Long Live the Dad Shoe: Our Five Favorites for Father's Day
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By Stadium Goods |Long Live the Dad Shoe: Our Five Favorites for Father's Day
Lace dad with a new pair of sneakers he’ll appreciate from the game’s top brands.
Matt DeSciora
Of all the trends that have come and gone in sneakers over the last few years, it’s the “dad shoe” that has endured as one of the culture’s most significant style movements. Kanye West’s adidas Yeezy Boost 700 “Wave Runner” cracked its door open in 2017 before Balenciaga’s Triple S silhouette kicked it down empathetically with its massive, triple-stacked midsole a short while later.
More recently, the dad shoe trend has become more accessible, and styles from New Balance, ASICS, Nike, and others are constantly evolving what the dad shoe look. In late 2022 and early 2023, dad shoes took on a completely new meaning when they affectionately became known as “Y2K sneakers” when the trend took an early 2000s performance running shoe-inspired turn.
But make no mistake about it. A dad shoe can mean many different things to whoever’s wearing it—whether you’re a dad or not. The Nike Air Monarch may be the pinnacle dad shoe for some, while something more contemporary like the ASICS GT-2160 might be someone else’s jam.
This type of variety in the dad shoe arena means there’s plenty of great options to choose from if you—or dad—wants to join the fun. With Father’s Day around the corner, we figured now would be as good a time as any to highlight a few of our favorite dad shoes at the moment.
Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 860v2 “Orange”
Could the New Balance 860v2 be the next “it” dad shoe from New Balance? It’s highly possible, considering that Aimé Leon Dore has co-signed the model with multiple collaborations. Seen here is the summer-ready “Orange” colorway. If this one is too bold for dad, try the “Cream” or “Blue” colorways.
ASICS Gel-Quantum Kinetic “Birch/Dark Taupe”
Another dad shoe on the rise is the ASICS Gel-Quantum Kinetic. Designed by Kiko Kostadinov, the Gel-Quantum Kinetic ticks all the boxes of a prototypical dad shoe. Clearly, that’s a good thing.
Travis Scott x Nike Mac Attack
The Nike Mac Attack is an old-school tennis shoe that tennis legend John McEnroe wore—and dads everywhere—in the 1980s. The model resurfaced a few years ago to much fanfare, and it was Travis Scott of all people who gave it the most dad shoe-inspired look on this mostly grey design.
JJJJound x adidas Samba OG “Mesa”
Dads prioritize comfort and versatility when it comes to style. That’s why the JJJJound x adidas Samba OG “Mesa” makes for a shoe that dad would appreciate. It's made of suede, so it's comfortable, and colored in a wear-with-everything all-tan look.