The Greatest Wrestling Shoe Ever Made

The Adidas Combat Speed 3 is the Greatest Wrestling and Grappling Shoe Ever Made period!

If that is not enough here is why I absolutely love this classic shoe! First off it is one of the lightest shoes I’ve ever worn. It is very breathable, dries quickly and always feels comfortable. The sole is a ‘split sole’ design which gives traction to the main contact points of the foot/shoe when on the mat. The rest of the sole is a suede-like leather that wears well and allows for natural foot movement.

I remember back in the day that this particular model was the most popular shoe around. They used to come in some crazy neon blues with pink and neon yellow. They were pretty gaudy but everyone that wore them loved them. Today they come in black with red/white trim or white with black/red trim. I prefer the modern color scheme a lot better but with today’s pink-is-ok-for-guys fashion I’m honestly surprised they haven’t brought back the older more daring colors.

As soon as I saw that this shoe was available in 2010 I immediately bought 3 pairs! Needless to say they have been on my feet every time I have stepped on a mat since then, including when I won my FILA World title in 2011. One drawback, and this is common with today’s wrestling shoes across the board, is the actual life span of the shoe is relatively short. My soles were pretty worn going to the world championships and I had a blow out in the first match. I was not happy. I had thought about bringing a second pair but improvised with some athletic tape which held what was left of the sole together.

I had worn this pair for over a year, which again is pretty good by today’s standards. I’ve heard stories of other models of Adidas and Asics both blowing out much sooner. Part of the issue has more to do with companies needing to make more money from shoe sales. I had a great pair of Asics Tiger’s back in high school and that shoe would literally not wear out. The only real reason I bought a new pair for my senior year was because I wanted a new look. But unfortunately the decreased durability had already begun and that ‘new’ pair only lasted about 6 months.

For today’s price point the Adidas Combat Speed 3 is an incredible deal! Comparable models from Asics and Nike are 2-3 times as expensive! The Combat Speeds I purchased were through Suplay.com and ran just under $50! Now that is a deal! I haven’t found anything remotely as cost or quality effective as the Adidas Combat Speed 3.

If you’re a wrestler or even a grappler who wants to save his toes then this is THE most functional and affordable wrestling shoe that you’ll ever wear!