Adidas Fencing Shoes

Adidas released the D'Artagnan IV fencing shoe in 2010. Early reports are that the D'Artagnan IV resembles the older D'Art line of fencing shoes more than the (failed) D'Artagnan III did. This new Adidas fencing shoe is priced to be a mid-priced shoe.

Vendors who had the shoe on display at the 2010 USA Fencing Summer Nationals reported that they sold out of the small run that Adidas made available for the initial sales. Available for $130 it fits into the mid-point price range. It's priced above the bargain/entry-level fencing shoes but below a premium shoe such as the Nike Fencing Shoe or the 2008 AdiStar.

Among the features of the 2008 adiStar are:

• ClimaCool® provides 360-degree cooling for the entire foot
  
• Sabaton forefoot armor protects against épée attacks to the foot
  
• adiPRENE®+ in the forefoot maintains propulsion and efficiency
  
• Perforated EVA in forefoot, tongue and collar for breathability, comfort, support and protection
  
• RadialCurve contours in the heel strike and medial zones for secure, consistent, piste contact
  
• adiWEAR® outsole offers the ultimate in high-wear durability; One-piece outsole for consistent piste contact and suction cup outrigger for superior grip
  

You can find the Adidas Fencing Shoe 2008 at Fencing.Net.

Should you get a high top shoe? Here's what one contributer at the Fencing.Net forums had to say:

"High tops keep your ankles warm and serve as a gentle reminder to be extra careful if you have existing ankle problems every time you lace them up. Other than that they just cost more because they are low demand and use extra material."
(http://www.fencing.net/forums/thread43103.html)

Here are some of the specifications and features of the Adidas Adistar High Top Fencing Shoe:
* Metallic silver and black color scheme
* 1st ever rounded midsole for better floor contact
* Designed and developed for use in the Olympic Games
* Adidas Torsion® System for greater heel stability
* Off-set lacing to prevent damage when lunging
* Optimized sole design for greater fit
* Abrasion resistant material inserts

[Buy this at Fencing.Net]

The 2008 edition of the D'Artagnans, one of the most popular fencing shoes on the market. This shoe features the Torsion system for arch support and nylon mesh upper for airflow.

Unfortunately this shoe is more of a tennis shoe than a fencing shoe, with a blocky heel and very bulky feel to it.

The Adidas D'Artagnan III is available at fencing.net and other online retailers but you should look at the product reviews such as this one before deciding to get it:

I am very disappointed with these "fencing shoes" I tried them because I thought I was buying good expensive shoes and they are not for fencing for sure. My couch tried them and they were not comfortable. I showed them to a russian fencing master who sells and owns a fencing store for more then 25 years(not including his fencing years and mutiple international tournaments) and he says these are NOT fencing shoes. I know it's late to return them even when I used them probably no more than 5 times for tournaments only.
They are comfortable to wear with a great cushion, but it doesn't give you enough support, it doens't have the rounded heel, they are heavy, don't bend, they should cover part of the tip of the shoe as all other fencing shoes.

They do get good reviews too:

Overall the fit is very comfortable, sort of like a bucket seat in a sports car, and the cushion around the heel, arch and front balls of your feet feel like shock absorbers. If I had one complaint, it would be that they are a bit warm and don't breathe especially well.

These are the shoes that anyone who has used them raves about. Adidas made these in right and left models to the specific needs of each foot during competitive fencing.

The front foot has an extra strong heel for landing the lunge. The back foot has reinforcement up to the ankle and a strong trailing edge.

If you can find them, expect to pay around $220 for a pair. You'll have more luck if you are left handed.

The idea of an asymmetric shoe was novel enough that there is a patent on it. You can read the patent here. [link]