Adistar Fencing shoe - Lowtop

These shoes are very nicely made in my opinion, if you look for the right ones with the new reinforced polymer guards in the front. I've tried many other brands and models but none of them stand up to this one in all aspects.

**The front protection needs to be the new plastic version, not fabric, otherwise the wear and tear will rub it away, which is why I suspect some people say these shoes won't last long. I had mine for over an year, I fence 4 times a week and 5 hours per each lesson with heavy footwork. I suspect other fencers may not be doing correct footwork or lacing the shoes correctly.

**The sole is sewn and glued to the shoe, and the materials last longer because of it's construction.

The shoes were uncomfortable before I placed insole pads inside, and the cushioning and fit was excellent afterwards.

**I do not recommend these shoes to people who have more rectangular shaped feet, my friend found these to be a little too tight.

**They're very light weight and have excellent grip compared to other models. I used to rub my feet on my socks to increase traction to clean the shoes, but with these, I don't do it so often since the grip is perfect when it is dusty, not too much grip, or too much slip. If cleaned, the grip is too much, which is why I leave the sole alone, giving me less things to fuss about.

**The shape of the shoe impresses me. There is a small protrusion lining on the sides of each sole, giving extra lining and balance because the pressure is spread over a wider area, but it does so without sacrificing mobility and weight. The shoe itself is shaped and lifts off the ground as if I was wearing nothing at all. The sole has three blue cup indentations, and somehow it feels much better to have a near flat surface with gridded grip and an insole cushion with the three indents than , for example, the thick protruding grip like the ones from Absolute.

**Style isn't important to me, but these shoes are very beautiful, and sleek. If hit on the foot, the top layer, mainly for style and fashion, might tear in extreme cases.

The only thing that I would give a huge down, is the price. It is too expensive for new fencers, and I do not recommend them for anyone without tons of experience since the fencers will most likely not need the added features and will need cheaper shoes to start upgrading, and abusing XD, with.

***two things I need to point out***

1. People who say the front cloth end of the rear foot is ripping, are most likely using the old Adidas model. They shouldn't be rolling their foot like that anyway if they want to keep their ankle being injured.

2. Some people complain about the cushioning. Why? There is ~NO~ cushion. I'm glad they didn't add any. If the right brand padding is added, there would be a near perfect fit for each different fencer, the cushioning could be increased and changed, suiting the style of each individual. The cushion on the insoles that you add are much better than than the cushions other shoes offer. Unless you're looking at Tennis Shoes.