Adidas fencing shoes

[freerider258]

Hey all,

I am interested in buying fencing shoes and what I have read on the forums has been very helpful. One shoe I've became very interested in, is the adidas adistar
This shoe is very expensive @ about $190+. Does anyone know where I can get it for around $100? if that's possible.

Also, wondering about this as a fencing shoe. I don't think it has a good sole though...

Thanks

[leftyboy]

Hey all,

I am interested in buying fencing shoes and what I have read on the forums has been very helpful. One shoe I've became very interested in, is the adidas adistar
This shoe is very expensive @ about $190+. Does anyone know where I can get it for around $100? if that's possible.

Also, wondering about this as a fencing shoe. I don't think it has a good sole though...

Thanks

Those photos are the same. . .

[FusionWhite]

Let me get this straight, you want to buy a $190 pair of shoes for $100. Flea market or Ebay might be the way to go.

[gatsby]

if you manage to miraculously find a pair for $100, let me in on the deal. because i'm pretty sure that getting that kind of deal is next to impossible =[

[freerider258]

Sry, would these be good shoe? I'm thinking no

ok, so muy question is, why are those shoes $190. Are they in high demand, like there's only a few of them left? If not these shoes, I'll probably go with the leon paul blade shoes. Which one is the "newer" version of LP shoes

1. This one

or

2. This one

thanks

[gatsby]

i wouldn't get those shotput shoes if i were you. they may look like fencing shoes, but shotputters don't go through the non-stop trauma that fencers inflict on their shoes. so...they're probably not designed to withstand the abuse of fencing.

the adidstars are $190 because like all fencing shoes, there isn't nearly as high a demand for them as there are for other athletic shoes. so, adidas makes less of them and simply prices them outrageously high. i've heard great things performance wise on the adistars, but if you're going for cost-durability efficiency, i'd steer away from these. they probably won't last you any longer than a normal court shoe.

the scimitars (second LP link) are the newer ones. they're on the heavy side for fencing shoes, but will last you much longer. just make sure you know what size to get.

[freerider258]

would you suggest the shimitars or the LP blade

[Craig]

would you suggest the shimitars or the LP blade

The Blades Fencing Shoe is the firstgen of the Leon Paul/HiTec collaboration on fencing shoes. They're very durable and the sole holds up really well to metal strips plus has decent grip for wood floors.

The Scimitar Fencing Shoe is the 2nd generation shoe from Leon Paul/HiTec and is a little bit lighter, has some upgrades to the insole, a "no footstink" treatment and offset laces so you can get them a little tighter. They have the same sole as the Blades.

When the Scimitars came out I tried them on and decided to stick with the Blades I had. I hadn't killed my Blades yet and also the flex on the Scimitars is a little bit different so they were not as comfortable on my foot.

The links will take you to the product pages at the Fencing.Net store for those shoes.

[edit] Some people also like high top shoes. I don't because I feel that it can encourage your ankle to get lazy/weak. If you really want them, they are available here: Adidas High Top Fencing Shoes. (fencing.net store link)
Craig

[Phaeton]

Want Adidas shoes? Try Barricades. I love mine. They're sturdy...have good support...have taken quite a beating in the last few months...and have a price-tag of about $120.

When looking for shoes it's important to consider a few things. The first is how they'll grip on both a wood and metal floor. Badminton and raquetball shoes such as Yonex have a great grip...for about 12 seconds until all the dirt sticks to them.

The second is if the toe is going to fall apart. A lot of shoes lack sturdy construction on the front toe, and because of that the shoe is liable to break apart just in front of the toe or on the flanks of the shoe around the ball of the foot.

The third, and probably most important to your health, is the amount of support and padding the shoes give. An interview that Craig wrote up with the Nike shoe guy stated that was a study that said fencers generate six times their body weight on the heel when they lunge. I believe it.

I had thin puma shoes for a whole, and it did a number on my feet. After a long day and some really bruised feet a tournament (which lacked a trainer entirely...). The generic Puma shoe also has the toe-coming-apart issue. I thought it a good idea...but it wasn't.

I then decided to switch to Barricades after seeing a few guys in the top 8 and top 16 wear them in Atlanta. I'm not switching back. I love these shoes. I am probably going to buy a pair or two more when the cash comes in for them.

And perhaps best of all they come in sexy fencing shoe silver so you won't end up standing out and looking like a schlub!

[freerider258]

hmmm sounds interesting
are they bulkey like normal street shoes, or are they lightweight and thin?

[fencerwallet]

Forget Adistars. They are poorly reinforced at the stress areas. Barricades are nice. You'll see a certain large West Coast club with almost all it's fencers wearing Feathers. Same exact sole/torsion components as the Adistar, but with much better heel support, a durable addituff material to reinforce the scuff areas, is very light, looks cool and, the kicker, costs half as much.

[freerider258]

yea but there big ehh?
can you still have quick feet with these shoes, they seem like basketball shoes with a lot of cushoning. I want aerodynamic cool shoes, cuz ya know i want to be cool

[KD5MDK]

Determine your priorities. Is looking good more important than performance?

[Nicksmom]

Ok, stupid mom question.....What is the difference between "fencing shoes" and regular "tie-up sneakers"?

[rudd]

Ok, stupid mom question.....What is the difference between "fencing shoes" and regular "tie-up sneakers"?

About $150

Seriously, better soles, abrasion resistance, some more heel cushioning and some support. The more expensive the shoe the more of these qualities you get.

Fencing shoes due to small demand are generally over priced. Court shoes are a good compromise. Fashion trainer, chuck tailor etc are best avoided as they have none of the aforementioned characteristics.

[Nicksmom]

Thanks. That gives me pleanty of time to save up the cash since Nick is still growing.

[fencerwallet]

yea but there big ehh?
can you still have quick feet with these shoes, they seem like basketball shoes with a lot of cushoning. I want aerodynamic cool shoes, cuz ya know i want to be cool

They are absolutely nothing like basketball shoes. They are very, very light. Like I said, they use the same components as the Adistars, only they are engineered matter. You'll have to find a pair and see them for yourself.

[Nicksmom]

The shoes remind me a lot of wrestling shoes.

[KidLazy]

please don't use wrestling shoes for fencing.

[clonardo]

my girlfriend actually got her Adistars on ebay for $95. I paid full sticker for mine, but then missed out on an identical pair on ebay a month later for $120

they are known for wearing out if you drag your foot while lunging. Mine started developing a hole after about 9 months of heavy usage, which isn't so bad. They grip like nothing else, are very light, and offer good support (especially if you get the high-top version, which I need because my ankles are pretty much wasted).

If you want a show that has lots of padding inside, this isn't for you. You'll build up calluses, and some people's feet just aren't shaped right for this shoe. They also run narrow, so if you have wide feet, order 0.5-1 size up.

Absolute has low-top Adistars for $179, and high-top for $169. That's probably as good as you'll get, short of going to ebay.