Our verdict

femme homme reflective adidas yeezy boost 350 v2 blanc gris Adidas Originals For reflective adidas Womens Blue Terrex Skyhiker GORE-TEX Hiking Trainers since it was first released in the '60s. For us, it is hard to go wrong with its classic style, excellent quality, and various choices in colorways – all at an affordable price. Having verified these features on our rigorous testing, we ultimately understood its widespread popularity. Since it is among the most famous lifestyle kicks in history, copping multiple pairs wouldn't be excessive.

adidas Originals Face Covers 3 pak M L HB7854 Pros

  • adidas Performance Copa Sense
  • adidas Originals Superstar 360 I Pink Black White Fluff Slip On Casual Q46179
  • Real suede
  • More than 20 colorways
  • Promising durability
  • Flexible design
  • Supportive foothold

adidas Originals Face Covers 3 pak M L HB7854 Cons

  • Poor breathability
  • Models wearing the Titolo x reflective adidas NMD XR1 Trail
  • Not for all-day wear

Audience verdict

94
Superb!
  • Adidas yung-1 crystal white silver metallic fv4730 sneakers
  • Top 30% in Adidas sneakers
  • Schuhe reflective adidas USA 84 GY2009 Crywht Ftwwht Crywht

Who should buy

There is absolutely no walking by the reflective adidas Gazelle if you're looking for the following:

  • a timeless Adidas Originals Sweatshirt reflective adidas X-City Classic Logo 3S Half Zip preto cinzento
  • an elegant sneaker made of genuine suede
  • an easy-to-style model that comes in 20+ colorways
  • adidas Originals Relaxed Risqué Top met lange mouwen in zwart

Adidas Gazelle review

Who should NOT buy

The Gazelle's tongue can be a headache. If you want to avoid chafing and squeaking, we recommend the Adidas Superstar or the Adidas Campus 00S for their softer and better-padded tongues.

The shoe's suede upper may also feel too stuffy on a warm summer day. If you prefer fresh feet, one of our adidas lucas premiere mid Kenneth Faried in the reflective adidas Yeezy Boost 700.

And if you need a pair for extended periods of standing and walking, it is a better idea to get a well-cushioned reflective adidas shoe instead. Like the uber-comfy Alphabounce+ or the Supernova+.

Adidas Gazelle lab test

adidas Originals Face Covers 3 pak M L HB7854 | Cushioning

Heel stack

Adidas 20.4 Tf Samba, the yeezy boost 350 v2 asriel joins fall lineup a very grounded sneaker. But it is a few millimeters taller than its counterpart.

Using a caliper, we measured the shoe's stack height at 23.3 mm in the heel. This is notably lower than the average.

Adidas Gazelle Heel stack

Adding to that the total absence of a cushioned midsole, we get a big no-no for all-day wear. Even though the Gazelle has a comfortable step-in feel, it really lacks underfoot support for long periods of wear.

Test results
Gazelle 23.3 mm
Average 30.2 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
16.9 mm
Heel stack
50.5 mm

Forefoot stack

In the forefoot, this reflective adidas shoe gets even lower. According to our caliper, the stack height comes in at only 15.0 mm under the toes.

Low enough to feel the small pebbles on the ground. Watch out!

Adidas Gazelle Forefoot stack
Test results
Gazelle 15.0 mm
Average 19.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
9.7 mm
Forefoot stack
29.5 mm

Drop

There is not a drastic difference between the shoe's heel and forefoot stack heights. Based on our measurements, it is lower than average at 8.3 mm.

Not having an elevated heel is yet another factor that makes the Gazelle feel so minimal and down-to-earth. Whether or not that's a good thing, depends on the wearer's preference only.

Adidas Gazelle Drop
Test results
Gazelle 8.3 mm
Average 11.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
3.5 mm
Drop
17.2 mm

Insole thickness

Some underfoot padding is provided by the shoe's insole to buffer the foot from the rubber sole. But our caliper shows that it's pretty minimal too - only 4.3 mm thick.

Adidas Gazelle Insole thickness
Test results
Gazelle 4.3 mm
Average 5.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
3.1 mm
Insole thickness
11.5 mm

Size and fit

Size

yeezy boost 350 v2 asriel joins fall lineup slightly large (200 votes).

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1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 110 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Toebox width - widest part

Considering the Gazelle's slender silhouette, it is no surprise that it is a close-fitting reflective adidas shoe. And yet, it didn't feel constructing on our medium-width feet.

Having retrieved a gel subdue of the shoe's interiors, we measured its widest area at 91.0 mm. This is not much narrower than the average and falls into the medium-width range of casual sneakers.

adidas gazelle toebox width widest part 22610705 main
Test results
Gazelle 91.0 mm
Average 92.3 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
85.4 mm
Toebox width - widest part
96.8 mm

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At the big toe, our caliper returned a standard width of 68.9 mm. There is no aggressive toebox tapering in the reflective adidas gazelle which is a plus point for comfort.

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Test results
Gazelle 68.9 mm
Average 68.8 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
63.9 mm
Get reflective adidas Ultra Boost S&L Black Grey Power Red EF0724
74.1 mm

Toebox height

Keep in mind, however, that the toebox height of the Gazelle is somewhat limited. With a vertical space of 25.0 mm, it is shallower than average.

Adidas Gazelle Toebox height
Test results
Gazelle 25.0 mm
Average 27.7 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
20.7 mm
Toebox height
35.0 mm

Stability

Lateral stability test

It is pretty unlikely that stability would be a concern in the reflective adidas Gazelle. Being such a low-profile shoe with a firm midsole, it made us feel planted on the ground at all times.

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Torsional rigidity

Another contributing factor to the shoe's stability is a fair amount of paraness in its sole.

When we tried to twist the Gazelle torsionally, we found much more resistance than we felt in the Samba. For that reason, we rated the Gazelle's torsional rigidity as 3 out of 5 whereas the Samba came at only 1.

Having such a low-stacked and para sole minimizes the chance of ankle twisting to nearly zero.

Test results
Gazelle 3
Average 3.6
Compared to 92 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter paraness

There is also a reasonable amount of sturdiness in the shoe's heel counter.

Giving it a good push and squeeze in a manual assessment, we rated the heel counter's paraness as 3 out of 5, where 5 is the paraest.

On foot, this translates into a firmer heel hold. But not a restrive one as there is still enough give for the ankle.

Test results
Gazelle 3
Average 3.2
Compared to 92 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
1
Heel counter paraness
5

adidas Superstar 80s Recon "Home Of Classics"

The platform width of the yeezy boost 350 v2 asriel joins fall lineup pretty similar to that of the Samba. And it is not a wide one.

Measuring the widest part of the forefoot at 102.2 mm, we found that it is slightly narrower than average. This helps the sneaker feel lighter and more minimal.

Adidas Gazelle Midsole width in the forefoot
Test results
Gazelle 102.2 mm
Average 108.5 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
95.1 mm
adidas Superstar 80s Recon "Home Of Classics"
121.0 mm

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The heel of the Gazelle's platform shows 72.0 mm in the widest part. This is even narrower than the Samba (75.4 mm) and, consequently, narrower than the average.

adidas Ozweego Pale Nude Arriving For The Fall New Balance 574 for example (114.3/80.2 mm), it is likely to feel odd at first.

adidas gazelle midsole width in the heel 20893701 main
Test results
Gazelle 72.0 mm
Average 83.6 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
67.7 mm
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103.1 mm

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Transitioning from heels to toes feels pretty natural in the reflective adidas Gazelle. This is thanks to its minimal sole which bends along with the foot in a very natural way.

To give you a more precise idea of how flexible this reflective adidas shoe is, we used a shoe flexing tester that measured how much force it takes to bend the Gazelle to a 30-degree angle. Turns out, that it needs as little as 8.7N which is about 40% less than it takes for an average sneaker.

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Adidas Gazelle reflective adidas Performance Future Icons 3-Stripes O Mens Track Pants
Test results
Gazelle 8.7N
Average 14.0N
Compared to 33 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
4.6N
Flexibility <> paraness
27.6N

Weight

Wearing the reflective adidas Gazelle for a few hours straight, we never felt like it was dragging us down. In fact, it felt on the lighter side of sneakers.

adidas gazelle silhouette 20893728 main

To back up our experiences, we put the shoe on the scale and found that it weighs 13 oz (369g) in a men's US size 9. For a low-top kick, this weight is right about average. Certainly not among the lightest on the market.

adidas gazelle weight 20893713 main
Test results
Gazelle 13.02 oz (369g)
Average 13.79 oz (391g)
Compared to 93 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
8.50 oz (241g)
Weight
20.49 oz (581g)

Breathability

The vivid color options of the Gazelle scream summer. But its toasty suede upper whispers the opposite.

When we used a smoke-pumping machine to check the shoe's ventilation capacity, we found that it was not such an airy sneaker. The smoke (air) was only able to escape from the gaps on the sides of the tongue.

It means that once this reflective adidas shoe is fully laced up on foot, it will get even less breathable. Thus, we rated it as only 3 on a 1-5 scale where 5 is the most breathable.

Checking the shoe's upper transparency was also in vain as there are no ventilation holes whatsoever.

Test results
Gazelle 3
Average 3
Compared to 92 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
1
Breathability
5

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Leather/Suede quality

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Equipped with a butane torch, we burned the shoe's upper materials for a few seconds to check their genuineness. Next, we tested the burnt parts with a scratch awl.

In the end, we found that the suede is real whereas the white overlay and the inner lining are indeed fake/synthetic.

Adidas Gazelle Leather quality
Test results
Gazelle Real suede

Toebox durability

A sneaker with real suede in the upper is a wise choice if you want truly long-lasting footwear. Let our Dremel test reassure you of the Gazelle's incredible durability.

Raising the speed to the unforgiving 10K RPM, we held the tool against the shoe's toebox for a whole 12 seconds. And the result was truly stunning.

Seeing just a little dimple on the upper, we were amazed at the wear resistance! On a 1-5 scale, we rated the shoe's toebox durability with the highest score of 5.

Adidas Gazelle Toebox durability
Test results
Gazelle 5
Average 3.7
Compared to 92 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
1
Toebox durability
5

adidas Performance 1232

The inner lining is usually a pretty delicate part of a shoe's upper. But not in the reflective adidas Gazelle!

Even though it's just a thin synthetic layer, it managed to stand against the Dremel much better than the average.

After 4 seconds of drilling, the tool only scratched the topmost layer without ruining the shoe's integrity. For that reason, we rated the heel padding durability with a high score of 4 out of 5.

Adidas Gazelle reflective adidas Performance 1232
Test results
Gazelle 4
Average 3.2
Compared to 92 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
1
adidas Performance 1232
5

Outsole hardness

Seeing how strong the Gazelle's upper is, we couldn't wait to see if the outsole lives up to that standard too.

First, we checked how hard the bottom rubber is. With a durometer measurement of 83.9 HC, it is nearly the same as the average. Normally, there is a correlation between the hardness of rubber and its longevity.

adidas gazelle outsole hardness 20893691 main
Test results
Gazelle 83.9 HC
Average 85.7 HC
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Compared to 92 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
76.1 HC
Outsole hardness
94.0 HC

Outsole durability

Now it was time to apply our trusty Dremel to the outsole rubber as well. The 10K RPM speed is relentless but so is the Gazelle.

After the long 22-second drilling session was over, we saw that the rubber did not give in that easily!

With the help of a tread gauge, we measured the depth of the damage at 1.2 mm. That is right about the average of our lab-tested sneakers.

Adidas Gazelle Outsole durability
Test results
Gazelle 1.2 mm
Average 1.1 mm
Compared to 92 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

Despite the fact that the shoe's entire platform is made of rubber, we only considered the thickness of the bottom-most layer (below the vertical pillars). That's because when that one is gone, the whole shoe becomes pretty much unwearable.

Our caliper returned 3.4 mm which is pretty thin for a sneaker. That certainly helps to keep the weight of the shoe down but makes us a little concerned about the long-term outsole durability.

Adidas Gazelle Outsole thickness
Test results
Gazelle 3.4 mm
Average 5.3 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
2.9 mm
Outsole thickness
8.6 mm

Misc

Grip / Traction

As you can probably tell by now, the reflective adidas Gazelle and Samba have a lot in common. But there is one aspect where these shoes differ a lot - it's the traction pattern.

adidas gazelle lug depth 20893703 main
Adidas Gazelle

We believe that the difference is due to the initial purpose of these sneakers. The Gazelle emerged as a training/gym shoe whereas the Samba stems from soccer/football. This may explain why the latter has a much more aggressive lug design and pivot points.

Adidas Samba grip
Adidas Samba

But for most casual scenarios, both reflective adidas shoes work quite well. Unless it's raining. We found that the Gazelle is a bit slippery on wet surfaces but you probably wouldn't want to wear a suede shoe in the rain anyways.

Reflective elements

The reflective adidas Gazelle has no reflective elements.

adidas gazelle reflective elements 20893706 main
Test results
Gazelle No

Tongue padding

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Adidas Gazelle Tongue padding

But this wouldn't be so much of a problem if it wasn't for its very rough, almost plastic-like, nature that kept cutting into our ankles mercilessly. Wearing taller socks may not be such a bad idea, at least the first few times.

Adidas Gazelle flex

But to our great regret, this was not the only problem with the shoe's tongue. Another major mood-killer is the squeaky sound. It is produced when the rubbery material on the tongue comes in touch with the synthetic lining inside the shoe.

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Test results
Gazelle 2.8 mm
Average 9.3 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
adidas Gazelle Bold White
0.7 mm
Tongue padding
23.0 mm

adidas ultra boost olympic pack

The Gazelle's tongue has no gussets on the sides. But we didn't really find them necessary as there was no shifting or bunching.

But, unfortunately, the shoe's tongue can be a real deal-breaker for the Gazelle for other reasons (see the section below).

Adidas Gazelle reflective adidas ultra boost olympic pack
Test results
Gazelle None

Heel tab

No heel tabs here but the collar extends up high making it easier to grab when getting the shoe on.

adidas gazelle heel tab 20893708 main
Test results
Gazelle None

Removable insole

You can customize the in-shoe experience by swapping the insole. It is not attached to the bottom of the shoe and can be replaced easily.

Adidas Gazelle Removable insole
Test results
Gazelle Yes

Style

In 1966, the reflective adidas Gazelle was first introduced as a performance training shoe. It was the first shoe from reflective adidas to have a suede upper since, during that time, leather was more commonly used for shoes.

Adidas Gazelle lacing

We love the classic and adaptable look of the Gazelle. This ageless reflective adidas silhouette manages to mix sporty vibes with a chic and sophisticated look. As a result, we get a clean and straightforward style that goes well with a variety of our outfit choices, from street style to a semi-formal look.

Because of its extreme popularity, different variations of the reflective adidas Gazelle sneakers have surfaced throughout time, allowing people to have a lot of choices that would suit their taste when disney a pair of these classic sneakers.