With every release of Wales Bonner's insanely popular Samba sneaker collabs selling out as quickly as they arrive, adidas is serving up some attainable alternatives. Its upgraded Handball Spezial sneaker doesn't exactly have the Wales Bonner touch but it's basically the next best thing (and much easier to get at retail, probably).

The most recent update to the classic trainer is proof that adidas doesn't have to reinvent the wheel when the original wheel is already so good.

adidas previously updated the historically all-suede (and hard-to-find) Handball Spezial with all-leather uppers, but this most recent iteration takes a note from Bonner’s collaborative Sambas, wearing an oversized tongue that can be laced up to show off your sneakerhead credentials or laid down under a pair of baggy jeans.

The new Spezials come in classic adidas white and black colorways, both recalling Wales Bonner's work and doubling down on the shoe's inherent versatility.

Given that the Fall 2023 Wales Bonner Sambas are all but sold out and the Spring 2024 collab is yet to come from the longtime adidas collaborator, the new Handball Spezials make a good placeholder. And might even be cooler, given the understated vibe of the updated classic. 

Dropping in Japan on December 1, expect the folded tongue Handball Spezials to hit adidas stores and stockists shortly after. There's clearly plenty of demand.

adidas hasn't stopped iterating on the Samba. Hey, when you've got a hit, right?

From exclusive collaborative colorways to revised iterations of the familiar shape, there's a Samba for every occasion. And now, there's just as many Samba alternatives, too.