Sneakers You Need to Know: adidas Yeezy Boost 350
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By Stadium Goods |Sneakers You Need to Know: adidas Yeezy Boost 350
Everything you need to know about the most popular Yeezy sneaker, including sizing, popular colorways, and the differences between each version.
Matt DeSciora
In leaving Nike for adidas, Kanye West set out to be, in his words, the “Steve Jobs” of the sneaker industry. No longer satisfied with the hyperstrike release model he has previously employed with Nike, Ye’s desire at the time of the defection was to have his Yeezy sneakers be as accessible as Apple’s beloved products. The only way to do so was to create a sneaker almost ubiquitous in nature, so Ye and adidas came up with the Yeezy Boost 350. Seven years after its debut, the 350 is the most popular, produced and worn Yeezy sneaker on the planet.
The 350 is the Yeezy model most associated with the hip-hop star’s time with the German footwear company, and the most popular sneaker from any brand West has worked with, as well. Since its inception, the Yeezy Boost 350 has been re-released in several alternate models, including the 350 V2, or “Version 2,” which makes up the bulk of its releases. Other iterations include the 350 V2 Mono, 350 V2 MX, and most recently, 350 V2 CMPCT.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Bred”
Explaining the 350’s popularity begins with talking about its comfort. Many would agree that the 350’s comfort is nearly unrivaled due to its woven, sock-like Primeknit upper, and full-length Boost-cushioned midsole, a combination shared by every version of the 350 ever released. In addition to its comfort, the 350 is heralded for its versatility, a testament to the amount of wearable colorways it's been released in over the years.
There’s so much more that goes into the adidas Yeezy Boost 350 dichotomy that we’ve decided to choose the shoe as the next centerpiece of the Stadium Goods Sneaker You Need to Know series.
This is everything you need to know about the Yeezy Boost 350.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Turtle Dove”
The Original: adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Turtle Dove”
Knowing the history of the adidas Yeezy Boost 350 begins with recognizing its original colorway, the “Turtle Dove.” The grey-based colorway was released in June 2015, and features a grey-and-black marled Primeknit upper with a ribbed, white rubber midsole containing adidas’s Boost cushioning technology. If you compare the first 350 to later versions, it has a slightly more low-slung profile. Also, the original 350 is the only version to have a suede panel on the medial side at the arch of your foot.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Beluga”
Version 2: adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2
The “Beluga” was the inaugural Yeezy Boost 350 V2 colorway, but there have been so many V2s that have been released over the years that it would be unfair to focus solely on the debut shoe. Instead, let’s review the 350 V2 from a higher level. It was originally released in September 2016 in the aforementioned “Beluga” colorway, and is the most recognizable iteration of the shoe. Early 350 V2s featured a contrasting side panel with “SPLY-350” branding. In recent years, the 350 V2 has been released without the stripe and/or branding, and sometimes without a pull tab on the heel.
Alternate adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2s
Unlike another popular adidas Yeezy shoe, the 700, which comes in multiple variations, the 350 has only two distinctive silhouettes. But there are several “sub” editions of the Yeezy Boost 350, including the 350 V2 Reflective, 350 V2 MX, 350 V2 Mono, and 350 V2 CMPCT (Compact.) We’ll quickly rundown each model’s distinctive features below.
Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Static”: First adidas Yeezy with translucent side stripes and a reflective variant. Select Yeezy 350 colorways have released in a standard edition, as well as an alternate version with reflective threading in the Primeknit. This was the first.
Yeezy Boost 350 V2 MX: Otherwise known as the “Mix,” this 350 variant features a marbled blend of colors on its Primeknit upper.
Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Mono: First 350 with a translucent mesh upper
Yeezy Boost 350 V2 CMPCT: Features an elastic collar, quick-lacing system, and modified woven Primeknit upper
adidas Yeezy 350 Sizing Guide
Now that you know the original Yeezy Boost 350 colorway, the silhouette’s alternate models and the differences between each style, it’s time to talk about sizing.
The Yeezy Boost 350 collection shares many similarities, least of which are sizing. No two 350 models fit the same. The original Yeezy Boost 350 fits true to size, so take your normal sneaker size when purchasing that shoe.
As for the other 350s, that’s another story. Our intel says the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 fits small, so you should go up half a size from your normal sneaker size. This is also true for the 350 V2 Mono and 350 V2 MX styles.
As for the 350 V2 CMPCT, with the way the shoe is constructed with upgraded padding and knitting, it’s best advised to go with your normal size.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Dazzling Blue”
The adidas Yeezy Boost 350: The People’s Shoe
Whether or not Kanye West has indeed become the “Steve Jobs” of sneakers in the wake of his defection from Nike to adidas is subjective. But one cannot deny the fact that since linking with adidas, Ye has released more Yeezy sneakers than he did with Nike (or even as a collaborator with BAPE and Louis Vuitton, for that matter.) The massive uptick in releases begins with the Yeezy Boost 350.
Early Yeezys were released in selective, mostly earth tone colors, like the “Grey/Gum” adidas Yeezy Boost 750 and famed adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Turtle Dove.” After the 350 V2, though, adidas and ‘Ye really let loose and released Yeezys—particularly the 350 and its variations—in almost every color imaginable.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Glow in the Dark”
It’s impossible to name every 350 colorway, but some worth noting for the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 are the “Zebra,” “Oreo,” and “Triple White.” For the 350 V2 Mono, the whole collection is a go. The 350 V2 MX “Rock” is a great look for that edition, and the 350 V2 CMPCT “Slate Blue” and “Slate Red” are favorites, as well.
With this many colors for this many versions of the 350, it’s easy to see why the shoe has been so popular for so many years. There’s clearly something for everyone when it comes to the 350, no matter how bold or subdued you prefer your sneakers.