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I’m back on a roll with adidas ever since the Forum ’84 made it’s return. This article is an overview of the classic ZX 8000. The latest colorway in my collection are the Sean Wotherspoon SuperEarth.
The Adidas ZX 8000 is a shoe that first came out in 1988 and is the first to feature the Torsion system.
I’m definitely on an adidas binge right now and the ZX series is so varied with so many cool colorways and collabs at the moment! Overall I’m digging what I got with these ZX8000s and its cool to own colorways of the shoe that started the torsion system!
How Do The ZX 8000 Fit?
The Adidas ZX 8000 fit true to size. They fit very comfortably at that size with similar cushioning to other Adidas casual retros. The ZX line are comfy to wear all day, with the torsion system adding that extra rigidity and stability to make this a solid casual sneaker.
If you check the bottom of a Torsion-enabled shoe you will see a bar giving some added structure and freedom of movement from the back to the front of the foot.
Adidas ZX 8000 Super Earth Sizing
The ZX8000 may normally fit true to size, but the Superearth collab with Sean Wotherspoon fit larger due to the materials used and lack of padding. Definitely size down on this particular release.
Where To Buy the Adidas ZX 8000
You can shop the ZX line at Adidas’ website as well as sneaker boutiques and aftermarket sites like eBay
See below for individual reviews and links to buy the various pairs I’ve added to my own collection:
Sean Wotherspoon x Adidas ZX 8000 Superearth
Colorway: Off White / Blue Bird / Red
Style Code: GZ3088
Year of Release: 2021
MSRP: $140
Buy: eBay
The Sean Wotherspoon Super Earth is the “W” from the A-ZX collection. It features a more sustainable and earth-friendly makeup and is a collab with Sean Wotherspoon.
These feature Super Earth with an earth graphic on the tongue. They show a mismatched patchwork design on both pairs. The insoles feature Super Earth text. Both the insoles and rear of the shoe feature SW Super Earth branding. Loose threads, stitched in trefoils and flowers adorn the upper. The ankle liner features adidas and SW branding as well.
The most “different” materials I’ve seen on an 8000 would be the Sean W’s. They include vegan based uppers made out of recycled canvas and polyester. Even the laces and outsole include recycled materials. This all leads to multiple different textures on the sneaker. I can’t really evaluate material quality on these, except that in principle this canvas is a great idea for the environment. The material itself seems satisfactory.
The interior of the Sean Wotherspoon box has this patchwork look to it to mirror the shoe. No deubre on the SW but we do get white and lime green sets of laces and a plush toy that’s an S-shaped earth with eyes and a bucket hat. They also include a card that explains the elements of the shoe.
Adidas ZX 8000 Frozen Lemonade
Colorway: Mist Sun / Chalk White / Bright Yellow
Style Code: H6801
Year of Release: 2021
MSRP: $120
Buy: eBay
The Frozen Lemonade colorway is part of the adidas “A-ZX series” which takes each letter of the alphabet and releases either a brand collab or other theme on a shoe from the ZX line. This particular version pays homage to a “citrus” colorway which apparently is a well known colorway from back in the day, although I’ve never seen the shoe it is based off of.
The Lemonades feature a suede and mesh upper with some textile on the stripes and a 3M hit on the back. I’m not going to say I’m particularly impressed with each material on it’s own. The suede used is the “tennis ball” suede. Basically it’s a felt-like suede with a rough “vintage” appearance. While somewhat soft to the touch, it doesn’t exactly exude “premium” on the Lemonades.
The sneakers feature additional graphics on the inside tongue tag and insole, as well as a recipe for lemonade beneath the insole.
These ship in a white pull-out style box with A-ZX branding on the top and rear of the box. Besides the typical care tag that come with many Adidas, the Lemonades also include sets of yellow and white laces with additional A-ZX branding on the aglets. We get a clear deubré with yellow writing.
Adidas ZX 8000 Aqua OG
Colorway: Light Blue / Shock Yellow / Sand
Style Code: FY7686
Year of Release: 2021
MSRP: $140
Buy: eBay
The OG Aqua colorway is in theory an original colorway although the version I have here is “light blue” instead of “light aqua”. Over the last couple of years, adidas has re-released this colorway a few times. While this version isn’t as bright as the OG release from 2020, it is very reminiscent of the consortium release version from 2019. In other words, this is basically the aqua colorway only “aged” to look darker and more worn.
The Aquas have a similar material layout to the Lemonades above, but feel way softer and more lush/premium.
These come in a regular blue adidas box and sport one set of blue laces. The Aquas have a yellow lock with black writing.
adidas x Highsnobiety ZX8000 Qualität
Colorway: Chalk White / Crystal White / Cream White
Style Code: GY0121
Year of Release: 2021
MSRP: $140
Buy: eBay
The Qualität collaboration with online magazine/fashion site Highsnobiety is also part of the A-ZX collection. The point of this colorway is “clean and minimal with the highest quality”.
The pair has a much more premium feel compared to my other ZX8000s as the name suggests. This includes high quality leather and nubuck on the uppers and leather ankle liners. If material quality is your goal, this would be the pair you want to get. They feature Highsnobiety HS branding on the heel and on one of the cork insoles.
These ship in a white pull-out style box with A-ZX branding and sets of offwhite and cream laces and a white branded dustbag. The Qualität have HS Highsnobiety branding on a cream lock.
adidas ZX8000 Lego
Colorway: Core Black / Cloud White / Core Black
Style Code: FY7085
Year of Release: 2021
MSRP: $140
Buy: eBay
The Lego colorway I picked up is part of a pack of 6 colorways that released as kind of a follow up to the 2020 A-ZX Lego release. They came out alongside a yellow, grey, blue, red and green pair.
Material-wise these match up to the Lemonades and Aquas… similar materials but nothing too premium.
The Legos feature Lego on the tongue tag and cobranding on the insole. The eyelets and heelcage feature Lego studs, and each Lego peg around the shoe has Lego branding.
These come in a special black Lego cobranded box with lego plug graphics at the top and bottom and black laces. The Legos come with a little Lego block deubré.
Not ZX 8000s but other retros from the ZX Line:
Adidas ZX 1000 C OG
Colorway: Cream White / Core Black / Chalk White
Style Code: FW1485
Year of Release: 2020
MSRP: $100
Buy: eBay
A retro of the original ZX 1000 colorway. These are a consortium release and the quality is very basic. We get sandpaper suede and an overall cheap feel. Fit is slightly on the snug side at true to size but still comfy.
Adidas ZX 4000 C OG
Colorway: Grey One / Core Black / Bright Cyan
Style Code: D97734
Year of Release: 2018
MSRP: $120
Buy: eBay
Here we have a retro of the original colorway of the ZX4000. This was also a consortium release with slightly less than mid quality. Worth it if you like the colorway, and the materials and comfort are slightly better than the ZX1000 mentioned above.