With the upcoming Predator Freestyle Core Black Cloud White, German sportswear giant adidas has adapted its iconic soccer cleat for streetwear use. The new model starts the New Year, adorned in a traditional color scheme. A reverse colorway is also expected to launch in Cloud White Core Black shortly after.
First designed in the early 90s by former soccer player Craig Johnston, the adidas Predator cleat introduced adding rubber ridges to the upper to apply more traction to the ball, creating more swerve and curl. This simple but super-effective innovation revolutionized the thought process when approaching cleat design and became an instant favorite of many professional athletes. More than 30 years later, the design has been updated multiple times and has become a streetwear staple since its adaption to everyday wearability.
The sneaker, sporting an upper of core black leather, arrives with overlays at the heel and eye stay. A singular piece of nubuck wraps the front to create a Samba-esque T-style toebox, coupled with detailed stitching that extends to the vamp and midfoot. At the midfoot is the famous Three Stripes branding, in cloud white hues that provide the classic contrast, and the stripes are in the form of the latest iterations that adorn the cleat.
Predator is denoted in signature font and finished in gold foil parallel to the Three Stripes branding, positioned near the collar. At the rear, an overlay of cloud white leather provides a supportive heel tab and is debossed with the Equipment (EQT) logo, which also makes an embroidered appearance upon the tongue. Underfoot, a dark gum-colored rubber outsole provides increased grip across various surfaces.
The adidas Predator Freestyle Core Black Cloud White is set to release on January 23, 2025, via adidas and select retailers online and in-store. In men's and gradeschool sizing, retail is $110 and $75, respectively. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Images via adidas
Craig Bell happily talks about sneakers or as he calls them "trainers" every day of the year. An avid Bradford City fan, he's also a big supporter of the Philadelphia Eagles. He will forever profess that Cricket is better than Baseball and that Rugby League is better then Rugby Union. Among his many hot takes, he believes the adidas ZX range is the pinnacle of sneaker design.
