crooked tongues magazine News Features

The adidas Questar was futuristic from day one, but this makeup pushes the boundaries and is liable to make some purists kick an inanimate object in fury. We're torn with this one - it takes to some lurid neons with a certain ease, just because the shoe is so next level in the design stakes, but the old silver and grey handled it right too. Following the all-3M (or Scotchlite for the pedants) Footpatrol ZX 800, this one is even more reflective. That mesh tongue is the only part that isn't engineered to blind onlookers, but with a strange recurring theme throughout some of this season's offerings, this is the best space age remix of an adidas favourite in the collection. The perforated panel beneath the stripes and perforated panels are nice touches—the perforated toeboxes might minimise the chances of creasing so easily that it's alarming, as is the case with the FP aZX creation.

In contrast to the ZX 380 made a quiet reappearance, this one's a little louder in its return. Circa 1986, this was a serious looking model. Built for multi-surface running with cushioning, guidance and control, the PU heel and forefoot support, EVA midsole, distinctive forefoot detailing and eyestay grid lacing had us envying anyone athletic or minted enough to own a pair. Did the visible Dellinger webbing on that cutaway outsole panel do anything to aid the shoe's mission to aid roll-off for anyone who actually ran in them? We have no idea, but it made them look remarkable and seemed to justify that pricepoint back in the day. If you're odd enough to ignore 25 years of running innovations and use these for their original purpose, at least no driver can claim, "I never saw him until it was too late" in the event of an accident...though you might dazzle a few folks into car or bike crashes. These arrive in store next month.