Adidas Elite International Wrestling Shoes

About Elite International Wrestling Shoes

Elite Internationals were made by Adidas in the 1990s.  I have owned over 5 pairs of these, all of which have been dated to 1995 on their tongues.  I believe these shoes were on the retail market for a few years.

Colorways of Elite Internationals

Elite Internationals came in 2 colorways.  These were:

• Black and white with a dark green rubber used on the sole
• White, Purple, and Yellow with yellow rubber used on the sole

The white, purple and yellow colorway is much harder to find, and typically will cost 2-4x as much as the black and white colorway in the same condition.  These shoes can run anywhere from $200 to $800 depending on the colorway, size and condition.  These shoes retailed for $99-$118 in ads I've seen from the mid to late 1990s.

Ties to John Smith?

One ad I've seen labeled these shoes as Smith "Elite" Internationals and said how the name "Smith" is synonymous with excellence.  This leads me to believe these were the shoes John Smith wore in the early days of his deal with Adidas.  John Smith now has his signature on over 10 styles of wrestling shoes.

A Cousin of Combat Speeds

These shoes look extremely similar to Adidas Combat Speeds of this era.  They feature the same classic split sole, as well as the high top and mesh sides.  They were also made around the same time as the Original Combat Speeds. If you're looking for a similar pair of shoes, check out my collection of Adidas Combat Speeds here.

Fun Fact About These Shoes

A cool fact about Elite Internationals is that there are two slightly different styles.  The differences are most apparent on the White and Purple colorway.  One style was made in China and one was made in Germany.  The differences are noted below:

Chinese:

• Tag is stitched on the inside of the shoe, not on the tongue
• Much more contoured fabric used on the sole
• Purple on the Adidas stripes is found in front of the yellow
• Has registered trademark logo on tongue

German:

• Tag is stitched to the tongue of the shoe
• Straighter contour on the fabric used for the sole
• Purple on the Adidas stripes is found behind the yellow
• No registered trademark logo on the tongue

Below is a picture showing both styles.  The Chinese version is newer than the German style I have, but you'll notice the differences in the stripes and the fabric used for the soles.