What if you took a ridiculously dapper adidas Samba and put it on stilts? Well, that's essentially what you get with adidas' Samba WTR sneaker.

The adidas Samba WTR features the same upper design as a classic Samba, accented with a dapper crocodile-inspired leather coating that lends the shoe a dress shoe-like quality. Simple enough.

But downstairs, things get crazy. Well, crazy lifted that is. See, adidas is known to get busy with a "fancy" Samba rendering.

Just take a look at the pebbled-luxe Samba, or the snakeskin version that has slithered its way into the Samba's wheelhouse many times over. 

What makes the Samba WTR stand out, literally, is its lifted outsole.

Originally designed to offer traction during icy football matches, the tractioned outsole effectively flips the Samba's slim MO on its head, resulting in a delightfully distinct Samba. Think of it like a dignified Samba sneaker that just got its snow tires.

Available on the adidas website for about $150, the adidas Samba WTR was built for winter, but the leather upper and winterized outsole make the sneaker an all-season gem.

It exists in that perfect in-between spot of an everyday sneaker and a leather dress shoe. As can be applied to many hybrid-ish sneakers of the moment, the Samba WTR is out here doing the most, and the sneaker world is better for it. 

Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit the HS Style Guide for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.