Samba (shoe)

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The adidas Samba is an indoor soccer training shoe. It has been among adidas' popular, bestselling shoes in recent times. It is now produced in a variety of colorways, yet the classic three white stripes on black leather is considered the favorite among fans of the shoe. Also, it uses a tan gumsole that distinguishes it from other known adidas models such as the Dragon, Samoa, and Gazelle.

The shoe itself was produced in 1950 to enable football players to train on icy hard ground (hence the suction on the gumsole). Its original design featured the classic three stripes, as well as the gold trefoil on the foldable tongue. As years progressed, the Samba evolved into the Samba Millennium and the new Samba '85, yet classic models of the shoe are still in production, known as the Classic M line.

While the original model is rarely used for athletic-purposes anymore, It is still popularly worn as a casual wear shoe much like the Chuck Taylor All-Star and it is particularly favored as a driving shoe due the steady grip the gum-rubber outsoles provides on the pedals.

[edit] Trivia

• Owen Wilson's character Randy Dupree wears a pair of adidas Samba K (a classic model that uses kangaroo leather) virtually the whole time in the 2006 film You, Me, and Dupree.
• Men's magazines such as GQ favor the wearing of Sambas with suits.
• The shoe was a favourite among the 1970s Liverpool football casuals/scally subculture