With a New Wildly Rugged Sneaker, Balenciaga Stomps Into the Great Outdoors
Even when hitting the trails, Balenciaga brings its distinctly, well, Balenciaga look to its crazy shoe collection.
Shortly after releasing the Balenciaga Reptile, a rather extreme take on the dad shoe, the Spanish fashion house adds another wild sneaker to its lineup — designed for the great outdoors, believe it or not.
The results? A one-of-a-kind shoe that blends techy features with Balenciaga's outlandish design codes and outdoorsy vibes.
The Balenciaga Hike sneaker uses technical details commonly seen in outdoor shoes, like a sturdy midsole and adjustable pull cord fastenings (a first for the brand). Though, it still feels like a normal Balenciaga sneaker — well, normal for the Demna-led label known its potato chip purses and leather trash handbags – with dramatic soles and a sporty look similar to models like the 3XL and Triple S.
Balenciaga released another hiking shoe back in 2021 called the Track Hike. This was more of a sneaker-boot hybrid model, built for function and style.
And while it's still on the precipice of joining the gorpcore aesthetic, it's not the first luxury brand to do so. Just recently, Prada dropped its suede trail sneaker. Before that, Loro Piana and ROA teamed up on a hiking boot.
Balenciaga's now stepping into the wilderness with its insanely chunked-up Hike sneaker, now available at the brand's stores and online.