pod under foot… especially at the toe as its shape is strange as it sits a bit higher at the exterior section of the forefoot while the big toe area is sunken in a bit. Hopefully the awkward feeling it brings will go away after running around in them as this is far different than any shoe I’ve personally worn.

Cushion – A lightweight EVA midsole is in place that is very soft to the touch. While you won’t get that step-in comfort that you would from an Air cushion, once you begin to play the foam starts to come into play just as it would in most other foam based cushions. There is also a PU insole in place which is something that adidas is known for.

Material – Synthetics are in place along the upper that mimic a soft grain nubuck. Break-in time won’t be required here which is something I personally prefer… nothing is worse than needing an extended amount of time to break-in a shoe before you can really start to enjoy playing in it.

Fit – They fit true to size and the overall feeling of the materials on your feet is nice. A very plush interior is featured with no noticeable hotspots. There are three bungee stripes across the midfoot to help keep the foot in place and secure. They aren’t too tight and most of your lock down will come from the unconventional lacing system.

Speaking of the lacing system… it looks weird when comparing it to nearly any other sneaker available both past and present. What I love is the two lace loops featured at the forefoot and midfoot sections. They are placed further towards the midsole/ outsole so once laced up they hug and secure those two sections of the foot making for a comfortable and secure fit.

I forgot to snap a shot of the interior lining but the heel and collar are nicely padded – not too much but just enough – and are sculpted to contour around your Achilles & ankle.

Ventilation – As with most 90’s era performance models, ventilation isn’t a main focal point but adidas did add mesh along the tongue as well as a thin section of mesh that begins at the ankle, runs alongside the lacing system and ends at the toe. By today’s standards it will be minimal but for their time this was one of the more ventilated uppers you could find and will definitely be better than the Crazy 8.

Support – While there isn’t much ‘support’ found as far as an exterior shank plate or TPU heel cup is concerned, most of the support will come from a mixture of the material, fit and molded outsole. Feet Your Wear was meant to act as an extension of your foot offering you a natural feeling while it mimics your natural stride so if adidas was able to replicate this then it should essentially feel as natural as running around barefoot.

Overall, I love how they look but they do feel a bit awkward after a try on. I’m almost positive that this is because the outsoles shape and design is like nothing I’ve ever felt or worn before so it’ll just be a matter of getting adjusted to it. I’m excited to try these out – I know I mention that with almost every new review – and I personally enjoy playing in older styled shoes that are reissued because it brings me back with nostalgia and you can’t really beat the styling as far as aesthetics are concerned.