Today we are in the fashion department talking about a new pair of court shoes. I like doing interesting things for exercise and fun. Personally, I don’t see much fun in sitting on a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill for forty minutes. So I go hiking, inline skating, play disc golf, and lift weights. That last one may not be interesting or fun to some people, but I enjoy it. I have been trying to find interesting ways to get cardio exercise, and one of the things I’ve been doing (or planning to do) is playing racquetball. The last time I played I used my Brooks Adrenaline running shoes (https://amzn.to/2VcBZGJ for men, https://amzn.to/2JwPiQ0 for women) and injured my ankle! And a theme this year is that I am buying shoes specifically designed for my various activities. So I needed some court shoes. I did some searching, and then I remembered a product I had already used for years that I really liked.
In high school and college I played quite a bit of tennis and squash, and occasionally racquetball. And for all that time I wore one court shoe, Stan Smith Adidas. I have read that this shoe should not be worn for tennis and other racket sports, that it doesn’t provide the necessary support, and is mostly now just a style item. But they worked very well for me back then, and I don’t think the game has changed so much in the time that has passed that they wouldn’t be effective. So I’m giving this shoe a try again.
Who is Stan Smith anyway? I have to admit that when I first started wearing the shoes, I had no idea. I assumed he was a tennis player, but I had never heard of him. My guess is that millions of people have worn these shoes without knowing who their namesake was. Stan Smith is a former professional tennis player. He was at one time ranked number one in the world. He won two Grand Slam singles tournaments, Wimbledon in 1972 and the US Open in 1971. Grand Slam tournaments are the five most prestigious events in professional tennis. He also won five Grand Slam doubles tournaments including four US Open and one Australian Open championships. In his career, Stan Smith won 38 total singles championships and 54 doubles championships. He is considered one of the most successful doubles players.
I think Stan Smith is probably more well-known for the style of Adidas court shoes after which he is named than his Tennis Career, especially for people who do not follow or play tennis. There are far more people wearing “tennis shoes” that do not play tennis, than those who do play. And for me, these were always the perfect casual/athletic shoe unless I was running. It’s a solid, very durable shoe, which goes a long way with me. The uppers are 100% leather and the sole is solid rubber. The color is solid white except for the top of the heel. This section was traditionally green with Stan Smith’s signature in white. However, in these new ones, I was able to choose different colors and I chose blue. And Stan’s name is instead printed under the Adidas logo. Incidentally, now that there are multiple colors available, the traditional green color is now called “Fairway Green”, which, I assume, refers to golf. Why they didn’t call it “Wimbledon Lawn Green”, I don’t know. This line is now called Adidas Originals, probably referring to the old (what I call “classic”) style. I’ve always been pretty much a minimalist when it comes to style. Some might say that is boring, but I prefer to consider it “classic”. Simplicity has a broader appeal and is less driven by style fads. But to each his or her own. Another difference is that Stan Smith’s picture is on the tongue along with his signature and another Adidas logo.
I walk around in these and they seem just fine. In the next day or two, I will definitely try them out in action on the racquetball court, and that will be the true test. They fit very well at my street shoe size, comfortable right out of the box. And the style is classic. These shoes, like Stan Smith himself, are hard to beat. Which is probably why they have been around for over 40 years. Highly recommended.
Get your own pair of Stan Smith Adidas Originals:
Stan Smith Adidas Originals (Men):
https://amzn.to/2JxnkDz
Stan Smith Adidas Originals (Women):
https://amzn.to/2E13Sf6
For more reviews see my YouTube “Unboxing and Reviews” playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TAXlQhuzAM&list=PL0-YNhuffh88sVpMZK7hgtC9VIi7cfNnF
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Smith
Weight 7-day Avg. (change since Jan 2018): 217 (-57)
Workout time: 0 Minutes
Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 0 Miles (473.71)
Steps: 6,202
Muscle Mass 7-day Avg. (change since Aug 2018): 151.94 (+9)
Body Fat 7-day Avg.: 29%
Daily Sleep Duration 7-day Avg: 7 hours
2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat