10 Standout Summer-Ready Shoes
Hypebeast staff weigh in on their favorite seasonal kicks.
August is here, but don’t worry, there’s still ample time to soak up the summer sun. Whether you’re exploring the world or kicking back on a staycation, it’s important to dress accordingly. With many Spring/Summer 2024 campaigns wrapping up, the market is flush with footwear that will bolster your summertime rotation. Between beach day-approved slip-ons and runners that beat the heat while providing it too, the Hypebeast team took to HBX to assemble a list of our favorite seasonal kicks, combining practicality and style.
ASICS UB6-S GT-2160, $125 USD
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There’s a certain art to pulling a performance silhouette out of the archives and reinventing it as a modern-day lifestyle option, and ASICS boasts a particular nuance in doing so. When the brand brought back the long-forgotten GT-2160 in 2023 — a style that originally released in 2011 as a stability-minded, budget-conscious runner that initially retailed for less than premium models like the GEL-KAYANO, GEL-NIMBUS and GEL-KINSEI lines and also punched way above its $100 USD price point — they had a (somewhat surprising) hit on their hands. Now, they’ve taken the model and injected it with their own version of The Boys’ infamous Compound V by letting the Kiko Kostadinov Studio “curate” it as part of their ongoing collab-slash-creative-direction project. The result, the ASICS UB6-S GT-2160, takes everything that made the original model successful and enhances it, ramping up the mesh upper with high-gloss overlays, bolstering the tongue with asymmetrical pull tabs, and, of course, dousing it in ‘fit-building-friendly neutral tones with clever pops of color. It’s the GT-2160 gone turbo. What’s not to love?
Feng Chen Wang x Converse 2-in-1 Chuck 70, $155 USD
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London’s very own Feng Chen Wang has quickly made her mark on menswear via her eponymous label, leaning on her Chinese heritage and fusing it with a deconstructed design language. Her ongoing collaboration with Converse, now in its fifth year, is a low-top Chuck 70 that continues the 2-in-1 layering concept explored on past collaborations. Prepared in Converse’s classic “Egret,” as well as a black colorway with white contrast, the shoe maintains a low profile that suits summertime and offers ample detailing, like a segmented sole unit gives a slight boost to each step plus a layered upper that’s given a prominent callout to Feng Chen Wang at the added midfoot strap.
MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon XT-4 Mules, $405 USD
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A slip-on silhouette has been crafted out of a typical sneaker in Salomon’s reworked XT-4 in partnership with MM6 Maison Margiela. Officially dubbed the MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon XT-4 Mule, the reinterpretation is a functional approach to the open-heeled shoe while continuing to deliver on the trail-ready capabilities one expects in a Salomon shoe, as it retains most of the XT-4’s rugged upper and thick sole. To top it all off, Margiela’s distinct number branding appears across the toe box, offering a final if-you-know-you-know touch.
Vans OTW Speed Vibram, $140 USD
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Vans has ushered in a new era for itself with the introduction of its OTW line this year. In addition to an exciting lineup of collaborations, the skate brand has brought forth several new silhouettes, including the OTW Speed Vibram. Revamping the Speed LS from 1998, which Supreme reintroduced to the market in 2023, the Speed Vibram is a contemporary take on the sneaker. While traction and durability are delivered via the Vibram sole, its revised upper features layering at points such as the reinforced toe, neatly working the silhouette into today’s favoring of outdoor-oriented footwear.
Wales Bonner x adidas Samba, $205 USD
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The Wales Bonner x adidas Samba finds the middle ground between classic athleisure and high camp. The design is one part sporty, with the German activewear giant’s signature Three Stripes and football-inspired white lining on either side of the silhouette. And it’s another part extravagant, thanks, in large part, to the fluorescent blue pony hair that commands the back of its facade à la Bonner’s fashionable flair. With such eye-glueing duality, the electric shoe is fit to make the proper summer statement.
Loewe East Toe Post Sandal, $990 USD
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Shearling in the summertime? Why not! Loewe’s Ease Toe Post Sandal will keep your toes warm and ensure prime comfort for your soles as you stroll. While they’ll run you just under a rack, the fashion house’s masterful craftsmanship on the statement sandal contributes to the price tag. Fully enveloped in a shearling fabric, the petal-shaped sandal is dipped in a “Light Denim” blue hue, making it one of Loewe’s more striking takes on the Ease Toe Post silhouette. Prominent Loewe branding at the ergonomic footbed completes the fuzzy footwear joints while providing cozy outsole cushioning and arch support.
Oakley Factory Team Flesh Sandal, $165 USD
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Brain Dead and Oakley have carved out their own niche within the footwear scene since introducing their Oakley Factory Team line in 2022. Starting off by bringing the Flesh Sandal back from Oakley’s archive, the model has since been remixed in various ways, including the introduction of this sandal version. While already a slip-on silhouette, the Flesh is able to emphasize breathability as a sandal, favoring ample perforations and a mesh base while introducing a cut-out to the upper. Its sleek build is sure to keep you cool in more ways than one as the Oakley Factory Team continues to thrive.
New Balance 1000, $140 USD
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Retro runners have been all the rage lately and New Balance has continued to capitalize on this by reintroducing models from its archive. The latest to arrive is the 1000 silhouette, which has just dropped in a shimmering silver colorway, guaranteed to be enlivened by bright sunshine. Its ABZORB midsole makes the silhouette a comfy option that pairs great with both shorts and pants as well. Offered in a variety of colors for any style, it’s a nice break from the 990s and 550s that have dominated in recent years. Not to mention, for $140 USD, it’s a great value as sneakers continue to become more expensive.
PUMA Mostro Perf, $165 USD
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Another sneaker that made a return for its 25th anniversary is the PUMA Mostro. Named after the Italian word for “monster,” the striking silhouette features a spiked outsole and a strap system that reaches from the medial across the tongue. These two Mostro Perf iterations see a summer-ready perforated leather upper presented in black and white colorways that sport ample contrast throughout. Between the ease involved with slipping the pair on and off, as well as its breathable build, you can’t go wrong with the PUMA Mostro Perf as a pair of leather sneakers for the summer.
BOTTER x Reebok Energia Bo Kets, $330 USD
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Lisi Herrebrugh and Rushemy Botter’s luxe label BOTTER has become a staple of Paris Fashion Week, presenting unique themes across its intricate designs each season. Teaming up with Reebok, the two created the Energia Bo Kets, a soccer and climbing-inspired sneaker for Spring/Summer 2024. Starting with a bulbous sole unit, the shoe features prominent “BOTTER” branding at the heel while sporting a sizable mudguard just below its soccer-inspired upper that features a folded tongue. While monochromatic renditions of black and white offer versatile looks, the yellow and blue pairs ensure that the shoe will turn heads, shining bright with accent colors of blue and pink respectively.
