adidas Reinvents The Response CL Into A Trail Shoe

Brought back from the archives and bolstered by multiple Bad Bunny collabs, the adidas Response CL may just be the brand’s strongest offering in the “dad shoe” lane. However, as evidenced by their recent push for the adidas Aruku or the street-level success of the Samba, the Three Stripes is pivoting away from the aesthetics the shoe champions. Now, they’re flipping the bonafides of the CL into a different vertical entirely, unveiling a trail-minded offshoot set to hit the market soon.

Beginning with the hardware here, the sole is the most obvious change, keeping the dimpled, geometric midsole design but instead swapping to rippled traction underfoot. In kind, the upper design remains in broad strokes, but here it sports CORDURA ballistics, elucidating that this is a functional overhaul, not simply one caged in trail aesthetics. The Response CL executes two colorways for this debut launch, a “Beef and Broccoli” brown/green that taps into one of the most reliable looks in outdoor footwear, and an all-black look that slips silver 3M accents in the margins.

Both pairs of adidas Response CL featured here have already dropped in select Asian markets, but a US release hasn’t taken place just yet. Instead, expect a stateside drop in the near future, retailing somewhere in the $120 – $140 range. For now, get a detailed look at either pair via the galleries below.

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