Adidas are launching the new Barricade, an evolution of the iconic tennis shoe that first made headlines in New York in 2000 and later worn by a number of Grand Slam winners.
Drawing from hero design elements from the previous generations of the shoe, as well as elite athlete insights, adidas have equipped the new Barricade with features made to elevate control, durability, and comfort.
Designed to support the dynamic style of modern tennis, the new Barricade will be worn by athletes as they step out at tournaments this summer.
The new generation of players bring an intense level of pace to competitive tennis. And this summer’s tournaments will be no different.
The Barricade takes inspiration from this constant evolution of the game and the grit and durability needed to be successful at major tournaments.
The innovation and key design elements introduced within the latest iteration of the Barricade are driven by both Dominic Thiem and Maria Sakkari providing ongoing feedback during the creation process.
IT’S NO SECRET THAT MODERN TENNIS IS FASTER THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS MEANS FOOTWORK IS FUNDAMENTAL – YOU NEED STABILITY, COMFORT, AND CONTROL WHEN MOVING AROUND THE COURT. THIS IS WHY I WAS DELIGHTED WHEN ADIDAS ASKED ME TO CONTRIBUTE INSIGHT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW BARRICADE – AN ICONIC TENNIS SHOE THAT IS INNOVATED TO THE NEEDS OF THE MODERN GAME. I LOOK FORWARD TO WEARING IT THIS SUMMER AND HOPEFULLY MAKING HISTORY TOGETHER.
Maria Sakkari, one of elite players involved in testing shoe
For enhanced durability, the Barricade is equipped with ADITUFF abrasion resistant material in the forefoot and eye stay areas where abrasion resistance is needed the most.
In addition, newly developed ADIWEAR rubber compound on the outsole provides on-court anti-abrasion, whilst the unique split herringbone on the outsole of the shoe helps to assist the structure of the shoe as athletes slide across the court.
True to the Barricade’s DNA, stability is its defining feature – bringing to life an expression of on-court control.
It features a 3D TPU shank and built-in asymmetric lacing systems, which helps lock the players foot into the shoe, to provide the player with stability and unparalleled control as they move around the court at pace.
Improved comfort is the third defining feature of the new Barricade.
The tongue of the shoe is engineered with a foam package and perforations which provides forefoot comfort and strategic vented cooling to keep athletes feet feeling cool and dry.
The heel of the Barricade is also engineered with GEOFIT sense pods, which provide a soft glove-like fit, the Barricade offers the wearer enhanced comfort, which is complemented by the BOUNCE midsole for extra support.
The Barricade is set to be worn by world-class athletes including Maria Sakkari, Dominic Thiem and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
I LOOK FORWARD TO STEPPING OUT IN THE NEW BARRICADE. IT’S FOR ME AN ICONIC SHOE IN MODERN TENNIS AND IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF FUN WORKING WITH THE TEAM TO SUPPORT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LATEST ITERATION.
Dominic Thiem, elite tennis player
The new Barricade will be complemented by high-performance apparel pieces sporting graphics inspired by the herringbone pattern of the Barricade outsole.
Designed for the summer heat, the Barricade apparel collection features AEROREADY – absorbent materials designed to wick sweat from athlete’s bodies, keeping them feeling dry and cool as they move.
As part of adidas’s continued efforts towards ending plastic waste, all pieces in the collection feature PRIMEBLUE, a high-performance recycled material made in part with Parley Ocean Plastic, intercepted on remote islands, beaches, coastal communities and shorelines, preventing it from polluting our oceans.
Products made with PRIMEBLUE use a minimum of 40% recycled content.
THE NEW BARRICADE IS ABOUT RECOGNISING WHAT WAS MISSING FROM THE ICONIC BARRICADE FRANCHISE AND ADDRESSING IT. WITH THE RELAUNCH OF THE NEW ITERATION, WE HAVE TAKEN THE SHOE TO THE NEXT LEVEL TO ENSURE THAT OUR PLAYERS CAN MOVE WITH CONTROL AND CONFIDENCE, WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON COMFORT AND DURABILITY, AS THEY PLAY ON THE COURTS THIS SUMMER.
Carly Tatibouet, VP Design Specialist Sport adidas
The Barricade is available at adidas.com and via the adidas app.