Originally debuting in the mid-2000s as a performance running shoe, the Adistar Control 5 has surged back to the forefront of the Three Stripes' lifestyle archive. Partnering with one of the most sought-after brands in modern skateboarding, adidas delivers the Hardies x adidas Adistar Control 5.

Founded by Tyshawn Jones and Na-Kel Smith, Hardies Hardware has built a massive cult following by infusing NYC skate culture into apparel and hardgoods. Seeing the hardware imprint bring its subcultural weight to a technical runner is an interesting proposition on paper, and in practice it’s better than we could have imagined.

The Adistar Control 5 itself is having a massive moment right now. adidas has placed the silhouette at the center of its current lifestyle push, leaning heavily into high-profile collaborative iterations that reimagine its complex, industrial mesh tooling.

This specific iteration comes dressed in a softened palette featuring blue accents that add highlights to the neutral brown foundation. Breathable open-cell mesh forms the core upper, reinforced by layered synthetic overlays for structure and durability. 

Hardies lettering lands on the heel, while reflective 3M details run along the side profile for high-visibility pop. Imitation screws line the Three Stripes insignia down each side of the shoe as a nod to the brand’s hardware nomenclature.

Down below, the segmented midsole houses full-length adiprene+ cushioning paired with a Formotion decoupled heel unit, resting on a heavy-duty Adiwear rubber outsole. Hardware by name, and seemingly by nature in this case.

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