Westeros

Back in March, Adidas released a series of Game of Thrones-inspired Ultraboost sneakers in collaboration with HBO, and those six designs sold like hotcakes with many of the more in-demand sizes being entirely sold out at retailers and being sold with significant markups in the aftermarket. These shoes had been highly anticipated by fans of the show and sneakerheads alike, with teasers appearing months in advance…

... and then Adidas surprised many (even some dedicated followers of Adidas’s release schedules) by unveiling a seventh (of course) design, one that was not only distinct from the rest but also based on an entirely different model. HBO kindly arranged a review copy, though as it fell right during our vacation we’ve only had a chance to give them a good look now.

The Speedfactory AM4 The Throne shoe is described as a running shoe design, using a very comfortable knit and Adidas’s Responsive Boost midsole (somewhat different in feel and design to the Ultraboost material of the other shoes).

While this is a laced shoe, it fits snugly enough that one can treat it as a slip-on, which has the added benefit of making the Iron Throne design printed on the knit much clearer. Another interesting touch from Adidas in this design are the clear fit patches which support the eyelets for laces, as these are both set with a kind of irregular angle quite distinct for the more usual Adidas triple stripes. In part, this has a practical effect, the result of Adidas’s work to try and tailor the shoe to runners, but it’s also used to heighten the design of the shoe, making more of the printed design visible.

Despite the eye-catching color and style details, however, this is genuinely a cutting-edge running shoe as well, a product of the Speedfactory division at Adidas who make use of immense amounts of data collected from sports to generate precision computer-modeled designs that attempt to wring out every possible efficiency out of the running stride. You can see this in the sole design, for example, where Adidas has incorporated its famous torison bar into the Responsive Boost material; this helps better connect the toes to the heels in terms of transfering power while running.

The Speedfactory AM4 The Throne is an excellent wrap-up to the Adidas x Game of Thrones collaboration, eye-catching as it is. Alas, even with the surprise of the release, these have sold very quickly! Certain sizes can still be found at Adidas’s storefront, and there’s always the aftermarket to look to if one is really desperate to find it in other sizes.